Millennium World: Midnight Script
by ShadowDragon94
Summary: Yuya Sakaki, is a fourteen year old boy with some very difficult problems in life. From a missing parent, to being a Witch, and having invented a new summoning mechanic known as Pendulum Summoning, he has his hands full. So, what else could happen? Well, joining the fight against an evil society, jumping through Zones & Dimensions, and using arcane magic, could be the answer.
1. Chapter 1: Sleight of Hand

_Dear Readers,_

 _This is a retelling of the entirety of Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V, but with a few differences, and yes, per the norm for my stories, it is a lot darker and more serious at some points. My goal is to fix a few points where I felt the story could have been done a bit better._

 _In addition, Yuya is a bit different in this story as he is a blend of his anime and manga versions. That means he can do a few different things that were shown in the manga, and he also has a few personal touches here and there. Also, you do have a warning that this story is going to have some pretty scary moments, which is why I rated this story M just to be on the safe side. Another thing to point out: I used the Japanese names of the characters because some of the English translations I didn't like at all_ _ **– Thanks 4Kids –**_

 _Also, just a warning, this story is not finished, and will be updated in arcs; however, I wanted to see what you guys think about it._

 _ **This story does have a few trigger warnings, and I also want to let the readers know that the story is rated M because of violence and references, not for sexual content.**_

 _On a final note, this story ended up as a total of about 200 chapters or so, just in case you were wondering. Now, enough of the boring author's note, let's get things started shall we?_

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ _ **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh Arc-V, its original concept belongs to Kazuki Takahashi, the story belongs to Yoshida Shin, the art is by Miyoshi Naohito, and the Duel Cordinations belong to Hikokubo Masahiro.**_

 _ **Claimer:**_ _ **I did create some cards that the characters use, so, those do belong to me in that aspect at least, also, some of the story content belongs to me as well.**_

Chapter 1: Sleight of Hand

 **{Maiami City, Japan: May 1** **st** **2014, 6:56am}**

The sun had just begun to rise upon the beautiful, sprawling city by the sea that was Maiami. Its buildings pristine and gleaming in the early morning rays, the city was renowned for several things from its beautiful sprawling views of the ocean, to the lovely parks and the mountains that existed on the outer rims of the city, and at the peak of the highlights of this city, was the Leo Duel School, an organization that trained youths in all forms of Dueling from Rituals, Fusions, Synchros, and Xyzs Summoning methods. However, even though it may have been considered the best, it wasn't the only school in the city that taught students Dueling, several others were there, but the one that had gained the most recognition because of its founder, was the You Show Duel School.

This school, taught its students how to utilize their Dueling as a form of entertainment known world-wide as Dueltaining, a style of Dueling that had been created by the school's founder: Yusho Sakaki.

The morning rays continued to stretch across the ground, flowing over the buildings and telling the children and adults of the city that another day had begun. However, in a white house surrounded by a brick fence was a certain person within this house had been up almost two hours earlier than the sun had been. This boy, was a lithe youth with fair skin that held a slight tan to it, scarlet eyes, and crimson and green, messy hair.

He was dressed in dark green pants that had two pockets on either side of the legs, an orange t-shirt and had on a brown belt. Around his neck was a black choker with a buckle on the front, and hanging a bit lower to almost the area of his stomach was a pendulum crystal with silver angel wings wrapping around the bluish-white crystal. At current, he was sitting on the floor of his room, glancing periodically at the clock as he sighed and looked at the book that was in front of him, reading through the old, warn pages as he thought over what he was reading.

"Okay…let's try this again…" he closed his eyes and relaxed his body.

"Su ela mari ves rohas!" energy whipped around the room as he did his best to hold his focus before he felt himself almost become weightless, the area around him humming with an energetic force as the boy retained his focus as best he could. As his mind went to focusing deeply upon his current task the door to his room opened and a blonde-haired, green-eyed woman sighed as she put her hands on her hips.

"Yuya!" she called, breaking his concentration as he looked up.

"CRAP!" The words left him as he jumped in slight surprise and instantly felt himself being pulled back down by gravity as he hit the bed against the wall upside down and hissed in pain. The woman, his mother, Yoko Sakaki shook her head in dismay as she walked forward and looked at the now scattered deck of cards that had fallen off the bed-side table due to her son's sudden impact rattling the bedside table.

"Are you okay?" she asked him as he opened one scarlet colored eye.

"I…think so…." Yoko stepped back and watched as the boy threw his legs over and back flipped off the bed and into a crouch before looking at the cards scattered about.

"You really shouldn't be practicing this so early, what if the neighbors see you?" Yoko probed as she watched her son start to gather up the cards.

"I know, but I don't really have any other time to practice, and besides…my curtains were closed." The boy pointed this out and she shook her head in defeat.

"Yuya, listen, about the magic…" her son gave her a concerned look.

"What? Is something wrong?" he stood, holding the deck in his hands before she sighed.

"No, but I want you to be careful about using your spells. Because your dad was a Dueltainer, you can pass it off as stage magic for the most part. However, if you do something to drastic, you'll get yourself in trouble….remember when you made the goldfish float out of the bowl in Mrs. Kuromakami's history class three months ago?" Yoko probed as Yuya winced.

"Yea….that wasn't my fault though! I mean….I didn't mean to do it, I just…." Yoko frowned.

"Yuya, your magic is getting stronger – you're too much like your mother in that aspect – so you need to be extremely careful when you use it even for the most basic things! If you don't, one of these days you're going to do something that we can't explain away, and then what will you do?" she inquired as he set his deck into the holster he kept it in before looking at her.

"It's not that bad….besides! You're a fully matured witch…I'm still learning…" Yoko went to him and flicked him on the ear, causing him to jolt as he looked to her.

"Fully matured magic or not, you come from a family full of witches! Think about it, I can use magic, but I elect not to do so continuously… in addition, your father could use it as well! So you have got to remember, your magic is twice as strong, remember that!" she stated as the boy groaned.

"Just because I'm the only child born in the seventh generation doesn't mean that my magic is going to be any stronger or weaker than my parents. Grandmother said that all the time before she passed away." Yoko sighed and looked at the boy before feeling an unnatural weight in her pocket that reminded her of the reason she had cone into the room.

"Which brings me to my point for coming in and causing that spectacular crash landing," she stated as Yuya gave her a look.

"What?! It was not spectacular! That hurt like hell! And…ouch! Why did you smack me?" the blonde-haired woman had taken something out of her pocket and slapped him over the head with it.

"You may have come of age today in the magical world, but that doesn't mean that you can use bad language!" Yuya felt his eyes grow wide at his mother's words.

"Huh?" Yoko laughed at the confused expression on her son's face.

Today, was May first, and officially, it was Yuya's fourteenth birthday, which meant that in the practices of witches, he was considered mature enough to be entrusted with a grimoire to continue his magic practice – with supervision of course – and that also meant that his magic would be reaching its maturity when Halloween ended and the start of the harvest season began in November.

"It's your birthday silly! You're fourteen now, so that grimoire you've been reading is yours now. It can be reduced to a smaller book so that you can take it with you, but don't you dare loose it!" Yoko warned as Yuya blinked at her and then grinned.

"I won't! But to be honest….I kinda…forgot…" Yoko sighed.

"Something told me you would be forgetting seeing as your father was just as forgetful sometimes….especially when it came to important details. Which is another reason I came in here! I am wanting to warn you that I am still going to manage your training in magic as best I can, but you're old enough to handle the grimoire alone and learn for the most part…." Yuya nodded, thinking about the fact that his mother had a serious look on her face.

When it came to magical practice, his mother had always been his overseer since he was three and had accidentally brought one of his toys to life. Creation magic was a very early sign that someone had magical abilities, and Yuya's had reared its head three years into his life, now eleven years later, he could manage most basic spells, and that included revival and creation magic – not that he was allowed to use it though – but some of the harder spells were a problem for him.

Levitation, Transformation, and Legation magic never quite worked the way it needed to for him, but he did have a remarkable skill when it came to his Duel Monsters. Yoko couldn't count on her hands and toes how many times she'd seen some of Yuya's Performapals come to life and him talk with them while they were at home. Scarlet eyes looked at the grimoire on the floor and then the deck of cards settled into the case next to his Duel Disk.

While his mother had always been the one to oversee his magical training, it had been his father, Yusho who had taught him how to Duel. Yuya was a talented Duelist, but he was also a bit insecure when it came to certain things that caused drastic change to his life. Yoko looked at the boy and smiled before she moved forward and pulled him into a tight embrace, startling him momentarily as she ran her fingers through his soft, messy, and bright-colored hair. Yuya closed his eyes tightly, wrapping his arms around his mother's waist as he held onto her.

"You know, your father would be proud of you. Even with all the things that have happened over these last three years," she told him as he bit his lip.

"I'm not sure he would be happy about two weeks ago…." Yoko frowned as the memory of that day came to him while she stepped back as Yuya took in a steady breath and she grasped his hands, looking at the bandages that were still wrapped about his wrists.

"Everyone has hardships, and some people just can't overcome them….you aren't weak because of what happened….and I say that because you changed your mind…you decided that you didn't want that fate. This is where I would tell you that you'll get over it easily, but that isn't true….you've got a long road ahead of you still, but don't be afraid….you're not alone, okay Yuya?" the boy kept his gaze to the floor.

"If you say so…." Yoko shook her head.

"No, it's true…Yuzu didn't abandon you when that happened did she?" she probed as the boy flinched.

"Y-Yea…." Yoko smiled as she leaned forward and placed a kiss to his forehead, causing him to jolt a bit.

"Now, listen to me Yuya, no getting so upset over this…..the others wanted to go do something fun for you birthday, so I expect you to have a good time and don't let it weigh you down. But before you finish getting ready for school, I have a present for you downstairs, and I also have this," she told him as she held out a red envelope.

"What is this?" Yoko let him take it.

"Go and read it, and once you get downstairs I'll be waiting. Finish getting ready and then come downstairs for breakfast," she stated as she left while a faint stinging came to her eyes.

" _My little baby's growing up…"_

Yuya sighed as he grabbed his school jacket, placed his goggles on his head, and then looked at the two wrist bands before steadily putting them on. The action still caused a bit of stinging when they were first put on, but according to the doctor, the wounds were healing very well and should be completely gone in a short amount of time, but for the time being he needed to continue his treatment of them.

Putting the wrist bands on, were Yuya's choice so not to raise questions about the gauze and bandages wrapped about his wrists, it was another reason that he had started wearing his jacket instead of leaving it to rest on his shoulders. Yuya frowned as he winced before looking at the envelope on the bedside table as he contemplated on whether or not he wanted to read it right then while his gaze shifted to the grimoire on the ground stood. Picking it up, Yuya looked at it and focused a bit on his magic to use the spell he'd learned early on that was meant to make things a bit smaller. Once the book was roughly the size of a dictionary, he slid it into his school bag and picked up the envelope, and took in a deep breath before he opened it and saw a letter present.

"What's this? Whose thi…" his words stopped as he recognized the handwriting as his father's. Yuya swallowed thickly as he pulled the letter loose and began to read it.

 _Dear Yuya,_

 _If you are reading this letter, then you've officially turned fourteen today: Happy Birthday my boy. I'm sure your mother is going to read you the riot act on the rules and restrictions of being of magical age and how important of a day this is for you in more than one way. Just be thankful that there aren't witches councils anymore, otherwise you'd have to meet them today as well – they aren't fun, and its worse than staring down an opponent with Exodia in their deck and four cards of him in their hands – but I want you to remember something important about today, and it's not just because you've reached the age where you're able to use the grimoire and learn the rest of your spellcraft and all of that hocus pocus…."_ Yuya paused a laugh just a bit.

"You always called it that…" he muttered before continuing.

" _Today, you were born, and it is still one of the greatest days of our lives. Even though I am not here Yuya, I will always watch over you and help you whenever I can. I love you with all my heart, and I don't want you to ever believe otherwise. Yuya, did your mother ever tell you what your name meant? Or where it came from? I know it's probably silly to you, but we named you after an Egyptian ruler, and your name in our language, means Great King. The moral of this little spill from your old man is that you can become greater than you are now, so don't forget that, alright my boy?_

 _One more thing, I left a friend for you in that envelope, so do me a favor and put him to good use. I think you'll like him, and he should give you a hand whenever you need him to, and he'll help you become stronger. Just remember something for me, okay kiddo? Wherever you go in life, believe in yourself, and keep your head held high…no matter what you endure, stay strong and true to your heart, allow it to be your guiding key in the hours of darkness that may come when you feel alone. One more thing, don't forget to smile, alright?_

 _I love you, with all my heart and I hope you will succeed in everything you put your heart and soul into, my brave little boy, once more, Happy Birthday, Yuya._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Dad._

Yuya felt tears slip down his face as he tried to shake them off. The letter was dated from three years ago; however, Yuya knew that every word his father had penned into the letter was genuine and had been meant to give in encouragement when he needed it. Taking in a deep breath, Yuya looked at it with a smile and gently folded the letter back up and then reached into the envelope and pulled out a card that caused him to raise an eyebrow for just a moment. It was a spellcaster-effect monster, light attribute with the level of seven with an attack of twenty-five-hundred and a defense of two-thousand.

The image consisted of a purplish background with stars while the monster wore a red, black, and purple jester's hat with a golden ring at the center that held a blue stone, its arms were cloaked in red, black, and gold in the attire of a ring-leader while its hands were clawed and white-gloved. It wore a full-face mask with a black slant area for eyes. In one hand it held a staff with a blue stone at the top while the other hand held three white balls. The lower half of the monster wasn't legs, but what seemed to be his pendulum crystal with white angel wings just below the flaps of its tailcoat.

"Performapal….Sleight Hand Magician?" he asked aloud before he read the effect of the monster as a smile came to his features. After he read it he grabbed his deck out of his pocket and slid the card into the deck before putting it away as he grabbed his duel disk and put it into his other pocket before grabbing his backpack as he existed the room, clicking off the lights as he went.

 **{Downstairs: 7:20am}**

"I'm going to be late!" Yuya rushed into the kitchen, putting his shoes on as he hopped a bit.

"Yuya, take it easy! You'll…" the boy winced, leaning against the wall as he hissed while clutching his arm to his chest.

"Ahhh….dang it…." He muttered as he took in a few deep breaths, trying to will the pain away.

"Okay, sit down, eat and take the medicine the doctor gave you for pain! If you're late to school the principle knows you were in the hospital two weeks ago and that the doctors told you to be careful, so I wouldn't worry about it too much." Yoko sat down the plate that had pancakes, bacon and eggs.

"I'm really not that hungry…." She glared and poked him in the side just as he sat down.

"Listen here young man, you weigh a grand total of eighty-three pounds! I know your skinny as a rail, but you need to eat right or you'll be even tinier than you are now!" she lectured as he gave her a dismal look.

"Mom…." Yoko frowned before she took in a deep breath.

"Eat some of it at least, and then you can go meet Yuzu and the others, okay?" she told him as she patted his head a bit.

"Fine…" Yuya began to bite into his breakfast, dreading the ache the medicine would cause if he had a full stomach. The doctor had said it was a side-effect, but there wasn't much that could be done about it besides giving him medicine for his stomach aches and nausea that would come; however, Yuya had refused and instead resorted to having to drink one of his mother's homemade _remedies._

"By the way, happy birthday Yuya, I think you'll like this," she said with a smile as she sat a small envelope on the table as she began mixing a potion.

"Thanks mom…" Yuya swallowed the bite he had before picking up the envelope and opened it a bit.

Inside were several Duel Monsters cards, some of which, Yuya had never seen before. Tensing just a fraction Yuya pulled them out in curiosity as he began to read them over. The first was a magician with a purple back-ground that had gears and clock faces in the background. The magician had brown hair, green eyes, a black cloak, dark attire, and brandished a sword while he wore a crown atop his head that seemed to be made out of the same style as Timegazer's arm piece, this monster was an effect type with no defense, and fourteen-hundred attack, and it was a dark attribute with a level of three.

The second one was a Performapal that had blue-purple as a background with yellow stars. It was a purple and white looking creature with red eyes, a bow-tie, stars on its cheeks, a turban with a white feather and a jewel holding it together, it had an ornate Persian rug-design on its back, a series of golden rings at the base of its fluffy tail, and golden tassels on its wrists. It was a Flip effect monster with one-thousand attack, and one-hundred defense, the monster was an earth-attribute and was also a level three. The final monster nearly made him freeze as he gulped nervously and glanced over his mother.

"Where did you get this one?" he asked as Yoko smiled.

"I found it, and it wasn't easy…" she went back to her work as he stared.

It was a level eight, dark-attribute, effect-Dragon type monster with twenty-five hundred attack, two-thousand defense. The monster was granted a background of black and violet with red-tones, it was white and seemed to be made of bone with dark purple-undertones while two-opposite colored jewels covered it on the tail, arms, and horns. Its eyes were mismatched, letting Yuya know that this monster couldn't be mistaken even if he couldn't read the name.

"Timebreaker Magician….and Performapal Momoncarpet I get, but…I thought that these didn't…" Yoko gave him a long look with a smile.

"I thought he suited you, seeing as you do have that little trick of yours, right…Phantom?" Yuya felt a sense of dread come over him.

"So….you uh…know about that huh?" he probed.

"Yes, I won't say a word though….still I thought you would like him." Yuya looked at the card.

"Odd-Eyes….Phantom Dragon…." He muttered.

"Yuya?" scarlet eyes looked up.

"Yea mom?" she sat down the potion she'd just finished into a to-go mug.

"You're going to be late to meet Yuzu and the others," she stated as he looked at the clock.

"CRAP!"

Yuya tugged on his shoes, swallowed the horrible tasting medicine, and grabbed the cards, putting them into the deck as swiftly as he could before giving his mom a hug and grabbing the mug she'd put the potion in before racing out the door with a swift goodbye. As the door slammed, Yoko sighed and looked out the window, watching her son race as fast as he could in the direction of where his friends would be waiting before she pulled the chain that was tucked into her shirt and opened it to look at a picture within it.

"Hey, sis….can you watch over Yuya for me? I get the feeling he's going to be in some really dangerous things soon…I want you to keep him safe, let him know that he's not alone, okay?" she muttered as she looked at the picture of the woman with her in the photo as the image's scarlet-toned eyes stared back at her.

 **{Street Corner: 7:40am}**

Yuzu Hiiragi sighed as she puffed out her cheeks and checked the time on her phone. Yuya was later than usual, and she, and Gongenzaka were beginning to wonder where he was. The giant-of-a-youth known as Noburou Gongenzaka hummed as he looked at the scene of the streets and the early morning while the pink-haired, periwinkle-eyed girl next to him growled. School had been a bit strange lately, and neither of them contested as to why it had been only because they all knew why: Yuya. The spirited, cheery, scarlet-eyed boy had been absent until about four days ago, but his return hadn't been greeted with his normal cheer, instead, Yuya was quiet, not wearing his goggles or trying to stand out and be his usual self.

"Thinking about it over and over won't do it any good Yuzu," stated Gongenzaka.

"I know….but…I still can't get it out of my head…" the pink-haired girl looked down.

"The only thing that will help him heal from it is to be there for him. Yuya is strong, you told me that when you found him he was fighting to stop it…that tells me that he doesn't want that fate for himself, and he decided to live," he said calmly, ensuring the girl that his words were sincere.

"Gongenzaka….you should have seen the look on his face…he looked so….broken…Yuya's never looked like that before…" the Samurai took in a deep breath as he looked to the girl.

"Everyone breaks at least once….Yuya is no acception. We can't expect him to be strong when he's in pain….but you should help him to recover, to get his spirit back," he told her.

"I guess so…hey um…Gongenzaka? Can I ask a question?" the teenager nodded.

"What is it?" he questioned.

"Do you ever get the feeling that Yuya isn't telling us something? Like there's a secret he's trying to keep?" the taller teen hummed.

Gongenzaka had known Yuya since the boy was six years of age – three years less than Yuzu had – and he had always had the feeling that the boy was special, and very different from others that were around them, but could never place why or how. There had been a few times where Gongenzaka got the distinct feeling that it had something to do with the few times he'd glimpsed Yuya doing something strange out of the corner of his eyes and found Yuya quickly trying to cover it up when he saw him staring. The boy would stutter – something he only ever did if he was extremely anxious – and try to fish for an explanation if a question was asked, or he would hide it and say he wasn't sure what they were talking about. Dark eyes looked at the pink-haired girl before Gongenzaka nodded.

"I have….Yuya is keeping something secret, and I feel as though it is vital, but he's concerned about what we'll think if we learn of it." Yuzu looked down.

"Here I was thinking I was the only one who thought I saw him doing something strange when no one was looking. At first, I thought it was just him goofing around, but then I saw him do some pretty creepy things, and you remember that one time he got mad at my dad and yelled at him?" Gongenzaka once again nodded.

"I do…the door slammed shut and the lights flickered," he stated.

"Sometimes, I wonder if Yuya might be a…." a sudden series of footsteps caught their attention and they turned to see the crimson-and-emerald-haired boy taking in a few deep breaths.

"Hi guys, sorry I'm….late…" he looked up at them and Yuzu smiled.

"That's fine, but where were you?" Yuya gave them a sheepish grin.

"My mom held me up, I guess I can see why…um…why are you guys looking at me like that?" he asked.

Yuzu and Gongenzaka had gotten a distinctly _unnerving sensation_ when they met Yuya's scarlet eyes, but couldn't figure out why. This was the same Yuya Sakaki that they had known for years, but today, he felt different, and almost as if something had changed about him.

"It's….nothing….but…are you…doing okay?" Yuzu asked hesitantly as Yuya smiled.

"I'm fine, but we better get to school, otherwise we'll be late." With that the boy started to run in the direction of the school, and the other two followed him, choosing to ignore the strange sensation they had just gotten and enjoy the day with their friend.

 **{…..}**

 _It's a truth that in love and war…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Well, the first chapter is a bit strange, yes I know, but allow me to explain a few details:

Yes, Yoko is a witch. I thought it'd be interesting to throw in some real-deal magic in the story.

Yes, in this world, males and females are called witches.

Yes, Youshou is able to use magic, but his is a little different and that will be explained later.

Yes, Yuya is able to use magic, and has quite a skill with it, but he does mess up sometimes.

Yuya has a few other tricks up his sleeves.

At age 14, witches – at least in this world – can use magic freely and are entrusted with their family grimoire.

Yuya is the only child in the seventh generation, which means his magic is going to be a lot more potent than others, but that's a witch thing.

I decided to explain how Yuya got some of the cards we see him use throughout the anime and a few from the manga as well.

I cannot answer many questions because it'll take the fun out of it, but that's the gist of it. If you guys have any questions _**Please PM me.**_

This story has no previews because it's far too long, so just keep reading! And have a great day!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.


	2. Chapter 2: Clever

Chapter 2: Clever

 **{Maiami Second Middle School: May 1** **st** **2014, 3:00pm}**

"Yuya! Wait up!" called Yuzu as she and Gongenzaka came up to the boy who paused as he headed out of the school gates.

"Hi guys, what's up?" the girl glared and materialized her fan to whack him over the head, causing him to wince as he looked at the girl.

"Yuzu! What was that for?" she puffed out her cheeks.

"It's your birthday dummy! We're supposed to head over to the Duel School, remember? Dad said he wanted us over there asap!" Yuzu stated as the boy sighed.

"Fine, lead the way Princess…" Yuzu whacked him again.

"I am not a Princess! I'm a Duelist! Just like you and Gongenzaka are!" she snapped as Yuya winced.

"I'm sorry….um….anyways…why did your dad want us to come over? I thought that classes were cancelled today or something…." Gongenzaka looked to him.

"No, he said we would be having specified lessons today. You weren't listening were you?" Yuya glanced to the side and hummed.

"Yea…I kinda spaced out a bit, sorry…" Yuzu frowned.

"Never mind, let's just hurry or we'll be getting there later than normal," she said.

Yuzu reached for Yuya's wrist as she had done since they were little kids, but froze as the memory of two weeks ago roared to life in her mind's eye. The scene replayed in what felt like an endless loop as she froze before dropping her hand when the boy's scarlet eyes looked to her. Gongenzaka said nothing and continued walking as Yuya started to move as well and Yuzu fell a bit behind them as her mind mulled over the events. It had all began with Yuya acting a bit distant, his behavior a bit moody and his usual smile and laughter vacant when he should have been his usual cheery self. For a while, Yuzu and the others had assumed that he was merely tired or put out about something; however, that had changed the day that Yuzu couldn't find him in the Duel School.

She had looked and looked for him, but never found anything and then she heard the sound of someone crying and entered the boy's bathroom just to be sure. Yuzu had found Yuya, struggling at the sink with the hand towels desperately trying to do something with them. At first she wasn't sure what he was doing, and then she took a step forward and looked down, seeing the trail of blood near him as he turned to stare at her, and the blood became evident on the hand towels as well.

For just a second she froze and then Yuzu found herself rushing to Yuya, begging him to stay still and sit down in the floor so she could help him stop the bleeding.

The next thing they knew they were in the hospital, and Yuya who had been sleeping off the pain medicine and drugs had to be given a transfusion due to how much blood he had lost. The doctor had wanted to place Yuya in the psychiatric ward for observation, but that wasn't what the man had said, he had stated that he wanted Yuya at the hospital under suicide watch.

Yoko had stated that once Yuya was well enough to go home she wanted to bring him back immediately so she could personally keep an eye on him. Though reluctant, the doctor agreed and three days later, Yuya was home and recovering. Yuzu had cried so hard those four days, scared and confused as to why he would do something like he had; however, she still couldn't find an answer for it. Yuya was always so bright and cheerful, just a beautiful, happy person that no one could truly hate, and yet he had tried to take his own life. A burning sensation came to Yuzu's eyes as she thought of the look on his face as she held pressure on his wrists that day and looked into his eyes.

They were so incredibly tired, bloodshot and his face pale and tear-stained: nothing like his eyes normally were. Yuya had these bright, stunning, and piercing eyes that shined with so much warmth and light that every time he looked at her, even if she was having the worst day, seeing him, his smile, hearing his laugh, it made everything better. But not on that day, not on the day when he looked at her, terrified of what he'd done and begged for her to help him, not to leave him, and as she stared into those frightened eyes, something else was there.

" _Yuya was scared he was going to die. He was asking me to stay with him so he wouldn't have to die alone…..Yuya, I'm so sorry…we should have known what was going on with you…we should have helped you…"_

"Yuzu?" periwinkle-eyes looked to scarlet ones.

"Hmm? Uh…" Yuya smiled to her and Yuzu felt a blush come to her features.

"Are you okay?" he inquired.

"I-I am…I was just…wondering um…how you were feeling?" she glanced down to the boy's hands and he flinched.

"Um…I'm okay…it still kind of…hurts...but I'm alright….Allie and Fredric don't know…do they?" he asked as Yuzu swallowed a bit tensely.

"They know something's not right, but I don't think they realize what's happened…." scarlet eyes glanced down.

"Oh, um….that's good," he told her as she glanced down as he started to walk as Gongenzaka kept a pace ahead, letting the two have their time alone.

"Listen, Yuya….about that day, I just want to let you know that I'm not judging you about what happened…" she felt her voice fail her when he gave her a faintly chilled look and the same sensation of discomfort rose in her chest.

" _This is Yuya….the same Yuya I've known my whole life, so why am I feeling so spooked all of the sudden when he looks at me?"_

"I know…Yuzu, um…listen I wanted to…um…" the boy glanced to the side, blushing a bit as she stared at him as he scuffed the toe of his sneakers against the sidewalk, looking a bit nervous as she rose an eyebrow.

"Yuya? What is it?" she asked him this and he met her gaze once more, and the unnerving sensation returned.

"N-Nothing, but thanks for trying to cheer me up! I've been really down because of that nasty medicine that the doctor put me on…" with that Yuya made an about-face movement and started walking down the street while Yuzu stared in faint shock before glancing to the ground.

" _It's alright Yuya, I know what you were wanting to say…but just telling you that you're welcome…I don't think that's enough for what we went through together that day…"_

 **{You Show Duel School: 3:40pm}**

Shuzo Hiiragi sighed as he looked at his students who were currently standing in front of him with an expression akin to disdain. They were going over basic strategies that Duelists used, and could tell that some of the children's attention was waning. Today, he had received a call from Yoko telling him to not forget that it was Yuya's birthday and not to hold the children up to long from having a good time. Knowing this, Shuzo had done all he could to prepare a little surprise for the kids – it wasn't much but Yoko was still setting it up with Gongenzaka in the back room – and he was certain that it would be something Yuya would enjoy all the same. The boy was currently rolling a pencil around on a piece of paper without using his hands by keeping his eyes upon it while Shuzo rose an eyebrow.

On several occasions, the Principle of the You Show Duel School had seen Yuya doing something strange that seemed as if it wasn't possible. Yuzu had brought it up a few times that she believed Yuya was a Psychic Duelist, like some of the others they had heard about over the years – such as the Rose Synchro Duelist Akiza Izayoi – and that he just preferred not to tell anyone. Shuzo could believe it, but he knew deep down that it was not the answer, and somewhere within her mind, Yuzu knew the same.

"Yuya? Are you paying attention?" asked Shuzo as he frowned at the boy who stopped what he was doing and looked to him.

"Um…I'm sorry Principle…." The man sighed.

"Can you tell me a basic combo to set up a safe-guard backrow?" he inquired as Yuya hummed for a moment.

"Well…you could use a series of five spells, traps or a mix of the two. A good set to have would be Mirror Force, Magic Cylinder, Lightening Vortex, and either magical stone excavation…if you're using a Fusion deck that is…or…. you can use another trap such as Chaos Burst…" Yuzu frowned as Allie looked to him.

"But what if someone uses something like Mystical Space Typhoon or something like that?" the little red-haired girl asked.

"You can always replace it Allie, besides, what if someone has set a trap card that can eradicate your entire back row in one swoop?" she squeaked.

"There aren't any cards that can do that!" Yuzu looked at Yuya who grabbed his deck which was settled next to him and shuffled through it before holding up a trap card.

"Straight Flush?" asked Yuzu.

"Yep, it's a card that automatically destroys the entire back row of your opponent if they have five cards." Shuzo nodded.

"He's right, that card is incredibly dangerous; therefore, even though having a great backrow support is important, not maxing it out is also the safest bet," he informed them.

"But what if someone uses Mystical Space Typhoon on the trap card? Then what?" Yuya glanced at the red-haired girl, but said nothing as Yuzu chimed in.

"Then your cards are safe, but don't rely on Mystical Space Typhoon too much, remember, you can get it with a card of its own kind," the pink-haired girl told the other as Yuya looked back to his deck and placed the card into the deck again.

"Right, now, when it comes to multiple summons at once, there are several ways to go about it…"

Yuya zoned out as the Principle continued to drone about different strategies as his mind mulled over different types of magic that he had been trying to learn lately. Summoning magic was still causing him massive problems as the only summons he could manage were his Duel Monsters, but they weren't exactly the greatest of summons, and he couldn't summon forth Odd-Eyes Dragon even though he had tried several times. The next problem had become levitation magic, and then transformation magic. A fain bruise on his lower back throbbed as he remembered the fact that he had tried levitation magic earlier and had taken quite a bad fall as he folded his arms – minding his wrists carefully – as he watched the pencil he had next to a set of blank paper roll back and forth a bit while he stared at it.

His mind went to transformation magic which he had been unsure to try and had once only to give himself whiskers similar to a cat which his mother had to undo. She had warned him about the dangers of transformation magic and to start off with giving himself some ears of an animal or something instead of trying to fully transform into an animal of some kind. Yoko could turn into a sleek golden tabby cat if she tried and had shown Yuya how transformation magic was done, but had been warned once more that he was still too young for that and to tread carefully. A groan left him as he stared at the pencil with disdain as he thought of how pointless it seemed to be practicing magic when every time he turned around he was being told to be careful of when and how he used it.

Naturally, Yuya knew that his mother meant well, but he was becoming a bit put out by the idea that he would be constantly reminded that he may be of age now, but he still was too inexperienced and young to do certain spells. A tisk left him as he considered the elemental magic he had been attempting to do recently and had ended up making the flower pots blow up outside. Narrowing his eyes just a fraction he felt a faint flare of aggression come through him as he considered why he kept being blindsided with all these difficulties even after eleven years' worth of training from his mother, who was a very skilled witch. Scarlet eyes glared at the pencil and a faintly disgusted expression came to his features as he considered how much further he should have come despite his recent afflictions.

"Yuya? Are you listening to me? Hello? Yuya?" asked Shuzo before Yuzu looked to him in concern.

"Yuya? Hey, are you okay?"

"YUYA!" Shuzo stated loudly, causing the two-toned-haired boy to look up in alarm.

In the instant that he had looked to the Principle, the pencil that he had been rolling around with his magic shot forward and slipped past the man's head and embedded itself into the wall next to him just as the door opened and Gongenzaka and Yoko stared at the scene, having witnessed the pencil fly past Shuzo who stared white as a sheet while Yuya felt panic flare inside him as the room fell frighteningly still. Yuzu stared while the scarlet-eyed boy swallowed thickly, his skin blanching to an unhealthy pallor as her father stared to the boy while Allie and Fredric did the same.

"What…just happened?" muttered Allie.

"I don't know…but it's giving me chill-bumps!" Yuzu looked at the boy and then to Yuya who stood and shoved his belongings into his backpack before starting towards the door.

"Yuya! Wait up a sec, what just –"the crimson-emerald-haired boy kept walking, starting towards the exit of the building when a hand grasped his wrist and a sharp pain ripped through him.

"Big bro what are you…" Yuya jerked his hand away from Frederic as he held his wrist to him, feeling an unrelenting pain edge into his body as warmth began to spread through the area of the cut.

"Yuya, are you okay?" asked Yoko as she came to the boy as he tensed, his teeth grinding together as he felt the cut that had been healing so well open up again.

"It's opened up…" Shuzo stared as Yoko moved to look at the offended limb and felt his heart rate pick up.

"Yoko, there's a first aid kit here if you need it," he stated as he had her follow him towards the infirmary area where Yoko had Yuya sit down while the others gathered to see what she was doing while the scarlet-eyed boy sat at the small table in the corner.

Yuzu tensed as Yoko set down a first aid kit and requested Yuya to remove his jacket while her mind realized that Allie and Frederic hadn't seen the injuries, but wouldn't have much of a choice now, because if they didn't see the wounds then, they would ask soon enough. Gongenzaka stepped forward, hoping to shield the kids as Yoko tugged off Yuya's wrist band, revealing a blood-stained gauze there. Instantly the two youngest members of the school went white as Yuzu crouched next to them.

"Big bro Yuya…w-what happened?" asked Allie in concern.

"It's okay, Yuya's just got a little cut and we've gotta take care of it, come on, let's go wait for them in the back room," stated Yuzu.

"No! He's hurt bad! I'm staying!" Yuya met the terrified eyes of the little children as Yoko set to unwrapping the gauze.

"Come on now, you don't want to see this. It's okay, just a cut…I was stupid and stuck my had into the sink the other day and I cut myself. Just go with Yuzu okay? I'll be out in just a minute," he told them with a wink, hiding the fact that he had agonizing bolts racing up his arm at this point.

"O-Okay…" Yuzu pushed the children out and Gongenzaka eyed the wound, having not seen them clearly at first.

Yuya had sliced both his wrist long ways going up his arm, but not extending much past his wrist. They were long enough that his wrist bands didn't cover them, and because of that he had taken to wearing his jacket or long sleeves recently so he could avoid the younger children or other people seeing them and knowing what happened; however, Gongenzaka, much like Yuzu remembered what happened two weeks prior and didn't quite like it. He had been the one to carry Yuya out to the car to get him to the hospital as quickly as possible, and he, the strong, ever steadfast Noburou Gongenzaka: had been terrified. The sight of Yuya held up against him, broken out in an icy sweat, skin paled to the point he looked like a corpse, and dark circles apparent under his eyes while he held the boy's bloodied form to him had without question, terrified Gongenzaka past the point of speech. Now, seeing the wounds as they were he noted that they had been healing at a surprising speed, and despite having the one cut re-open, the wound still looked as though it was healing well.

"I'm going to check on the kids and Yuzu. I'll see you three in a minute," stated Gongenzaka as Yuya kept his gaze down while the taller teenager left the room with a click of the door.

"He's angry with me…." Shuzo looked to the boy.

"No, he's concerned. You've had us all worried lately, are you doing okay?" he inquired.

"I'm fine….minus this…I've been okay…" Yoko looked to Shuzo and he nodded, reading the message loud and clear.

"That's good, just don't do anything reckless, okay? Remember, if I go down, this school belongs to you so you gotta stay in top shape, alright champ?" Shuzo stated as he mused the boy's hair before exiting the room. Yoko glanced to Yuya, his eyes looking remarkably tired as he sat there.

"I saw what you did with the pencil earlier, you've got to be more careful." The blonde-haired woman turned her attention back to cleaning the wound as it bled more.

"Sometimes, it's easier said than done. You're magic is so much easier to control it seems….and I'm just….frustrated I guess at not being able to really do much with my own….except for a few things…." Yoko looked to him fully.

"Yuya, none of us started out with things being easy when learning how to use our magic. But trust me, you will get there. It just takes time….you just turned fourteen today, so why you're so uptight about it I don't know," she stated.

"Neither do I…except….that I got angry and then the Principle shouted at me to get my attention, and then the pencil threw itself at him…" Yoko stared.

"You were angry? That caused your magic to act up like that?" she probed as he glanced down.

"I felt this sensation in the back of my mind...it felt like really strong magic, but it doesn't really obey anything I ask of it so…." Yoko looked at her son and then down.

" _It couldn't be….waking magic could it?"_ she thought before looking at the boy again.

"Yuya, just be more careful. Eventually, people will learn the truth…now, let's finish this up and go to the back room, the others are probably worried," she told him.

"Yea, okay…."

 **{Backroom: 5:38pm}**

Whatever it was that Yuya had expected when he entered the back room of the school, it hadn't been to be blasted with confetti and streamers and the others shouting a _happy birthday_ to him. He now sat by a window as he saw dark clouds rolling in while Allie and Frederic's parents conversed with Shuzo and his mother while Gongenzaka joined in on the conversation. It was a small get together, but Yuya could admit that he was happy about it, and he was pleased that they had done this much for him after all the trouble they'd endured the last two weeks. He sighed, looking at the sky for signs of rainfall beginning. As he sat there though, someone came to him and tapped him on the shoulder, startling him as he turned to see Yuzu standing there with a concerned expression.

"Yuzu?" she smiled.

"You seemed like you were deep in thought….I almost didn't want to disturb you," she stated while taking a seat across from him.

"Na, I was just looking outside. I think we're gonna get some serious rainfall or something…" periwinkle eyes looked at his scarlet ones, feeling the same unnerving sensation, but at the same time a sense of peace had begun to wash over them after the long day.

"It looks like it…um…Yuya? I was wondering, are you really doing better?" she inquired as he turned his gaze fully to her.

"Yea, I'm just really tired lately…I feel like I'm not getting enough sleep or something." Yuzu glanced down and then held out a small envelope.

"Happy Birthday, Yuya," she said as he looked at it.

"Thanks, what is it?" she frowned as he carefully opened the seal.

"I thought it would do you some good, seeing as the cord is getting kind of worn…and also, I thought it might help," she explained as Yuya looked at the silver chain with a pearl bead on it. It favored the cord he used to currently hold the Pendulum Crystal on, but it was a lot sturdier.

"Thank you….but why did…" Yuzu glanced down.

"I noticed it fraying the day of the accident. I thought it might help to change it to a chain instead…also…" Yuya slipped out a cards, raising an eyebrow.

"Spiritual Whisper?" he asked.

"I thought that you might find some use for it….it kind of….reminded me of you…." Scarlet eyes looked down at the image.

It was of a beautiful, blue-colored sparrow that had an orange-red belly, and white feathery tuffs on the side of its face with dreamcatcher wings that held crystals at the ends. The monster was a winged-beast effect type with a wind attribute, it stood as a level four with two hundred attack points, and two-thousand defense points. The background consisted of a soft blue with the marks of what looked like a Pendulum's tracing. A smile came to Yuya's features as he looked to Yuzu.

"Thank you Yuzu, I'll be sure to put it to good use. Promise," he said as she smiled and gently reached for his hands.

"Yuya, just promise me something, okay?" scarlet met periwinkle.

"What?" she took in a steady breath.

"Keep smiling for me, alright?" she asked as the very thing she'd requested graced his features.

"You know I will."

 **{…..}**

 _World's collide, and hearts get broken…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** I know that these first two chapters are pretty dim; however, they'll start getting lighter because we've got a time skip coming up! I hope everyone has been enjoying this story thus far. Let me know what you think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.


	3. Chapter 3: Entertainment

Chapter 3: Entertainment

 **{You Show Duel School: May 17** **th** **2014, 12:40pm}**

"I summon Aquaactress Tetra!" called Allie as she looked at Fredric while Yuya sighed, watching the two kids from the viewing screen in the hallway outside the Duel area.

"You look so excited to be watching this," stated Yuzu as she looked at the boy.

"Hmm…not really…" the girl puffed out her cheeks before whacking the boy over the head.

"You can be such an idiot sometimes!" she snapped.

"Ow! Yuzu! Jeeze, I just got the all clear from the doctor and you're gonna send me back to them!" Yuzu looked to him, eyeing the bandages that were now on his wrists.

"So, everything's healed?" she prodded skeptically.

"Y-Yea….I promise, just stop hitting me!" the pink-haired girl looked to him.

"Where are your goggles?" Yuzu asked as he glanced up.

"I kinda forgot them this morning. I over slept because they want me to keep taking a few medicines to make sure I don't have any infections trying to stir up." The girl gave him a concerned glance.

"Why would they think that?" she queried as Yuya sighed.

"I keep getting fevers so they think it's just my body adjusting again to having enough blood in it again or something like that…..anyways, lets change the subject…I got better things to think about than that." There was a faint undertone of finality in his voice, and Yuzu elected to follow his silent request and change the subject.

"So, are you and Gongenzaka going to duel today?" she asked.

"No…" Yuzu huffed.

"Why not? You've got the all clear to do it again, don't you?" Yuzu questioned with a frown as Yuya glanced down.

"I don't feel like it, okay? I'm kinda….not up to it right now…." Gongenzaka looked at the boy and then to Yuzu who was about to open her mouth.

"Don't push him, Yuzu. He just got to where he can, he needs a little more time, alright?" he asked as the girl looked down with a sigh before turning her eyes to Yuya.

"Anyways, what are you gonna do then?" Yuzu questioned as Yuya stepped back and leaned against the wall behind him before sliding to the floor as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

"I'm just gonna…ignore the world for a few moments…"

"Ignore the…Yuya! Come on, stop with all this nonsense! Where's the happy-go-lucky guy I know?" she asked as the boy huffed.

"He's not here right now, but I can take a message for him if you'd like." Yuzu glared.

"Jerk! I'm gonna…" she paused as she looked at him while he sat there with his knees pulled up towards his chest a bit before he reached over into his school bag and pulled out a worn leather-bound book and began to read.

"Yuzu?" asked Gongenzaka.

"You're wearing the chain I got you for your birthday…" Yuya turned his attention to her.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" she felt warmth come to her face as she stared into his eyes.

"Sorry, I just…." Gongenzaka sighed.

"Yuya! Duel me!" he stated as the boy turned back to his book.

"Gongenzaka….I already said I wasn't…" the Samurai stood before him with a stern look, causing Yuya to wince just a fraction.

"Duel me! Quit running, you aren't a coward," he told him as Yuya narrowed his gaze.

"I never said I was! I just don't want to do it! Is there anything wrong with deciding that I just don't want to duel today? Huh? Or are you gonna treat me like everyone else and say I'm just a coward like they think my dad is?!" Yuya was standing now, his teeth ground together and bared in a threatening manner. Yuzu stared at him in mild surprise before Gongenzaka looked down.

"My apologies, I pushed too far," he stated as Yuya looked down a bit.

"It's almost that time of year again, so I just…" Yuzu felt her eyes widen a bit.

"Yuya…" she went to reach for him and in that second he looked up with a bright grin, his eyes gleaming.

"Anyways, we'll just have to power through it like always, right? Let's cheer on Allie and Fredric!" the two others watched him as he stood, dropping the book into his school bag and then going to the window.

Yuzu and Gongenzaka knew that Yuya could flip his personality around at the drop of a hat, and though he was normally a very sweet, humorous, energetic person: there were times when he wasn't. Some part of them still were questioning what had happened in the classroom on Yuya's birthday, unsure as to what it was and why it had happened. Yuzu's father had talked to her about it and informed her that it was better to not mention it, but she still had this strangely nagging feeling in the back of her mind that something wasn't right.

 **{Classroom: 1:30pm}**

Yuya groaned in defeat as he sat at a table with his cards laid out in front of him. His entire deck had been dismantled, his spells, traps, and monsters separated and split up into different sections where they were all visible. Yuya normally ran his deck at a total of fifty cards, but due to the cards he'd received on his birthday, the deck was pushed up to fifty-five cards, and it was becoming far too big. Sighing, he looked at the spells and traps which were twelve a piece, and then at his monsters where there were thirty-one monsters. Over half of his deck were Performapals, which he intended to keep; however, there were other cards now such as Timebreaker Magician, Odd-Eyes Phantom Dragon, and Spiritual Whisper that he had to account for, not to mention the other cards that he'd received. Placing his head upon the table top, Yuya let out a defeated sigh.

"Okay, the max is sixty, so it's not like I'm over….but…I really think it's too big…" Yuya looked at the deck again and glanced at the cards.

He knew every single card in his deck like the back of his hand – as was a sign of a good Duelist – therefore, re-reading the effects of his monsters, wasn't required; however, he had the distinct feeling that he needed to cut it down. Fifty had always been what he ran his deck at, but lately he had been feeling as though the deck was too large and was going to start giving him problems. Sighing, he looked at his monsters again and glanced to a few of them before picking them up.

"Forty-eight is a good number….so let's see…if I remove this card here, and then this one and this one…yea, that'll work! Okay, so if I have this card, this one works with it and then…" he continued to speak his thoughts aloud while Yuzu and Gongenzaka watched with Shuzo who was smiling as he looked at the boy.

" _He's strategizing, interesting….I've never seen him do that…"_ Shuzo thought as he looked at the sight while Yuya hummed a bit and then created a small stack of cards he had removed from the deck before putting all the monsters into a pile, they then proceeded to see him gather up his spells and traps and do a spell, then lay a trap over it and repeat the process. From there, he picked up his monsters again and shuffled them again before picking up one card from the spells and traps and slid it into the deck and once again repeated this until the deck was finished being put back together at which point he shuffled it and drew five cards.

"This is a good hand…okay…" Yuya repeated this process seven times before nodding his head.

At this point, he shuffled the deck once again and put it into his holster before slipping it into his pocket and sighing as he looked towards the window while the others left him be. Yuya reached into his school bag and pulled out the grimoire while skimming through the pages in an attempt to try and study some of the spells and potions that his mother had asked him to try learning. The first was a basic potion for healing, one of the most simplistic ones out there; however, potions hadn't exactly been Yuya's greatest talent even when he was little. Spellcraft, magical circles, summoning, and a bit of alchemy was very easy for him to use, even though he did have a few hiccups when it came to the major details – he thought morbidly about the time he'd given himself cat whiskers and had to have his mother remove them with a reversal charm – but he also supposed that him learning how to make potions would be a good idea.

" _Still, you would think I'd be able to at least do something besides give myself whiskers or something stupid like that…"_

Yuya huffed as he considered what he was trying to do with a certain spell that he was still having difficulty with. Yuya found himself contemplating the words of the levitation spell he'd been practicing back during his birthday and considered how to go about it again. Looking at a set of pencils that were left on the front table of the classroom, he smirked and looked at the pencils again with intent focus.

"Su ela mari ves rohas…" he stated this clearly as he held his hand out, spreading his fingers apart as he saw the pencils rise into the air.

"Yes!" he cheered just a fraction before one of the pencils quivered and he went back to focusing.

Levitation spells were a pure nightmare if the caster's concentration was broken. Yuya had been told that sometimes when levitating objects they could go berserk and throw outwards, which was how some magic users had killed people in the past by using glass shards, bullets, knives, or other objects that could easily pierce someone. Huffing, blowing his red and green bangs out of his eyes Yuya put more focus on the pencils, deciding to try keeping those up and moving for a few moments. His father had taught him that levitation magic was how he was able to stay up in the air with his ace monster Performapal Sky Magician, and that many performers that he knew used a type of magic known as aerial-flat to do their high-flying jumps, twists, and turns.

" _If I keep practicing then I'll be fine when it comes to doing this….especially when it comes time to put it to use for entertainment Duels…"_

"Yuya? Hey are you…" he instantly jolted at the voice that caused him to fall off of his seat and onto the floor with a crash.

"Ow….dang it why does this always happen?" he muttered as he rubbed the sore spot on his head and glanced up to Yuzu.

"Oh my God! Are you okay?" she asked him this and he gave her a glare.

"Oh yea, I'm fine…just a mild concussion is all…" Yuya stated sarcastically as Yuzu frowned.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you…." She crouched next to him and he glanced her way.

"I'll be fine. I'm tougher than that…." He told her as she smiled to him.

"Yuya, um….my dad was wondering if you would be up for dueling in a few days?" the boy looked down.

"Why?" Yuzu sighed.

"Because, we're having an exhibition Duel to bring in new students and he wants you and me to do it." Yuya glanced her way.

"I don't know…I mean….wouldn't he be better to do it himself?" Yuzu frowned again.

"Yuya, listen to me: you are the son of one of the most well-known Dueltainers in the world! You've gotta do the exhibition match with me," she said. Yuya sighed in defeat as he stood and pulled his school bag towards him before starting to gather up his belongings.

"I'll think about it…hmm? Why are you looking at me like that?" the girl eyed him strangely as her gaze shifted from him to the book in his hands.

"You've been reading that book quite a bit, what is it?" she questioned him and Yuya looked to it.

"Just some old book my mom had. It's got some recipes or something in it and she wanted me to help her copy them so I decided to read it first….but its mostly medicinal remedies and things like that." Yuzu eyed the handstitched leather and the red gem embedded within it that held a golden circle around it with crescent moons on the edges and what looked like the roots of a tree that came from the base of the stone and spread out.

"So like holistic medicine? I didn't know your mom liked that kind of stuff," Yuzu admitted, not liking the vibe she was getting again.

"Yea, she made some of the remedies in here to help me get better as fast as I did. Kind of funny huh?" he smiled to her and she gave him a worried look.

"It is, but it's getting later in the day so um…I need to head home, see you later!" she said with a wave and Yuya let out a breath of relief as he looked at the book.

"You're more trouble than your worth sometimes, you know that? Stupid grimoire almost getting me caught." Yuya put it into the school bag and zipped it up while just outside the door, Yuzu felt her eyes grow wide before she heard Yuya move towards the door and dashed off in the opposite direction of where he would be heading.

 **{Hiiragi Household: 6:40pm}**

Yuzu sighed as she pushed her tomato around in her salad with her fork while her father sat across from her eating his meal in peace. She couldn't find much of an appetite and that came from the things she'd witnessed and heard earlier today concerning her energetic childhood friend. Yuya was keeping secrets, and while she understood that he didn't have to tell her, she almost wished he would. The reason being was because she feared that Yuya was involved in something dangerous. Once she'd gotten home her original plan had been to get herself ready for bed, eat dinner, and then do some research on what he'd called the book earlier; however, that had gone down the drain when her dad had attempted cooking. Sighing again, she looked at her barely touched plate and at that point heard her dad call to her.

"Yuzu? Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Hmm? Oh, um….yea….everything's fine…" Shuzo sighed.

"It's about Yuya, huh?" he inquired as she looked up to him.

"W-What? No just….." Yuzu's words faltered.

"Is it got to do with his behavior lately?" Shuzo probed.

"Why is he acting so strangely? Yuya never is this close lipped and he doesn't lose his temper….he always smiles so why…" her father looked down at his plate momentarily.

"Because in a few days, it'll be three years ago that his father disappeared," he told her as Yuzu looked up to him.

"I had a feeling it had something to do with the anniversary. But I also wanted to know your opinion on what I told you not too long ago." Yuzu watched her father as he sighed and crossed his arms.

"You think that Yuya is a Psychic Duelist, and to be honest, I agree with you on that idea. Some of the things we've all seen point to it, but I still feel as though something is not quite right with that assumption," he told her as Yuzu sighed.

"I thought so too. Earlier today, I startled Yuya by coming into the classroom he was in and there were pencils levitating on the far end of the room and his arm was stretched out as if he was practicing with it. But, you remember that really weird looking old book?" Shuzo nodded recalling the leather bound book Yuya had been reading out of quite a bit recently.

"He reads that thing almost as much as he Duels," he stated.

"Right….today, he called it something when I left the room….I overheard him so…" Shozu frowned.

"What did he call it?" he probed as he picked up his fork.

"He said that it was more trouble than it was worth sometimes and that it was stupid for almost getting him caught….he called the book a grimoire." Shozu stilled in his actions.

"A….grimoire?" he questioned as Yuzu gave him a confused look.

"Yea, do you know something about it?" the man shook his head.

"No, it just sounds weird….and it doesn't sound Japanese…hmm...maybe its German or something…." He stated off-handedly.

"I guess, but Yuya doesn't speak German…" Shozu grinned.

"Yoko knows French, so I'll bet she taught him, but it's also possible that she taught him German," he pointed out and she took in a deep breath.

"Yea, I guess so…" Yuzu looked down and her father sighed.

"Finish eating and head to bed, alright? It's getting late and you have school in the morning," he stated as she picked up her fork and began to eat.

 **{Sakaki Household: 8:00pm}**

Yuya gave his food a bitter look as Yoko frowned at him and began to question his behavior. When he'd arrived home she could instantly tell that today hadn't been what someone would deem a good day, and it was apparent by the faint scowl on his face and the slight gleam in his eyes that told her Yuya was incredibly frustrated, and also remarkably put out about something. Now seeing him sitting still – as he had been quick to race up to his room when he got home – she could tell something was eating at him in a bad way, and that she needed to get to the bottom of it.

"Alright, tell me what's wrong," she said as he glanced up at her.

"Nothing….I'm fine…" Yoko looked down before sighing.

"Have the others started to notice something's off about you?" Yuya's head shot up at that, his gaze locking with her own.

"How did…."Yoko smiled.

"Yuya, its common when magic begins to grow that even normal humans sense something different about us. You're no different than any other witch out there….okay well…your magic is stronger than I thought it would be at your age, but still…." Yuya gave a defeated groan.

"Yuzu and the others suspect something's wrong with me….I think they believe I'm a Psychic Duelist or something….it's beginning to be a real pain…" Yoko looked to him in bemusement.

"You'll have to live with it son of mine. Being a witch means keeping things in the down low so others around you don't know the truth, but if your friends find out that you're one, it's not the end of the world." Scarlet eyes looked up through crimson-emerald bangs.

"Why can't I just tell them then?" he asked despairingly.

"Because, even though it isn't a big deal if they know….it's better if they don't. you know as well as I do that magic is extremely dangerous and the creatures that exist in the magical world and realms aren't ones that humans need to get mixed up with." The statement caused the ill feeling Yuya had possessed all day to grow almost unbearable.

"Then maybe they shouldn't be around me….I mean…I'm part of that world, aren't I?" Yoko sighed.

"Yuya, being a witch isn't a life sentence to isolation. If they learn the truth that's fine, but I'd prefer it if you didn't have to endure that kind of questioning until you were much older. The preferred age to tell people that you are a witch is sixteen, so can you hold out that long?" she asked.

"Two years? But they…. Yuzu, Gongenzaka, the Principle…. Allie and Frederic…. they all know something is wrong with me! And I can't tell them anything…." Yoko sighed once more.

"Listen to me, you aren't supposed to tell them anything until your sixteen, that's one of the only a few rules we have that govern us. You turned fourteen, you are of magical age which means you inherited the family grimoire, you're supposed to continue your training and eventually if you want leave home and finish it off by putting your skills to the test. When your sixteen, those you trust can be outright told that you are indeed a witch….but no one can do anything if they figure it out on their own, and knowing your friends they'll piece it together eventually," she told him.

"So what happens if I just go up to them and say that I want to tell them something, and then state _that I am a witch?_ What'll happen? Do they turn into a ball of wax or something?" Yoko laughed a bit.

"No, there's no curses or hexes that cause people to turn into a ball of wax if they learn the truth….but….people knowing can place a strain on you in many different ways. Thus if you reveal the truth you may break those bonds you have….a lot of people are aware of magic in our world, but that doesn't always mean they accept it," she said as he sighed in defeat.

"Great…." Yoko smiled to him before taking in a deep breath.

"How about I make a deal with you? Since I am not only your mother but your overseer, I will grant a rule that bends the age requirement just a bit," she said.

"Can you do that?" he rose a fine eyebrow, skeptical of her statement.

"Yes, I can because I was the one who taught you how to use your magic. Now listen, if something happens that reveals _exceptionally obvious magic_ to them, then I will allow you to tell them the truth. However, you can't go out of your way to make it happen…let fate's design lead you in the direction of that result alone, am I clear Yuya?" Yoko stated as she gave him a slightly stern look and he nodded.

"I understand….I promise, I won't try to intervene with fate's design for this, okay?" she smiled.

"Good…" Yoko picked up her glass as the boy started to take a few bites of his dinner finally.

" _But you need to remember Yuya, sometimes you have to step in and change fate's design….otherwise the results can be very grim."_

 **{…..}**

 _I want to live like I know I'm dying…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** This chapter is kind of just a little filler to show that Yuzu and the others will catch on eventually. Now, in the next chapter we finally get to the beginning of the anime, and with the end of the LDS vs. You Show Duel School chapters, the first arc will be completed. Tell me what you guys think, and no flames please, I would prefer constructive criticism.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.


	4. Chapter 4: Invitation to Duel

Chapter 4: Invitation to Duel

 **{Sakaki Household: June 1** **st** **2014, 7:40am}**

Yuya groaned in defeat as he looked at his mother who was currently trying to teach him his magic lesson for the day. Normally, he dealt with the magic on his own, but his mother believed that he needed a more thorough lesson in more than just mere spells and illusions thus, he was currently enduring the start of his supplemental lessons. Yoko held up a deck of cards, and he gave the woman a long look, questioning what she was doing with it. In questioning this, Yuya recalled his mother's talents in magical craft: fortunes and potions. While his mother had been known as many things in her early years, she was also known – by the magical community at least – for her ability to read people and create potions that would have put some of the people he'd heard of as Potion Masters to shame.

"Now, Yuya, do you know what these are?" scarlet eyes looked at her.

"Cards?" he asked in a faintly bored tone.

"Not just cards! These are Tarot cards. You do recall that my specialty is fortunes and potions, right? Well, I'm going to start teaching you how to read them, and how to use that keen eye of yours to read a person better." Scarlet looked to green and Yoko smiled.

"But I'm not skilled enough to read Tarot cards! You've been trained how to use them for years, but…you know that I'm horrible at readings," he told her.

"Yuya, listen to me. Spells, summons, charms, and illusions are very great skills to be good at; however, knowing how to read a person, and use divination skills are also vital." The boy gave her a glum look.

"Mom! I suck at tarot readings! And you know that!" Yuya went to stand and his mother closed her eyes, her expression growing stern.

"Yuya Sakaki! Sit down right now!" she snapped. The boy jolted, a chill racing up his spine as his mother set her gaze upon him.

Ever since he'd turned ten years old, his mother had pulled this move on him when he did something she didn't like, and the chill he had just felt was his mother's magic sinking into the area and sticking to his own magical aura. A sudden spike of shadowy-red caught Yoko's attention before she looked at him in questioning. Since the boy had turned fourteen, his energy had been strange, and had even started to spook the others he was around. Knowing this, Yoko wanted to train him better with other forms of magic because of what she knew his own magic was turning into.

"B-But I…." the woman gave him a stern look.

"Sit down, do you hear me? And pay attention! Otherwise I'm going to use binding magic on you again, am I clear?" she stated as Yuya winced.

"Oh come on! I didn't do anything! I just have no desire to learn Divinations or potions! I suck at them as it is!" Yoko sighed.

"Listen, the reason I want to teach you other forms of magic is because I know your magic is getting stronger and you still need to learn how to control it…." She told him.

"I'd rather not…personally, I just think that…I'd be better off not knowing how to use tarot cards…" Yuya told her.

"You've got to use the magic that's out there and find multiple forms to control and channel it. All I ask is that you listen to me so that I can help you out…" crimson-emerald bangs hiding in his eyes, Yuya found himself slightly unnerved by the things he'd felt from his friends, and how they felt almost fearful of him.

"Yuzu and the others are scared of me...they don't admit it...but I feel it…" he said as Yoko sighed and moved to place her hand upon the boy's shoulder before he was pulled into a tight embrace.

"Yuya….you're different from even magic users. Your powerful, but not skilled enough to access it yet. Just do your best to learn how to use the gifts you were given. However, Yuya…the magic you have... it's…rare…I just want you to be well versed enough to be able to choose which form of magic you'll focus on the most when you become an adult. I chose fortunes and potions, your father summons and illusions, my sister chose spells and tarots, and your uncle was a magic user who could equip it to weaponry or even his own cards. Everyone has a different styles of magic, and yours will come to you in time," she told him as he sighed.

"Right, I guess…I can learn...isn't there about four chapters in the grimoire on tarots?" she nodded.

"Yes, and I recommend reading it, then we'll go from there," she stated.

"Alright, so…four chapters in tarot readings?" Yoko smiled.

"By next Sunday," she told him as he winced.

"What?! You want me to read all of that before next Sunday?!" his voice broke, squeaking a bit as Yoko giggled.

"Your voice is starting to change…" she said as she ruffled his messy hair.

"Hey! Stop that!" Yoko giggled as she looked at her son.

"Go ahead and get to the Duel School…you can start your reading there," she said as he looked to her.

"Thanks, mom. I'll see you this afternoon!" with that he went upstairs, grabbed his things, and raced back down, tugging on his shoes, and then racing out the door. Yoko sighed, sitting down as she took in a deep breath and looked at the clock on the wall and then to the deck of tarot cards before picking up the first one.

"The Emperor…. I sure hope it means something good for Yuya…his magic is becoming so strong…almost as strong as his father's…." just as she started to think aloud more, she heard a knock at the door.

At first, Yoko believed it was Yuya, having returned due to him forgetting something; however, when she opened the door, she saw none other than Shuzo standing there with a rather grave look upon his face. Yoko frowned, not liking the look upon the man's face as she welcomed him into the house and led him to the kitchen where she offered tea or coffee before having to start the coffee machine. Shuzo sat there, looking a bit uncomfortable before he looked at the deck of cards on the table as Yoko sat down a hot cup of coffee and then took a seat herself.

"If you're looking for Yuya, he's already on his way to school," she stated as Shuzo shook his head.

"I'm not here for Yuya…I wanted to talk to you about him though." Yoko looked to the man in confusion.

"Why? Is something wrong?" she asked.

"I hope I'm not intruding by asking this, but…is Yuya…psychic?" the woman stared at Shuzo as she thought about what he'd just asked before taking a sip of coffee.

"Psychic? As in a psychic Duelist? Now, Shuzo, why would you think that?" Yoko probed.

"Because! He's been doing things at school and Yuzu has brought it to my attention. Yuya's been levitating things, causing weird things to happen with the doors and the lights, and he's been avoiding Duels lately….so tell me, is he a psychic Duelist?" Yoko frowned at Shuzo's statement.

"I see…. but…Yuya isn't a psychic Duelist," she told him plainly as she took another sip of his coffee.

"Isn't a…. then what is going on with him? And please, Yoko, don't tell me any sort of lie on this! I have to know what's going on, and I'm not asking this because I'm afraid of him…I'm concerned for Yuya's sake." Yoko took in a deep breath.

" _It seems I'm going to owe Yuya a severe apology…"_ the blonde-haired woman looked at the man who gave her a worried look.

"Yuya's fourteenth birthday was a very special day other than the fact that it was the day he was born. You see, in reality, he came of age that day…" Shuzo frowned.

"I'm not sure I follow," he stated.

"Shuzo, if I tell you the truth, don't mention it to Yuya, and don't treat him differently…. promise me that much, will you?" Shuzo took in a deep breath at the request.

"Alright, I won't. I promise," he said as Yoko nodded.

"I'm from a long line of magic users….Yuya is also like me…" Shuzo frowned.

"Magic users? What are you talking about?!" he asked in confusion as Yoko took in a deep breath.

"Yuya is a witch." Shuzo found himself sitting there with a look of confusion upon his features.

"A…w-witch?!" he exclaimed, standing up and slamming his hands upon the table.

"Yes, he's a witch as am I. Yuya is an exceptionally gifted witch, but he's still learning magic and he's been busy reading to further his studies…" Shuzo flinched as he thought of the book that Yuya had been reading in the school recently.

"Y-Yuya's book…. it's a spellbook?" he asked in confusion.

"Yes, now sit down Shuzo…." The man plopped down, looking decidedly unsure of the situation.

"Then, why has Yuya been avoiding Duels? I know that that the anniversary is today, but…." Yoko smiled.

"Ever since he was a little boy, Yuya's had exceptionally strong magic. He brought one of his stuffed animals to life when he was just three years old, and while creation magic is always the first signs of someone being capable of magic…what he did was something he would have learned after two years' worth of training…. that was when Yusho and I knew that he needed to learn how to control it….so…. for the last eleven years, we've been teaching him magic and Dueling side by side." Shuzo frowned.

"So, Yuya is a witch? I thought that boys were called wizards or something like that," Shuzo said.

"No, that's a misconception. A magic user in general is called a witch….I'm one as well. However, listen to me…Yuya is very frightened by his abilities because he's so unsure of how he can use his powers…. plus, he's not really supposed to tell anyone that he's a witch until he's sixteen." Shuzo looked down at his cup of coffee.

"That's why you asked me not to say anything…." He realized as Yoko nodded.

"Exactly, Yuya isn't ready for anyone else to know the truth. He's far too young to handle that kind of pressure." Shuzo turned his gaze to Yoko.

"I'm not going to say anything, but now that I know what's going on with him, I'm going to keep an eye on his magic. I don't know anything about it, but I don't want to let it go around uncontrolled…. Yoko, please just let him know that he needs to try and not use magic that could worry Yuzu and the others," he said as the blonde looked to him and shook her head.

"Shuzo, I can't just tell him not to use his magic. He's learning how to control it and that comes only from practice…just like his hacking skills…" Shuzo jolted, shouting in surprise.

"W-What?! H-Hacking?! Isn't that illegal?" he probed as Yoko smiled.

"No, not when he does it…Yuya just messes with programs, and resets data banks. He thinks I'm not paying attention when I see him reprogram a computer, but I do…" Shuzo sighed.

"What kind of kid did you two raise exactly?" he asked in defeat.

"A very talented one. Yuya has many skills, and we've taught him well…but he taught himself how to hack." Shuzo sighed once again and stood up.

"I need to go to the school. The others are waiting for me, and we have a prospective student arriving today so, everyone needs to be on point, and that includes me," he said as he started to leave.

"Shuzo, don't let this knowledge make you treat Yuya differently, please…he needs us to back him up." Shuzo looked to her.

"Before Yusho left, he asked me to look after Yuya, and I promised I would. But before I go, I wanted to ask something…." Yoko rose an eyebrow.

"What is it?" she asked.

"If Yuya's a witch, why didn't you place him in that Fortune Academy Duel School?" Shuzo inquired as Yoko laughed a bit.

"That would have made more sense, wouldn't it? But while Yuya is skilled in charms, spells, illusions, aura reading, summons, and crystal charms: he's not a fan of tarot cards or divination in general. Anyways, I didn't put him in there because he wouldn't have fit in with a bunch of people wearing all dark gothic clothes…plus he's such a bright person…I don't think he'd like it there." Shuzo began to laugh.

"No, he doesn't seem the type, you're right about that. Anyways, I better go, and you have a good day…thank you for telling me Yoko," he said before leaving. Yoko slumped in her seat.

"Dear Ceres…. what am I going to do with this situation? I wonder what Yaya would have done? Knowing her she would have let things go the way they were meant to….hmm…." Yoko clicked open the locket she wore and looked at the picture within as a smile came to her features, her eyes attempting to water as she stared at the image.

"You know…. he's just like you, Yaya…"

 **{You Show Duel School: 9:15am}**

Yuzu frowned as she sat in the control room for the Solid Vision system present in the school while she watched a Duel between Yuya and Gongenzaka. Without question, she was becoming annoyed by a certain red-green-haired, scarlet-eyed boy who had at current decided to goof off in his Duel by bringing out the Hippo Carnival Quick-Play Spell. Now with Performapal Hip Hippo and the three dancing Hippo tokens out, Yuya was electing to act a fool instead of just doing his job in playing the role of a Duelist for the You Show Duel School.

"For cripes' sake! Take things a bit more seriously, Yuya!" she declared, glaring at the scene as Hip Hippo began to dance with the other three Hippos.

The pink-haired girl slammed her hands down upon the control system, and instantly sparks flared to life from it as an explosion from the screen erupted and she yelped in surprise as chaos unfurled just before her. The extinguishers automatically turned on, dousing the burst of smoke and electrical sparks as the door slammed open and her father looked into the room.

"What are ya doing, Yuzu?!" he asked as he raced into the room.

"I'm sorry dad! I don't know what…" he went towards it, hurrying as he looked to it.

"If this thing breaks, my hot-blooded training is gone…and the Solid Vision's gonna disappear!"

Outside in the generated arena, Gongenzaka was staring onward in frustration at Yuya's antics, wanting to reprimand the boy but not being certain as to how he was going to go about it. Yuya, despite his most recent upsets, had been acting the fool for the last three years of his life, and it was beginning to grate on their nerves just a fraction, seeing as the boy was the son of the internationally acclaimed Dueltainer, Yusho Sakaki. Due to this, everyone expected so much of Yuya; however, he wasn't precisely living up to those standards.

"This is the entertainment Duel that the You Show Duel School prides itself on!" Yuya smirked towards Gongenzaka who sighed in defeat.

Yuya let the Hippos continue their dancing, but in mere seconds, the Solid Vision dissipated, and he felt gravity pull him down until he crashed onto the far to slid ground. Being in Action Duels meant the occasional bruise, cut, or even broken bone – if you weren't careful enough or didn't learn how to recover from falls – but hitting the firm ground in an abrupt manner was never what Yuya would dub as fun, no matter how much experience with it Action Duelists had.

As soon as he hit the ground he found that the firm floors didn't agree with his rather tiny form and winced as he started to regain his bearings as he started to look up at the blue-haired gray-brown-eyed boy who was supposed to be visiting with a study group for a potential place as a student of their school. Instantly, Yuya sprang to make a funny face, hoping to recover from his blunder while the woman next to the boy scowled and ushered him away.

"Oww…" he sat up, rubbing the sore spot on his shoulder and hip from how he'd landed, and knowing that he would need to use his mother's bruise salve when he got home that afternoon.

"Yuya! What do you have to say for yourself?!" Yuzu roared over the intercom before the boy looked up at her and stuck his tongue out faintly in a manner that she knew was meant to annoy her.

"I figured as much…."

Yuya stood in a wobbly fashion as Gongenzaka left the room and he started towards the staff room where he knew he would be given a long lecture on how he wasn't upholding the standards of the You Show Duel School. Groaning a fraction, the scarlet-eyed boy walked into the room, sitting down and awaiting his judgement as the door opened and Principle Shuzo entered, giving him a faintly cautious look while Yuya rose a fine eyebrow, and then Yuzu entered, plopping down on the sofa next to him as annoyance and frustration poured from her like a waterfall.

Having known the girl since he was an infant, Yuya had no trouble detecting that Yuzu was angry with him, and even less trouble knowing that he was going to get an earful because of his behavior. Still, despite the last two months, Yuya could admit that he was acting a bit like a fool in Duels, but to his displeasure, he didn't feel he could tell anyone that he behaved this way just because he wasn't sure how to cope with everything that had happened for these last three years. However, that wasn't going to matter to Yuzu, who at current looked ready to kill him. Giving her a questioning look, the boy received a sharp glare and the girl opened her mouth.

"MY HOT-BLOODED TRAINING!" wailed Principle Shuzo in defeat as he sat down in a chair across from Yuya and Yuzu who both were certain that half the people outside had heard the man.

"Um…. Principle?" the man whined.

"The Solid Vision System broke down, the new applicant I was hoping for is gone now, and my You Show Duel School's management's…." he shook his head swiftly back and forth, tears in his eyes as Yuya frowned.

"Aaah, if Yuzu hadn't broken it, there'd have been more smiling…" Yuya stated as he pulled his goggles down from off his head and over his eyes, resting his hands upon his knees.

"It's because you treat everything like a joke, Yuya! And look into my eyes when I'm talking to you!" Yuzu snapped as she reared her hand back to make a grab for his goggles.

Yuya dodged her swipe, moving like a bullet away from her and hopefully out the door. He didn't want to hear another lecture about how he was making a fool of himself and treating everything as a joke, he didn't want to receive disappointed looks from everyone or be called a coward, and he most certainly didn't want to have to face the discontentment of being shouted at by Yuzu for an hour straight just because he was doing his best to hold himself together. However, the moment he made a be-line for the door, he ran smack into something, or rather someone.

"Ouch! You were still standing there, Gongenzaka?" he put his hands over his face, feeling a faint pain and pressure from the goggles being pressed hard onto his face. Gongenzaka, who towered over Yuya's petite four-foot-eleven form with his own six-foot-one stature glowered down at the boy.

"That child didn't laugh or smile," he said sternly as Yuya pulled his goggles off and back over his head, eyes watering as he looked up at him.

"Huh? No way, I'm pretty sure he smiled." Yuya stood straight, waving his hand, one eye-closed with a smile on his face as if to wave the statement off.

"Making someone laugh and being laughed at are as different as the earth is from the sky!" Gongenzaka snapped as Yuya winced.

" _Please don't go into a lecture that involves my dad again…"_ however, Yuya had no chance of avoiding that subject today it seemed.

"Your father, Yusho Sakaki, Dueled in a way that let everyone smile. Did you forget how they smiled, with their hearts fully involved in it?! Did you forget that he could make anyone, even the surliest of people light up with joy?" Gongenzaka stated as Yuya frowned before putting on a bright grin.

"Well, in the end, even my father ended up being the butt of a joke!" he put his arms behind his head, and one foot slightly against the sofa.

"YUYA!" Yuzu and Gongenzaka snapped while Yuya dropped his arms and laughed a bit.

Just then the door opened, causing Yuya to tense a fraction while the others turned to face the person standing behind him. It was an older man with strangely styled black hair, pink-framed seventies-style, circular lens glasses, a small mustache, a standing collar shirt of pink, a red bow-tie, and a black and yellow stripped suit. In total, Yuya thought that he favored a clown to some degree as he stepped forward and his dark eyes met Yuya's own scarlet ones.

"My, oh my, you lot seem to be in a heap of trouble," he said.

"Uh, yea, and you are?" Shuzo posed the question, and the bizarre man smiled.

"I am the Manager-slash-Promoter of the current Action Duel Champion, Strong Ishijima. The name's Nico Smiley, at your service..." he introduced himself while Yuya kept a questioning glance on him until he'd brought up the man he was the manager of.

"Strong Ishijima?!" Yuya's mind replayed the events from three years ago that had caused him so much grief.

Even after all this time, Yuya could still hear the roar of the crowds, the declarations made against his father, and the sound of his own voice pleading to wait for him and that he would be the challenger's opponent until his father showed up. His mother had removed him from the stadium that night, and without question, Yuya had been in dire straits after that, and to be honest, had never recovered completely from having to hear such hateful words or think that even for a minute that his father was a coward like they'd all claimed him to be.

"Yes, Strong Ishijima, who serves as the mascot for the Leo Duel School, wishes to invite Sakaki Yuya to his Fan Appreciation Day!" he said as he looked towards the red-green-haired boy.

"Me?" the Promoter smiled.

"Yes indeed…. might I say, you've grown since I last saw you. You were just a little boy when we last met on the day of that…incident…. you've matured into a very handsome young man, I'm sure your mother is having a time keeping the ladies off of you," Nico stated with a grin as Yuya swallowed thickly.

"Umm…. I wouldn't say that…but…why would he want to invite me?" the man looked to him.

"He wishes to Duel you. To make that three-year-old wish a reality," he informed him as Yuya kept his gaze upon the man.

Three years ago, Yuya had been eleven years old, and far too young to compete in the midst of an actual Action Duel. Now, he had gotten used to the brutality and hits that came with more advanced Duels in the Action Fields – as it made the Monster's hits real and could cause physical damage – but only being the age he was now meant that he was still a bit too young to compete in the Youth League tournaments which could have even more brutal fights. However, right now, he was faced with the possibility to actually fight the man who claimed his father had been a coward.

"As you can see, everything's already been prepared," Nico continued as he laid out a poster of Ishijima where, at the bottom, was a slot that showed he would be Dueling Yuya. Instantly, the scarlet-eyed boy went deathly silent and swallowed in a nervous manner.

"'Fraid not! I can't afford to send Yuya there." Yuya turned to Principle Shuzo.

"Eh? Why not?! The guests would be delighted to see the son of Yusho Sakaki there," asked Nico while Yuya kept his gaze upon the Principle.

"I won't allow Yuya to be turned into a spectacle!" the declaration of Shuzo startled Yuya somewhat, his expression revealing this as he listened to the conversation.

" _Principle…. you…why are you so hell bent on protecting me? I know you promised my dad, but…. you….don't even know the full extent of who I really am…so…"_ a miserable expression overcame Yuya's features as Shuzo looked to him.

"We'd never turn him into a spectacle! We just wanted to give him a chance to compete against the man he declared he would Duel three-years-ago! He's fourteen now, so…" Shuzo shook his head.

"Exactly, Yuya is _fourteen._ He's still just a child! I won't just throw him out there to be laughed at or looked down upon! For these past three years, Yuya's been feelin' really bad, and he's tried his hardest to keep a smile upon his face, but…it doesn't always work. He's had a bad turn recently and I don't want to push him into a corner! So, you can show yourself out!" Yuya looked down at the statement, feeling his magic brush across his skin in a soothing manner like it always had.

"What a _pity._ If you were to accept, as a _thank you_ present, we were thinking of giving you the latest Real Solid Vision System from Leo Corporation LLC. _Free of charge, of course,_ " Nico stated. Yuya took in a deep breath, internally steeling himself for the output of magic it would take to enact his plan.

" _I know what I'm going to do, but I've gotta act fast…"_

"Seriously?!" Shuzo asked as Yuzu rose her fan up and smacked the man over the head with it.

"You just said you won't let him be turned into a spectacle!" Yuzu glared, her hands on her hips.

"Well…but…" the girl sighed.

"Though, our Duel School is important, too," Yuzu stated.

"The most important thing here is Yuya's feelings. If he wants to do it, ask him, don't decide it for him." Gongenzaka's statement had Shuzo nodding.

"Right we should….where did he go?!" Yuzu felt the bottom of her stomach drop out almost.

" _Not again! How does he do this?"_

 **{Bridge: 1:30pm}**

The sun glistened across the blue waterway below the bridge that overlooked the Duel Stadium like a river of diamonds. The breeze was cool and smelt like the salt of the ocean, and the sound of waves crashed occasionally, bringing about a normally peaceful afternoon; however, for Yuya it wasn't peaceful. His mind was buzzing with thoughts as he sat on the railing of the bridge, thinking about Nico's offer and everything that had led up to this point. Personally, he didn't know if he was ready to face Ishijima, or the results of what would happen if he were to lose. As of now, he sat upon the bridge, his goggles on and his pendulum Crystal, blue-toned and wrapped in silver angel wings swayed in his hand in front of him.

Ever since he was small, he'd had this crystal, this pendulum, just as Yuzu had always had her bracelet. Sighing, he wondered when he'd gotten it and how, but gave it very little thought as his mind continued to review past events and misgivings he'd endured while the sunlight showed the now healed scar on his right wrist as paler than his own skin. The pendulum swayed once again, and as it did, his mind replayed a memory from what felt like ages ago.

He had been sitting upon an outcropping at sunset, goggles on and filling up with tears as he thought of the less than pleasant day he'd had while someone decided to pick on him again because of his strangely colored hair, his weird eyes, and tiny stature. Yuya had always been smaller than everyone else his age, and it, alongside his strange looks, resulted in quite a bit of bullying. He sat there, shaking, wishing he could rid himself of the hateful words and scorn the other children had granted him that day, and suddenly, his goggled were pulled from his face and settled back atop his head.

Yuya looked to see his father present, placing a gentle and loving hand upon his head as he looked into the man's warm brown eyes and he told him that when he felt like crying, to just laugh. Laugh it off with everything he had, and that he'd feel happier if he did. If he did, that sorrow and discomfort would change, and turn into energy, something he could use to his advantage to make himself stronger as both a Duelist and a witch. Scarlet eyes continued to watch the pendulum crystal swing as he recalled that his father had removed the necklace and swung it before him, as he explained his reasoning even further.

" _The same holds true for a pendulum. If you swing forward, you'll always swing back. It's the same in Duels and magic. So remember, if you curl up because of fear, you won't be able to do anything. If you want to succeed, if you want to win…then bring out your courage, and step forward. The more courage you put into things, the more happiness you'll get out of them…."_ A smile slowly graced Yuya's features as he heard his father's words echo in his mind.

" _The pendulum. Did you know that pendulums are tools that can be used to find things? If you ever lose your way, this pendulum, will help point you towards the direction you must go."_ Yuya's expression became lax again as he watched the pendulum sway back and forth.

"Sway…sway, pendulum…. swing more…. even more…." Magic lit the air around him, and the pendulum crystal glowed faintly as Yuya pulled his goggles off and back flipped off the railing before he pulled the pendant on over his head and started walking, knowing what he needed to do.

 **{Duel Stadium: 2:00pm}**

Yuzu, Gongenzaka, and Shuzo ran into the entrance area for the arena, short of breath and concerned as they looked around for Yuya who had still not been located. The crowds were roaring, confetti floating about everywhere in bright colors as people Dueled below in the arena, having a grand time while Nico Smiley stood in the center. Everyone was here to see the Duel between the reigning Champion, Strong Notoro Ishijima, and the son of the world's greatest Dueltainer, Yuya Sakaki. However, Yuzu was beginning to question if Yuya would be present or not. They'd looked everywhere, but found nothing; however, that only meant that the boy was either already at the stadium, or hiding where no one could find him, and Yuzu knew from experience that if Yuya didn't want to be found: _he wouldn't be._

"And finally, today's main event has arrived! Here to challenge the Champion, Strong Ishijima! Is the one and only son of the Legendary Duel Star, Yusho Sakaki! We present, Yuya Sakaki!" Nico announced to the stadium while amidst the crowds, Yuzu, Gongenzaka, and Shuzo stood.

"Yuya…" Yuzu muttered his name in concern.

"Is he really going to show?" Gongenzaka wondered this aloud, but found himself feeling no better for saying so.

"Heck yea! Now that's our…" Yuzu slapped her father once again with her fan before looking back to the arena.

" _Please, Yuya…."_ Periwinkle eyes looked around as Nico Smiley continued his spectating.

"This special match will be held using the Official Action Duel Rules! Activating Field Spell: _Frontier Fang Castle!_ " Nico called as he held up a Field Spell.

Down below, and beneath the floor of the stadium, the augmented reality combat system that fueled the Solid Vision technology, roared to life and began to generate the field they would be using. It was a sprawling forest with a towering castle that had a scraggly look to it and was made out of beige stone with a circle of water around it in addition to its draw bridge. The crowds grew louder, and Yuzu felt her heart begin to hammer in her chest, worry flooding her as she looked for any sign of her friend, hoping to see his vibrant hair or catch the tail end of his jacket, but not seeing it anywhere.

"It looks and feels so real that you could fool yourself into thinking that this beautiful set is the real thing! This is the Solid Vision System created by the LDS!" stated Nico as the field generated.

Yuzu tensed, her hands clasping together at her chest as she felt her mind rushing to find Yuya and to convince him to bow out of the match. Her memories of the day she'd found him in the bathroom at the Duel School resurfaced, and she thought about the state he had been in, and how he'd changed so greatly due to those events, but had attempted to keep up with his façade of being the fool. Taking in a slight breath, the pink-haired girl looked down upon the field just as someone appeared atop the castle.

"Whoa! Appearing on top of the castle is none other than the Supreme Ruler who has reigned above all at the summit of Action Duels for the past three years! It's Strong Ishijima!" the crowds erupted into applause.

"That guy's bigger than I thought he was…" muttered Shuzo who thought back to his conversation with Yoko that morning and wondered how on earth the day had gotten to this point so fast and what he was supposed to do.

"And facing the Supreme Ruler is the young challenger, Yuya Sakaki!" Nico called out, pointing towards the northern entrance of the lower arena.

"Been waitin'!" cheered Shuzo who decided he could do no better.

"Huh?" his cheers died down as he looked to see that Yuya wasn't present.

"Y-Yuya! Any time now!' called Nico.

"The heck? He chickened out?" muttered a person in the stands.

"Ain't this the same thing his father did three years ago?" another stated.

"Guess he's a coward, just like his father!" Yuzu shot them a withering glare.

"Hold on there!" she started as Gongenzaka put his arm out.

"Don't, Yuzu…" she frowned.

"But…" she went to protest and Shuzo placed a hand on her shoulder.

Upon the castle top, Strong Ishijima stood, imposing and stern as always. His dark, armor-like attire normally spooking any Duelist who dared oppose him. Personally, his ideas for challenging Yusho Sakaki's son, had been to get the man's attention as he beat the boy to a pulp just as he did all of his opponents; however, with the boy – whom he'd only seen once – not appearing, he suspected that his plans would go down the drain. He wasn't one for cowardice, and he didn't quite care how young or old his opponent was, but being stood up on a challenge to Duel - which no self-respecting Duelist ever backed down from – by not only one member of the Sakaki family but _both father and son_ was leading him to believe that all of the family were quite cowardly.

"Hmm…I guess some things are inherited after all. Shit, I can't call myself the Supreme Ruler unless I beat him down!" he muttered while behind him a brightly colored figure appeared.

The figure was a colorful clown in a red-white jester hat with a clover design on it, fluffy-pink hair, a white mask with a red nose and green lines on it, a red smile, a purple ruffle-collar, and white and red jacket, and a yellow and black checker bottom with pointed shoes. The champion didn't notice the clown, but many of the audience did, and began to call out to the champion as the clown continued to make silly gestures and funny faces at him.

"What's that? A clown?" the blue-haired boy from earlier at the You Show Duel School watched in confusion and found himself unsure of what to think until the clown made a familiar expression and the boy felt his eyes widen while down below in the stands, Yuzu, Gongenzaka, and Shuzo watched, each with expressions of concern, doubt, and disbelief.

"That pierrot couldn't possibly be…" started Yuzu.

"CHAMPION, BEHIND YOU! BEHIND YOU!" Strong Ishijima hummed in thought and looked to the crowds.

"The hell?" he then turned and was met with a hilarious face from the clown as it gracefully skipped away.

"Are you Yusho Sakaki's son?" he asked in outrage and confusion as the clown smiled brightly and bowed, never once speaking.

"You call that the right attitude to face the champion with?!" Ishijima's declaration caused the clown to reach up and rip away the hat, wig, and mask while removing the mild make-up.

Ishijima was met with the young face of his opponent. A petite boy with mildly pale skin, messy red-green hair, and vibrant scarlet eyes. To Ishijima, he seemed strange, and even a tad spooky due to his startling eye color as the boy tossed the garments aside and smiled to him. The boy was not what he had been expecting to say the least as he hadn't anticipated his young opponent to look so doll-like or be as tiny as he was. Nonetheless, the fourteen-year-old continued with his charade.

"Pardon me, sir." He bowed in a manner that suited his performer heritage as Ishijima stared at him.

"What the hell are you? Some kind of imp?" Yuya smirked.

"Now, now, no need to call me names, my good sir." he stated this and Ishijima looked at the boy.

"You little…" he started.

"Now then, I have a _teensy_ little favor to ask of you. Please have a Duel against me!" the boy winked one scarlet eye and Ishijima frowned as the boy suddenly seemed to materialize his Duel Disk and it activated as he smiled.

" _This kid is not normal…"_ Ishijima thought.

"Show me what you've got, great champion!" Yuya beckoned and Ishijima glared.

Show you what I've got?! You snot-nosed little brat! Guess I'll have to beat some manners into you with the skills of a pro!" Ishijima declared as the fourteen-year-old smirked.

"OH MY! There was a sudden unexpected development out of nowhere! But at least the actors are now assembled! Now, you both draw five cards into your hand! Everyone, say it with me now!" Yuzu bit her lip as Nico whipped the crowds into a frenzy.

"AFTER GATHERING AT THE PALACE OF BATTLE, THE DUELISTS, ALONGSIDE THEIR MONSTERS, KICK UP DIRT, AND SPIN THROUGH THE AIR…." The entire stadium was on edge, prepared for the Duel as three people felt a wave of nausea flood them in anxiety.

"AS THEY DASH ACROSS THE FIELD! TAKE A LOOK AT THE GREATEST EVOLUTION OF DUELING TO DATE!" Nico paused at the crowd began to roar out their line.

"ACTION! DUEL!" Nico snapped his fingers and the cluster of golden cards floating above in a sphere scattered. These, were Action Cards, the spells and or traps that could help out in a tight spot and made the Duel not only a game of skill but of extreme chance.

"Action cards have been scattered around the field! The fires of battle have been lit everyone!" called Nico while up at the castle, Yuya and Ishijima were preparing for the Duel.

 **{….}**

 _Take up my cross, not be afraid…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** If you weren't sure, this is a partial rip from the Japanese version of Arc-V. I like the English dub, but there were several moments where I felt that the Japanese version just did a better job with Yuya and the other characters. In the next chapter we continue, and complete the Duel between Yuya and Strong Ishijima, and a brief appearance by our favorite Kaiba duplicate. Tell me what you guys think, and I look forward to reading your reviews.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.


	5. Chapter 5: Battleguard vs Performapal

Chapter 5: Battleguard vs. Performapal

"I'll give you the first turn. Guess I should tell you this beforehand just in case, but you can't draw on your first turn," Ishijima said as Yuya ground his teeth together before putting on a bright grin.

" _I know that, you dumbass, I'm not a novice…"_ he thought as he proceeded and moved over to the glider rope.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! From here on out, I am going to show you, dear viewers, what a real Action Duel is all about!" Yuya declared as he jumped atop the castle wall before taking hold of the glider as he slid his foot into the stirrup and began to descend.

"What?!" the brightly colored boy held onto the rope, holding his five cards between his first and center finger while the same arm that held the cards and Duel Disk wrapped about the rope for him to play a card.

"To start off, the first thing I'll do is…. summon Performapal Hip Hippo!" he called as he placed the card of the pink Hippo with a blue crescent moon on its head, a yellow star on one cheek, and a blue-green one on the other. It had blue nails, wore a vest of purple with an orange and yellow polka-dot bow-tie, a top-hat with a pink bow, and had a heart at the end of its tail. The crowd watched as Yuya jumped from the glider and landed atop Hip Hippo before they started running.

"So, by all means, try to catch me!" Yuya teased as the Hippo took off.

"Whoa, man. The guy's running away already?" asked a man as another jumped in on the conversation.

"Yusho Sakaki's son sure is fast at escaping!" as this was said, the blue-haired boy watched in fascination as Yuya kept rushing around the field.

"What in the world is Yuya doing?!" asked Yuzu with a glare while Shuzo looked on nervously and Gongenzaka watched in concern and faint displeasure at the boy's antics.

"Fight like real men, fair and square!" Gongenzaka imputed while on the field, Ishijima watched in annoyance.

"I'm gonna kick his ass the second I catch 'im! My turn! Draw!" with that Ishijima began his turn while Yuya kept running.

" _You won't catch me that easy…"_ he thought as he continued.

"I activate the Spell Card, Feast of the Wild level five! It special summons two level five warrior-type monsters from my hand with their effects negated!" Ishijima declared as Yuya momentarily looked back at the monsters.

"Show yourselves, Swamp Battleguard and lava Battleguard!" the two monsters appeared, and began to descend from the castle wall.

" _First gen monsters?! Holy shit! I knew he used Battleguards, but those are from like Duelist Kingdom era…dammit!"_ Yuya thought knowing that if his mother was here, and could read minds, his sudden string of internal swear words would have gotten him a month of gutting creatures for potions and hours of picking herbs in the garden.

"I then release the two for an Advance Summon!" called Ishijima as Yuya hissed, rushing by a branch which scraped through the fabric of the clown costume – which had been generated by his magic thanks to his skill at illusions – and cut his skin. A bright light shot down in the center of the forest as Ishijima began his summoning chant.

"Emerge from the depths of the dense forests, tear through the thick trees and show yourself! King of the savage tribe who rules over the barbaric nations! Barbarian Battleguard King!" as the monster revealed itself, giant, armor-clad, and imposing, Yuya felt a faint sense of dread before he shook it off and proceeded to continue with his plan.

"Here he comes! Champion Ishijima's Ace Monster makes an appearance!" called Nico as Yuya's Hip Hippo came to a halt right before the giant beast.

"Your old man may have escaped me, but you won't! Battle! Barbarian Battleguard King, attack his Hip Hippo!" Ishijima believed he would land the blow, and then the petite boy seemed to disappear and grabbed something from nearby.

"Oh, such miserable luck! For you at least! I got an Action Card! I play the Action Spell, Evade!" Ishijima swore.

"Dammit! I'll squash you like a bug, you little runt!" he snapped as Yuya grinned.

"Rolling Hippo!" Yuya called as the Hip Hippo tumbled out of the way and landed firmly upon the ground, up in the stands Gongenzaka frowned.

"But he won't win if he keeps running away! Why doesn't he fight more properly?!" he questioned aloud.

"He _does_ fight properly…" a voice stated from behind Gongenzaka and the trio turned to see a certain blonde heading up the stairs.

"Huh?!" the woman looked to them.

"Yoko?" asked Shuzo as she crossed her arms and looked to where her son was.

"Yuya keeps fighting, and while doing so, he's remaking himself," she stated as she watched the boy keep racing away from the Battleguard King while still atop the castle, Ishijima watched the boy with a discerning eye.

"To use an Action Card in such a way… he really is the son of Yusho Sakaki," Ishijima stated while looking at the child.

From the second he laid eyes upon him, Ishijima knew that something wasn't quite right with Yuya Sakaki. His behavior baffled him to no end, true; however, his appearance and the energy around him, made the Champion all the more unnerved. Whether it was the boy's mischievous smile, his aloof behavior, the piercing scarlet color of his eyes, or his strangely fiery energy, Ishijima did not know, but something about the boy made him uncomfortable. Even though that feeling was there, nevertheless, Ishijima had no plans on letting it cost him the match.

"But, you can't stop a Pro like that!" he said sharply as he called the effect if his monster.

" _Great, he's going for effects… dammit, how am I supposed to avoid it now?!"_ Yuya thought as Ishijima prepared his attack.

"My Monster's effect: if Battleguard King was Advance Summoned by using _Battleguard_ Monsters as Tributes, it can attack twice during the same turn!" scarlet eyes grew wide as the boy looked back.

"Eh?! A second attack?!"

The giant monster struck the area where Yuya was with its club, the dust gathering as the people believed that the boy had just been defeated. Yoko only smirked, knowing that while it was true that a Pro wouldn't be defeated easily, Duelists who were also witches – who just so happened to have quite the knack for finding things and getting miracles – wouldn't be defeated easily either.

"THAT SETTLES IT! BARBARIAN BATTLEGUARD KING'S THREE-THOUSAND ATTACK POINTS HAVE PULVERIZED HIP HIPPO…." Just as Nico Smiley said this, the dust cleared, and Yuya emerged still riding Hip Hippo.

"Or…not!" he corrected himself as Yuya grinned, moving along in a swift manner while the crowds gaped at his survival.

"What the hell?!" questioned Ishijima as he watched the boy continue to ride by with a wave to the audience.

"Phew, I made it! I activated the Action Spell, Miracle! And, due to its effects, my Monster's destruction has been successfully negated, and to top off this little magic trick, the Battle Damage has been halved!" Yuya explained this as on screen his Life Points went from four-thousand to twenty-nine-hundred.

"That guy's awesome!" acknowledged a prior doubter of the fourteen-year-old Duelist.

"He's putting up a good fight against the Champion!" stated another one. Yuya smiled as he let Hip Hippo continue its run while Ishijima only scowled.

"Hmph, oh well. I set one card, and end my turn."

Once more into the stands, Yuzu was looking to Yoko after having heard what she'd said. Over the last three years, the pink-haired girl had noticed a drastic change in her childhood friend's behavior. Yuya had gone from a more-or-less happy-go-lucky kid, to someone who was mischievous, always up to something, never taking anything seriously, and constantly struggling to keep a smile on his face just because he felt he should. When Yuzu thought about it though, she also thought of what had happened nearly two months ago, and how all of that pressure had more than likely accumulated to the point that it had driven Yuya to find a way out. Yoko looked to her, smiling as she questioned the statement.

"Yuya is remaking himself? What do you mean?" she asked as the blonde-haired woman looked to her son once again.

"He has lived behind a clown's mask during the past three years. Instead of letting himself be laughed at due to his father's disappearance or letting himself become too scared to move in the face of brutal situations…he kept on making himself laugh and smile, despite everything…. even what happened before his birthday. It was because he wanted to come to this point, where he didn't have to be afraid, and become who he wanted to." Yuzu frowned.

"Who he wanted to?" she questioned as Yoko nodded.

"What he wanted to become was an incredible Duelist, to grow strong enough to not need to hide behind others or wear a mask….in many ways, he wanted to be just like his father. The person he's always looked up to, and always will."

The four people looked back to the stadium's arena where Yuya's turn had just arrived and he'd drawn with a bright smile upon his face as Hip Hippo began to jump up onto a set of stones. The boy then turned to the audience, a smile upon his features brighter than what seemed possible as he collected the card he had drawn into his hand.

"Now then, dear viewers! We are just bout to reach the climax! And we'll begin with a change of cast! First off, Performapal Hip Hippo's effect will bring about our change by activating it, allowing him to be treated as two Tributes for an Advance Summon!" Hip Hippo began running again.

"So, I release my Hip Hippo! And Advance Summon!" Yuya called as Hip Hippo jumped off the towering rocks and the crowd gasped as Yuya began to freefall as the Hippo disappeared.

" _Yuya, use your magic carefully, and don't let on too much_ ," Yoko thought as the boy grabbed at his clothes and they disappeared, revealing his normal attire beneath them.

"Please, welcome him! Today's main star, a very rare and strange dragon with heterochromatic eyes! Odd-Eyes Dragon!" Yuya called as the dragon caught him and he steadied himself upon the horns that grew from the monster's back.

"That's….Yuya's favorite monster," Yuzu thought this aloud as Yuya looked to the crowd.

"Here comes the fun part!" Yuya's statement had the entire crowd's attention as it roared to life while Shuzo cheered.

"Here it comes! Yusho's catchphrase! That boy's blood is boilin' now!" he continued to applaud with the crowd as the others watched in excitement.

" _You've waited so long for this, haven't you? Yuya,"_ Yoko thought as she continued to watch her son as he smiled to the audience, the same sort of beaming smile he'd always had, and that she hadn't been able to see in three years.

"Don't you dare repeat your spineless old man's words!" Ishijima snarled as a screen appeared upon his Duel Disk and Yuya's face came into view.

" _ **My dad isn't spineless!"**_ he snapped.

"What?! Yes, he is you little imp, I don't care what you say or think! Someone who's willing to run away is nothing but a spineless coward!" Yuya's scarlet eyes seemed to shine with slight anger.

" _ **You have no room to talk! I'll beat you with the knowledge I got from him! And I'll show you that you're the only one here who should be called a coward! You hid away from me for three years, why? Because you thought it would look bad to try and beat up a kid? I had a hell of a lot more bravery then than you actually did! Your crown is a stolen one, so I am going to dethrone you here and now Ishijima! And I'll prove that my father was stronger than you or anyone in Duels!"**_ Yuya threatened.

"Hmph, your dragon's only got twenty-five hundred attack points! It doesn't stand a chance against my three-thousand attack power Barbarian King! It'll be like Dark Magician going against Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" the boy gritted his teeth.

" _ **Need I remind you, Supreme Ruler that when it came to Yugi Muto verses Seto Kaiba, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, one of the strongest monsters of the First Generation, always lost!"**_ Yuya stated, tapping into his History of Duel Monster's knowledge.

"Like it matters! You'll never be able to beat my Barbarian King!" the boy smirked.

" _I wonder about that_. I activate the Continuous Spell: _Wonder Balloon!_ "Yuya called out as the card was settled upon the board slot for the Duel Disk as a colorful box full of question marks appeared on the field before he went to using Odd-Eyes to dash after the different cards lying around the area.

"WHOA! YUYA IS GATHERING ACTION CARDS, ONE AFTER ANOTHER! AND KEEPS SENDING THEM TO THE GRAVEYARD!" stated Nico Smiley as he watched the boy before Yuya laughed and rose a hand in the air.

"Take flight, Wonder Balloon!" Yuya awaited several balloons to appear in the air as Ishijima looked to him in confusion.

"What sort of magic is this?!" he asked in unsureness while the fourteen-year-old smiled.

"Allow the Magician to explain the trick. Each time I send a card I added to my hand to the Graveyard, Wonder Balloon increases the number of balloons by one…." Yuya paused raising his right hand, fingers held up but in a relaxed manner as the Wonder Balloon card appeared above his fingertips.

"And then, if I send the card itself to the Graveyard, the balloons pop, and after each of them, a Monster loses one-thousand attack points until the end of this turn!" he finished explaining as he snapped his fingers and the spell card dissipated into golden dust.

Seconds later, the three balloons popped and Barbarian Battleguard King disappeared into a pinkish-gray smoke cloud only to reappear as a wobbling figure with balloons wrapped around it like a carnival whack-a-mole prop. Ishijima glared, looking from his Ace Monster to Yuya who sent him a smirk before looking at the Battleguard King once again. Despite what people believed, stage magic wasn't just props and sleight of hand: it was genuinely real magic. Yuya had learned every trick of the trade from apparitions to the basic trick _sucker_ from his father who honed his illusions and spellcraft into something that wowed the audience, and now he was going to put all of those eleven years' worth of training in both Duel Monsters and Magic to good use by giving the people viewing today a show worth watching.

"Three balloons have popped! Which means that Barbarian King's Attack Points have fallen to zero!" Yuya announced as Ishijima narrowed his eyes at the boy.

"W-What's this?! Using Action Cards like that!" Nico Smiley watched with glee as Yuya turned his gaze unto Ishijima.

"You can only have one Action Card in your hand at a time….so, you acted like you were just running around, while actually, you were looking for places where Action Cards were and prepping for this strategy…. clever…." Ishijima looked to him, and Yuya smirked as he picked up his pendulum crystal and watched it swing momentarily.

"I've been good at finding things since I was a little kid," he elucidated while up in the stands people cheered, applauding him and his little scheme while Yoko smiled, pleased to see Yuya putting his magic to good use without using it as an overwhelming advantage.

" _By teaching him Magic and Duel Monsters at the same time, we've both imbued into Yuya on how to use his magic to wow the audiences, but never use it to cheat, and he's done so perfectly every single time. However, I have the sneaking suspicion that the magic built up into that pendulum crystal of his is going to let loose at some point, and when it does, something incredible will happen…. but it will change everything."_

Yoko's slightly grim thoughts were fleeting, but nonetheless hung in the air around her, charged with her magical aura as she recalled the reading she'd done after Yuya and Shuzo had left. It had told her that things were going to change, that fate's design was being manipulated, that several events were going to warp the future and bring chaos and darkness, but could be redeemed. But the final card, had her the most concerned, and it was the card that represented the center of things, that ever changed but swayed to and fro: the card with the image of a pendulum on it, the one she associated with Yuya, and the one that told her that her fourteen-year-old child was at the center of these events.

Within the arena, Yuya stood atop Odd-Eyes Dragon, a trusted and faithful monster that he loved dearly. Ever since he was a small child, this bright red dragon with its mismatched eyes seemed to call out to him, reaching into the depths of his soul and showing him that they were one and the same. Odd-Eyes represented himself just as much as anyone else's favorite monster did, but the bond he had with this Dragon was far deeper than just being a favorite card. Looking at his opponent Yuya took in a deep breath, and listened to the cheering of the crowd, taking it in and letting the energy and sound fall over him.

" _The applause! The cheering! So, this is the ovation of the stadium that dad was showering in!"_ Yuya opened his eyes, looking to Ishijima's monster.

"Let's go, Odd-Eyes! We'll excite the crowd some more!" he said to his monster who growled in response before he looked at Ishijima.

"What are you going to do?" scarlet met dark-brown.

"Simple, use my Dragon's effect: when Odd-Eyes Dragon destroys a level five or higher Monster, it inflicts damage equal to half of its original attack points!" Yuya stated as Odd-Eyes prepared to attack.

"Wha-! Battleguard King's original Attack Points halved is fifteen-hundred. Together with the twenty-five-hundred Battle Damage, I'll take...it adds up to four-thousand damage!" Ishijima's realization dawned upon him as he stared into the boy's vibrant scarlet eyes.

"Correct, and with this, my One Shot Kill is completed! Battle! Odd-Eyes Dragon! Attack his Battleguard King! _SPIRAL FLAME!"_

The Dragon roared, rearing its head back and letting out an inferno of deep crimson and black as it attacked the zero attack point monster, and Yuya steadied himself, preparing for the Duel to end and for him to keep his word to Ishijima. A large inferno erupted around the monsters from the arena, and the crowds roared in enthusiasm as Yuya and Ishijima's Duel seemed to come to a close. Yuzu, Yoko, Gongenzaka, and Shuzo cheered, calling his name and attempting to celebrate his victory as the smoke began to clear. However, the moment that it was completely gone, Barbarian Battleguard King still stood – albeit a tad wobbly – on the field, much to the shock of the audience and Yuya himself as he looked to see that Ishijima had played an Action Card.

"I activated an Action Spell as well! Miracle, which you used just a little while ago!" Ishijima told him smugly even though deep down he knew that he had barely made it in time.

"THAT'S THE CHAMPION FOR YOU! HE OBTAINED AN OVERLOOKED ACTION CARD!" Nico explained this as Ishijima came hopping down from the castle top and down towards Yuya.

"In the end, this is all there is to Yusho Sakaki's Dueling! Flashiness and laughter, but no grit, no merit, and not a single ounce of the capabilities to use it to fight," Ishijima stated while Yuya hissed like an angry cat.

"Watch what you say! I'm not…." Yuya was cut off.

"I activate my Continuous Trap, Battleguard Rage! Whenever I receive Battle Damage, a Battleguard Monster's attack points increase by two-thousand," Ishijima said as he came down to the ground just above Yuya who once more gave off a faint hiss as he glared at the man.

"I end my turn!" the man smiled as the effects of Wonder Balloon wore off and Barbarian Battleguard King's attack increased from two thousand to five-thousand when it shot up from the Spells effect dissipating. Yuya glared at the Champion who looked at the boy who kept a glower upon his slightly pixish features.

"Naturally, you could never win this, little _Yuya_ …. what an ill-suiting name for the likes of a _tiny, pathetic runt of the litter like you_. I know what that name means and you aren't a great King, let alone a g _reat anything_ , and I'm about to prove it," Ishijima said.

"Shut your mouth!" Yuya snarled as Yuzu felt a small ache in her chest at the words said to her friend.

" _Please, Yuya, I know you can still figure a way out of this…. please, be strong…"_ she thought.

"Now, I'll make you regret this! My turn!" Ishijima stated as Yuya started to run, searching for an Action Card in desperation.

" _Where, where can I find an Action Card, dammit! Where the hell is one?"_ Yuya continued looking and Ishijima glared.

"I won't let you escape! Battle! Barbarian King! Attack Odd-Eyes Dragon!" the attack was launched towards Odd-Eyes who roared as Yuya tried to reach for the Action Card only for the attack to go through and Odd-Eyes to be destroyed.

The sudden sensation of flying overcame him, and soon, Yuya was hitting the ground, trying to do a cartwheel and recover, but failing as he slid across the rough surface and felt a few scrapes and bruises cover his body as he took in a few steady breaths and tried to get himself upright. Yuya felt his arms and ribs ache with the force it took to even get himself standing in a crouch as Strong Ishijima stared down at him with a cruel smile. His life points were down to four-hundred, and he had no monsters, spells, or traps on his field, which meant that his current state couldn't have been much worse.

"Due to Battleguard Rage's effect, the monster I destroyed goes back into your hand, instead of going to the Graveyard," Ishijima explained as he stood within the palm of his Ace Monster, looking down upon Yuya who showed him Odd-Eyes Dragon and placed it back into his hand.

" _Shit, that hurts…. I think I may have done something to my wrist…"_ Yuya thought as he felt a sharp ache develop in his left wrist while he looked directly to Ishijima.

"I also activate a Quick-Play Spell, Battleguard Magic! I'll be gaining Life Points equal to half of the Attack Points of the Odd-Eyes Dragon you've got," he stated sharply as scarlet eyes glowered at him. Yuya kept his gaze upon his opponent, knowing fully well that by now, Ishijima's Life Points were up to four-thousand again.

" _What am I going to do?"_ scarlet eyes stared onward in disbelief.

"Battleguard King can only attack _Monsters_ a second time. You managed to survive, somehow, _runt of the litter_. I set a card face-down. Turn end!" Ishijima said as he watched the boy's gaze drop to the ground.

"I-I…." Yuya's voice faltered.

"It's your turn now! Draw already!" Ishijima snapped as the boy flinched a fraction.

"I…. I…." the man grinned menacingly down to the boy.

"Or, would you rather surrender? Like your old man, with his tail between his legs, just like old dogs and runts are supposed to do?" he probed as Yuya felt his eyes burn. Insulting words unfurled within his mind, the statements granted from years' worth of scorn and bullying just because he looked different from others, and because deep down everyone around him knew that _he wasn't like them._

"No way! I won't run aw- "his voice once again paused, gaze turning downcast as he looked at his situation.

" _But I only have Monster cards in my hand right now…. what should I do?"_ the boy kept his gaze down, looking forlorn at the situation.

"Hahaha! You better give up _runt!_ No matter what you do now, nothing is going to change the fact that your father is a coward, and you're the weak, runt of the litter who is all bark and no bite!" Ishijima said to him loudly as Yuya felt his heart pounding in his ears.

" _So, standing in for my dad was impossible after all…. I shouldn't have done this, I should have just kept my head down and ignored these feelings…. I don't have the kind of power to surpass my father or stand in for him, and I don't have the power to fight…. not even in my magic…. I should have just…."_

" _ **When you feel like crying, just laugh."**_ Yuya felt his eyes widen as his father's words surfaced once more.

" _Dad…. I…. can't…"_

" _ **Think of the pendulum, if you swing forward, you'll always swing back. If you curl up because of fear…."**_

"You won't be able to do anything. If you want to win, then bring out your courage….and step forward!" Yuya spoke as he got to his feet, gaze lit with an internal fire as he took in a deep breath and reached for his deck. Upon his neck, the pendulum crystal shined, gleaming with its wearer's magic and resolve as it began to swing back and forth. Yuya reached for his card, feeling a surge of magic around himself as he placed his fingers upon the top card.

" _Swing, Pendulum! Further… Even Further!"_

The pendulum crystal swung fiercer, glowing brightly as it did so and casting a shining glow around it's wearer as Yuya looked to three cards in his hands that had begun to glow. Scarlet eyes grew wide as the boy watched and witnessed as Stargazer Magician, Timegazer Magician, and Odd-Eyes Dragon begin to change right before him. Timegazer Magician's reddish-brown color faded into green as a secondary text box appeared above the monster effect and had been outlined with the number eight and a blue diamond on the left with a red diamond on the right, following its counterpart, Stargazer Magician's text and style changed with the number one boxing in the secondary text information. Soon Odd-Eyes Dragon's changed as well, giving it the same design as the other two, but the card had transformed even further, becoming a new design that favored a more mature Odd-Eyes with larger horns and red and green jewel-like orbs adorning them. The Dragon had the number four on its secondary text box, and the name finally revealed itself as Yuya felt a jolt that almost felt like electricity race through his body as he read it: _Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon._ His magic burst within him and Yuya looked up to Ishijima as the pendulum crystal continued to glow.

"Using my Scale One Stargazer Magician, and my Scale Eight Timegazer Magician, I set the Pendulum Scales!" the boy said, his voice calm and clear as he revealed the two cards.

"What?!" Ishijima's expression became one of confusion and slight panic as Yoko watched from the stands in amazement and concern as Yuya set Timegazer Magician on the left side of his disk and Stargazer Magician on the right side of his disk while rainbow fused letters appeared between them that spelt: _Pendulum_.

Two pillars of stardust-like light appeared on either side of Yuya as he stood before Ishijima and within the pillars stood Stargazer and Timegazer with the numbers of one and eight imprinted in an arcane looking style as above the boy his pendulum crystal appeared, and a shimmering web of stardust grew.

"Thus, I can summon Monsters between level two and seven at the same time!" the boy stated, looking to the bright web that had lit up the sky like the moon.

"What on earth is happening?!" Ishijima felt fear rise within him as Yuya prepared himself to use the gift that had been granted to him.

" _Swing! Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light in the Sky!_ Pendulum Summon! Appear now! My faithful Monsters!" Yuya's chant and call rang loud within the stadium as the web above him grew brighter as he raised his arm above to the crystal-like portal that had opened as light burst from within it.

In the blink of an eye, Performapal Whip Viper, Performapal Sword Fish, and what seemed to the others to be an upgraded version of Yuya's Odd-Eyes Dragon appeared before the boy who stood with a confident smirk upon his face.

"What….is this?" Yuzu asked as Yoko felt realization dawn upon her.

" _The magic within the pendulum crystal broke free and transformed his cards…. but how? Yuya wasn't using his magic right then….so why did it…"_ her thoughts were broken as she looked to Yuya who had retained a knowing smirk upon his features and she decided to watch and see what would happen.

"Three Monsters at the same time? And that Dragon is level seven! He shouldn't be able to summon high-level monsters without releasing!" Ishijima stated sharply as Nico Smiley appeared upon the intercom screen of his Duel Disk.

"You know that as well as I do; however, the Duel System accepted the summoning method as legitimate." The man glared at the fourteen-year-old before him.

"That means...his Summoning is…. legal?!" he ground out as Yuya got on the back of his Dragon, holding onto one of the horns with his hand.

"I activate Performapal Whip Viper's effect! It switches the Attack and Defense Points of an opponent's Monster!" Yuya declared as the purple, bow-tie-wearing, top-hat adorned cobra swung its tail in front of the Barbarian King who dropped his club and lowered Ishijima down to the ground as it's attack reset from five-thousand to eleven-hundred.

"Barbarian Battleguard King's Attack Power is…." Ishijima started as he looked at the monster.

"And then Performapal Sword Fish's effect! It decreases an opposing Monster's Attack Points by six-hundred during this turn!" Yuya's monster divided into multiple versions of itself before sinking into the ground around the Barbarian King, decreasing its attack points once again down to five-hundred.

"BATTLEGUARD KING'S ATTACK POINTS HAVE QUICKLY DECREASED FROM FIVE-THOUSAND TO FIVE HUNDRED!" Nico Smiley was without question startled and amazed by this point and it showed in his voice as Yuya turned his attention to the next step in his plan.

"Battle! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! Attack Battleguard King! It's time to show us your true power!" Ishijima felt his face pale. Yuya locked eyes with the monster as he prepared the order of attack from Odd-Eyes as the orbs upon its horns lit up, glowing with energy.

"I won't let you! I activate my Trap Card, Battleguard Howling! It returns an attacking monster to the hand, and inflicts its attack points to you as damage!" Ishijima announced as he began to struggle to stop the boy; however, Yuya was quick to act as he raised his arm into the air, palm outwards, looking to the sky where Stargazer and Timegazer both still were positioned.

" _O Timegazer Magician, who rules over Space-Time itself! Protect me with your ethereal powers!_ I activate Timegazer Magician's Pendulum Effect! Once per turn, he can negate the activation and effect of a Trap Card that activates by targeting a Pendulum Monster! _Inverse Gears!_ "Yuya's activation caused the crowds and Ishijima to stare onward in shock as his trap card was nullified.

"Shit! Then…." He reached for the last Action Spell on the field and held it up.

" _It won't happen; you won't defeat me!"_ Yuya thought.

"Action Spell, Evade!" Ishijima stated as he played the card and Yuya rose his arm up high once again.

" _O Stargazer Magician, who rules over Space-Time itself! Seal my foes with your ethereal powers!_ Timegazer Magician's Pendulum Effect! Once per turn, during the Battle Phase, it negates the effects and activation of Spell Cards that target an attacking Pendulum Monster on my field! _Horoscope Divination!_ " Stargazer Magician set to work, activating its effect in an almost blinding display of starlight magic as the error sound came up on Ishijima's Duel Disk while the Action Spell Evade was nullified.

"He even negated my Action Spell?!" Ishijima began searching for a way out of the situation as Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon began moving while Yuya remained upon it's back, preparing to attack.

"It's time now, Odd-Eyes! Burn everything to cinders that your heterchromatic eyes catch a glimpse of! _SPRIALING STRIKE BURST!"_ Ishijima stared on horror as the scarlet-black flames began to light up within the Dragon's mouth and Barbarian Battleguard King attempted to block the attack.

"Shit! But in the next turn…" Yuya glared.

"There will be no next turn! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon's effect! When it battles a Level Five or higher Monster, it inflicts double the battle damage! _Reaction Force!"_ the flames grew sharper in color and the range of attack wider, startling the audience as Yuya's attack hit dead on.

"D-Double?!" Ishijima stared as his monster was annihilated just before he was sent flying, only to crash into the ground just as his Life Points hit zero as Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon came from being in the sky and settled upon the ground, it's Master still present upon its back.

"This is, _the end!"_ Yuya affirmed as his face appeared upon the screen with the WIN icon on it, leaving the stadium in shock as the arena's field disappeared, and Yuya stood there, the winner against the Champion who had called his father a coward for three years.

"Did he…win?" asked Yuzu.

"Yeah…. but…how?" just as the realization settled in Shuzo began cheering.

"Whoaaa~! His blood was boilin'!" the man cheered while Yoko watched the boy with a keen eye, noticing the blank look in his gaze. Yuya stood there, head slightly bowed, his expression devoid of emotion and his eyes ever gazing, but unseeing as the thrum of his heartbeat pounded within his ears until at long last he took in a breath and jolted as if startled before looking around him in confusion.

"Wha…. huh? Is that Ishijima?!" he asked himself and then he heard a well-known voice.

"You won! You won against Strong Ishijima for your father! Well done, Yuya!" his mother called from the lowest bend of the stadium, just in front of him as Yuzu gave him a jovial wave, Shuzo was crying, and Gongenzaka greeted him with a broad smile.

"It was awesome, Yuya!" Yuzu called to him.

"You did it!" the applause was beginning to grow as he stood there in shock.

"Waahh~! Boilin' Blood!" cried Shuzo as a smile began to grow upon Yuya's features.

"THAT WAS RAD YUYA!"

"To think that he won against the reigning champion! He's only fourteen!" said one of the men in the crowd.

"Pretty cool, huh? A lot of Monsters came out!" said a woman.

"I've never seen something like this!" the crowds cheered and word was spread while up in the stands stood the blue-haired boy from before, joy alight within his gaze and a broad smile upon his features.

"Dammit, what was…" started Ishijima as he got up, rubbing the soreness out of his neck as he looked around only to be nearly knocked over as Nico Smiley almost ran him over to get to the fourteen-year-old.

"Bravo! Excellent! Congratulations!" Nico stated as Yuya stared at him in surprise.

"T-Thanks….um…." the man was quick to interview him.

"it was a splendid victory, Yuya! Could you introduce that fascinating Summoning Method that granted you the victory?" Nico asked excitedly as realization dawned upon Yuya.

"Eh? Summoning Method?" Yuya felt a sudden whirl of fear as he realized that his memory was blank.

 **{LEO Corporation Building: 4:55pm}**

The doors of the presidential office swung open to reveal a young man in his mid-teens wearing pale pants that were rolled up, white oxford shoes, a dark-blue long-sleeve shirt, and a long red scarf. His glasses, matching the color of his scarf gleamed in the bright light that flooded the darkened room, his sharp, violet eyes gazing over the information while his neat, silver-gray hair swayed a bit with the sudden burst of air that had come with him entering the room so quickly. This was the current President of the Leo Corporation, Reiji Akaba, who at this time was more interested in finding out who had used this new method of summoning.

"Mr. President, we identified the boy." His assistant stated, holding up a screen on his hand as Reiji took a seat.

"Well, who is it?" he questioned.

"His name is Yuya Sakaki. Fourteen-years-old. He's an eighth grade student in the Maiami City School System. He's in the Junior Youth Dueling Class. Here are his tournament results up to now." Reiji scanned the picture of the boy with his information up on the screen as he hummed in thought.

" _Something isn't normal about this boy,"_ he thought, keeping the opinion to himself for now.

"A roughly fifty-percent win-lose ratio? Where does he Duel?" he asked.

"It seems he goes to a Duel School called _You Show Duel School._ It's in the city." Reiji rose an eyebrow.

"You Show Duel School… Yuya…. Sakaki?" he wondered aloud.

"Yes, as you can see, he's the son of Yusho Sakaki." The screen brought up a live feed of Yuya's win at the stadium as he was being interviewed.

" _ **Stop dodging the bullet and give us some details!"**_ stated Nico Smiley as Yuya gave him a slightly nervous smile.

"So, the son of Yusho Sakaki, who vanished three years ago, performed a completely unknown form of Summoning?" he spoke his thoughts as he watched the boy on screen.

" _ **Well, I really don't remember anything…"**_ Yuya smiled to the man.

" _ **You sure are being stingy, Yuya!"**_ Reiji hummed as the boy's scarlet eyes turned towards the camera momentarily as Nico Smiley continued to grill him for answers only for a blonde woman who stated she was Yuya's mother to come in and escort her child away from the press.

"Yuya Sakaki…investigate his personal life immediately. I want any and all information on him even at home, do you understand? And also, anything on Pendulum Summoning whether it's extremely grand or miniscule is to be reported to me immediately, am I clear?" Reiji asked as he stood and looked to his assistant.

"Yes Sir." With that he left and Reiji looked out over the city and took in a deep breath.

"This should be interesting…" Reiji muttered with a smile.

 **{…..}**

 _Is it true what they say, that words are weapons?_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Whew, that took a bit longer than I wanted it to, but don't worry, I won't be doing play-by-play for every single Duel in this story, it's just gonna be the ones that are extremely important. Personally, I feel that the exhibition Duel between Yuya and Yuzu isn't something I need to show, but go over in detail later in a conversation as I don't want to flood the story with just Duels and no character development. So, tell me what you guys think, and I look forward to reading your reviews.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

P.S: Do you think Reiji knows more than he's letting on about who Yuya is?


	6. Chapter 6: Pendulum Web

Chapter 6: Pendulum Web

 **{Sakaki Household: June 7** **th** **2014, 8:15am}**

"Mom?" Yoko continued to chop up vegetables while Yuya sat at the kitchen table doing his homework and attending to his magic studies.

"Mom? Hello?" the woman ignored him and Yuya glared, his magic flaring with his emotions as he tried to get his mother's attention only for the glass nearby to shatter instead. Yoko turned in alarm as Yuya yelped as the thankfully empty glass crumbled as if it had been smashed.

"Yuya? Are you alright?" she came to him and he looked at the glass, busted, but somehow still holding together.

"I think so…how is it still standing like that?" Yoko looked at the glass.

"It's household magic, something I learned when I was about fifteen or so, actually… now that I think about it, I learned it just before I married your father and we found out we were expecting you," she told him.

"So, it keeps things from breaking?" she nodded.

"Plus I can bewitch the broom, mop and duster to do the cleaning for me. But what are you so uptight about?" she questioned him as Yuya looked down.

"You seem mad at me, did I do something wrong?" scarlet met green and Yoko sighed.

"No, I was just worried about the Pendulum cards your magic created. It was accepted by the system as a legitimate method, but people have been wondering how you got them or where they came from," she explained as Yuya sighed in defeat and picked up his pendulum crystal.

"I wish I could explain it…. but the pendulum just activated itself… I didn't even know that these kinds of things could store magic…" Yoko looked at the pendant in her son's small hands and placed a hand to his head, pulling him close to her.

"You've had this since you were a baby. My sister gave it to you saying it would be helpful. She did well with crystals and charms so, it makes sense that she'd give you something like this. I guess it's been absorbing and storing excess magic from the time yours first showed up," she said as she stood and went to finish her process of preparing ingredients for breakfast.

"Why did you keep me home from school today?" Yoko looked down.

"I just felt like it would be a good idea. These last few days have been brutal for you because some people think you cheated, and others think you've developed a new method but want to keep it for yourself," she explained.

"But I didn't cheat! Sure, I invented a new summoning method that honestly I don't even remember doing! But that doesn't mean that I want to keep it for myself! When I figure out how it was done I'll try and create more Pendulum Cards and teach other people how to use it. I'm just…." Yoko glanced to him.

"Not ready? I understand. You've got a lot on your plate right now too, by the way, did you finish those chapters in divination and potions?" she asked as Yuya groaned.

"Regrettably, I did. Do you know how much I hate potions?" Yoko laughed a bit.

"But you're very good at them Yuya, just like you're skilled with alchemy and magic circles, even though in public school you're terrible at science and mathematics," she told him as Yuya slumped down in his chair.

He wasn't dressed in his normal attire, having only dressed himself in a pair of dark green pants, and a black t-shirt while he wore his pendulum crystal and had forgone his choker, wrist bands, and goggles. Yuya groaned once again as he slumped further in his chair to the point that his head was barely visible over the table while Yoko smiled to him before sitting down a large omelet with a side salad and miso soup. The woman sat down, smiling to the boy as he poked his head from above the table and nudged the homework and books out of the way before he pulled himself up completely.

Yuya poked the omelet in questioning, wondering what was inside of it before he grabbed the hot sauce that his mother had set on the table and placed a bit of it on top. Most would assume that considering how often he ate sweets that he didn't like spicy things, but that would have been an incorrect assumption, and something that his mother knew very well. True, Yuya liked his sweets, but he also liked spicy foods. Yoko smiled as he cut into the omelet and took a bite before raising an eyebrow.

"Mozzarella, chicken, and spinach?" Yoko nodded.

"Yep, I thought I'd give it a shot. These are some new recipes from Reid Pepper, and I figured adding a twist to the morning meal would be a good idea. Do you not like it?" she asked.

"No! it's really good, I just….um…it wasn't expected is all." Yoko smiled as she watched her son take another bite, chewing it slowly while he seemed deep in thought.

As she went to her own meal, Yoko contemplated how much Yuya had grown since he'd started learning magic and how that seemed like only yesterday he had just started learning how to Duel with his father and magic with her. Seeing that adorable little boy grow up into such a handsome young man who had so much strength and enthusiasm for life was incredible – regardless of the bumps he'd endured – but despite all of those struggles, Yuya had begun to change even more. The sweet, innocent, slightly childish youth that her son had grown into was starting to become someone else, and grow stronger. The blonde-haired woman continued to watch the boy, wondering what he would be like in a few years' time.

"Mom? Hello? Mom?!" Yoko looked to him.

"Hmm?" she responded as he frowned.

"You were staring at me, is everything alright?" he asked.

"It was nothing…" Yuya nodded.

"Right, so um…." Yoko smiled.

"I was only thinking about how much you've grown. You're going to become quite a handsome man when you're all grown up," she stated as she watched the boy's cheeks turn a shade to rival his own eye color.

"W-What?!" Yoko laughed.

"Yuya, you are growing up, so of course I think about you graduating school, finding a girl, getting married, and of course having your own – "Yuya dropped his fork, shaking his head as he felt his face turn darker in embarrassment as his mother smiled to him and one person in particular came to mind, causing his blush to darken.

"W-Whoa! Mom! I'm fourteen! I'm still in eighth grade! And I don't have a girlfriend or anything! Besides, who'd be interested in me? I'm a complete freak in school. First it's my hair and eyes, then it's my stature, then my dad, and now it's this Pendulum Summoning thing! Not to mention I'm a witch!" Yoko frowned as she looked at the boy.

"Yuya, do you honestly think that you're not attractive? As your mother I can outright tell you that you are very _good looking._ Your hair and eyes just make you even cuter! And so what if you're small? That means you'll have a lithe athletic build when you're grown up! You're an impressive Duelist, and you're the founder of a new summoning method that's going to change the profession!" Yoko stated.

"But I'm still…." The woman frowned.

"You're a witch? So what? That just makes you even more special," she said as Yuya sighed in defeat.

"Still a freak mom…. you're my mother so red-and-green hair, scarlet eyes, a scrawny body, being the son of a world famous Dueltainer, and a witch...of course I'm cute to you…" Yoko looked at him in confusion.

"Yuya, you're not a freak. Besides, I know someone who I think doesn't see you as different…. I believe her name is Yuzu Hiiragi?" she inquired as Yuya felt his cheeks turn dark red.

"Y-Yuzu? No way! She doesn't see me as someone like that! We're just friends, besides…." Yoko rose an eyebrow.

"Yuya, it's pretty obvious that she likes you. Personally, I think the two of you are good together, and she knows how to keep you in line should you need it." Yuya frowned.

"That means that she's a good friend! There's no way that Yuzu likes me," he explained, still flushed faced as his mother watched him with a smile.

"Careful Yuya, I'll get a truth serum on you." Yuya frowned at her.

"Not the truth sprinkles again!" he said in dismay as Yoko looked to him.

"Silly, it's okay to like someone. If you have feelings for Yuzu let her know, okay? Or before you know it she'll be snatched up by someone else." Scarlet eyes looked down in slight discomfort at the thought.

"I-I guess…" he went back to his breakfast as Yoko shook her head with a smile.

" _You'll figure it out eventually, just like I did…"_

 **{Hiiragi Household: 11:15am}**

Shuzo frowned as he looked at the task he'd been granted of cleaning up while Yuzu was at school. The last two days, Yuya had been absent, worrying his friends who had noticed it greatly; however, Yoko had called him and informed him that Yuya was taking a small break from the chaos and that he didn't need to worry about him. Still, the thought of concern did cross his mind several times despite not needing to. The information he'd been given about who Yuya really was on the day of his challenge from Strong Ishijima had been resounding within his mind constantly as he replayed those events as if his mind had a broken repeat button. Yuya's pendulum crystal had stored up excess magic from his body since he was a small child and the result had been his desires granting it power to influence something that every Duelist knew of: _The Heart of the Cards._

Without question, Yuya's magic and will had connected to the magic within the Duel Monsters cards themselves, transforming them to his will and giving them the power to aid their master. Yuya had created Pendulum Summoning because it was his heart's desire to move further than he could alone and the boy had put his heart in his cards and reached out to their own heart, linking the two and tapping into the power that great Duelists such as Yugi Muto had once before. It was no secret to Shuzo that this so-called Heart of the Cards could do some incredible things when a Duelist truly placed their belief in it, and on the day that Pendulum Summoning had arose, Yuya had done just that.

"But, it was still his magic that let him connect with it, and that's because…. Yuya's a witch…. good god…. _he's a witch!"_ Shuzo said aloud, finding the words terrifying in the empty house.

Nothing about the statement seemed right to him, and now every time the boy looked at him with those bright and innocent scarlet eyes, Shuzo couldn't help but flinch, and that only was followed by dread when he realized that Yuya had noticed his reaction. Ever since he had been a small child, Yuya had been picked on because he was different than others his age – at the time, he hadn't known how different, but still – and it had ranged from his strangely colored hair, his sharp scarlet eyes, his petite build and slightly feminine features, his father running away, and now Pendulum Summoning. However, none of that compared to what Shuzo personally knew now, and it was starting to make him panic. Taking in a steady breath he set the last dish in the drying wrack and nodded his head.

"I need to visit Yoko and have a talk with her and Yuya," he affirmed aloud as he went to the door, grabbed his keys, Duel Disk – which doubled as a cell phone – and went out to the car before getting in and started the car.

In moments Shuzo was driving down the road, preparing to deal with an encounter that he never thought he would: _telling Yuya that he knew the truth_. His mind played several scenarios that ranged from him being turned into something by Yoko for telling Yuya, to the boy being terrified of rejection and running away from him. Multiple situations could arise from this decision, but Shuzo couldn't stand not telling the boy the truth and letting him know that while he was nervous because he'd never met a real witch before – at least he had thought he hadn't – but he didn't hate Yuya or find him repulsive just because he was different.

The idea that Yuya's stage magic was not just sleight of hand but true, legitimate magic astounded him to no end, and he wanted to know more and ask so many questions; however, he decided that he would take it one step at a time and hope that the boy wasn't to greatly spooked by the information. Yoko would be furious at him, but he knew it was the right thing to do because he wasn't ever good at keeping secrets, and he hated the painful look in that boy's eyes every time he flinched away from the child just because he looked at him or caught him doing something weird with a pencil or random object.

" _Yuya deserves to know the truth, and I won't keep it from him. Yoko can turn me into a frog or whatever, but I want him to know that it's okay, and that I'm not afraid of him…"_

 _S_ oon enough, Shuzo was parked in front of the Sakaki household with a cold sweat broken out on him and his heart hammering in his chest. The drive here had been shorter than it should have been; however, he had come here with a purpose and intended to go forward with it. Taking in a shaky breath, Shuzo exited the car and went towards the door of the house, noticing for the first time that it seemed as though a few of the plants moved about in an unnatural way and that he swore he saw the gnome statue blink and adjust its hat before going back to standing still. Shuzo swallowed around the lump in his throat and went up to the door before knocking on it with a nervous shudder. In a matter of seconds, the door swung open and Yoko stood there with a perplexed look on her face before he was let into the house and looked around it. The place looked no different than normal as he was lead towards the kitchen and then paused.

Yuya was sitting on the table, legs crossed and eyes closed as a series of crystals were laid out on a cloth with an incredibly ornate circle of some kind on it. The boy seemed to be focusing on something before he threw his hands in the air and groaned in frustration as a tiny growl came from beside him and he went to rest his hand upon what seemed to be a cat-sized version of Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon.

"It seems you've caught us in the middle of practice," said Yoko as Shuzo stared while the boy took in a deep breath before one of the crystals shot into the air only to go flying out of control and past Shuzo who froze up as Yuya looked to him with a white face and wide eyes.

"P-Principle! I um…" Yuya cartwheeled backwards off the table and ducked under it, hiding from him while the tiny Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon squawked at him as Yuya dragged it after him.

"Lansakes! What on earth was that?" Shuzo asked as Yoko looked to him.

"Crystal enchantments. Yuya's fairly skilled with protection charms so he was trying to focus energy into the crystals because it's time for us to renew our boundary charms. Yuya was busy with them while I was brewing potions for the week, seems you've caught him during his practice, but he was having quite a time with the onyx crystal…" Yuya peered from over the table, his hair lying in a messy and slightly wild state without his goggles to tame it down.

"Onyx is a negative stone! That's why! I was just trying to purify it and…" the boy ducked down again.

"Yuya, it's okay…" the boy shook his head, the one random strand that stuck up oddly the only part of him visible.

"Nope, not coming out! In fact, I think I'm just gonna vanish and go on a long walk, okay! Bye-bye now!" the boy focused his magic and was about to use an invisibility spell when Yoko snatched him up by the back of his black t-shirt and held him up like a cat.

"Sit down and talk to your teacher! He's come all the way to discuss something with you," she stated as she plopped him into a chair and began cleaning up the notes scattered around the table and placed them back into a folder before organizing the crystals once again as Yuya looked at them and went back to focusing on them, his pendulum crystal gleaming slightly as Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon went to a water dish to help itself.

"Um…there's a tiny Odd-Eyes walking around," Shuzo said as Yoko nodded and prepared to make some coffee.

"Yusho used to bring some of his monsters to life and keep them around as familiars, Yuya has two, Odd-Eyes is one and the other is…" she paused a purple-and multi-colored blur flew in before landing atop the table, chattering a bit.

"Performapal Momoncarpet?" Shuzo asked as Yuya reached over and scratched the purple fly-squirrel.

"Yep, she kind of just materialized a few days after I received her card. Her and Odd-Eyes typically hang around." The woman looked at her son as the onyx stone flashed silver before going dim again.

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" she asked as Yuya gave her a long look.

"Not bad! Do you realize how much trouble that stupid thing gave me?" Shuzo blinked as Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon squawked and he looked down to see it looking up at him in a manner that told him the tiny dragon did not trust him.

"Call off your Dragon Yuya, Shuzo doesn't need to be burned today," Yoko said as she mused the boy's colorful hair before he reached down and Odd-Eyes trotted over to him before he picked it up and Momoncarpet twittered a bit before flying to the counter where she began to nibble on a grape that Yoko gave her.

"I um…." Scarlet eyes looked to Shuzo who flinched and the boy leaned back in his chair in discomfort.

"You know, don't you?" Yuya asked.

"I was told the day you went to face Strong Ishijima, but…. I didn't expect it to be…. like this…. or for you to be…." Yuya glanced towards Odd-Eyes who had his head on the table glaring at Shuzo.

"So advanced? I've been a practitioner since I was three…. but I only came of age in May on my fourteenth birthday." The small dragon let out a tiny puff of fire.

"Uh…. I think he's mad at me," Shuzo said as Yuya gave the dragon a frown.

"No, he just isn't used to you. If he gets used to you though, he's like a cat…" Yoko set down a cup of hot coffee in front of Shuzo who thanked her before she sat down next to Yuya.

"I'm guessing you came here to talk to us? Is something the matter?" she probed as Shuzo sighed.

"To be honest, I came here to talk to Yuya about him being a…. w-witch…and to let him know that though I am a bit…. nervous…. I don't hate him or anything, I just…" Odd-Eyes squawked a bit at him and Yuya gave the Dragon a frown before it licked his fingers.

"It unnerves you, what I am? Doesn't it?" Yuya asked, not meeting the man's eyes.

"Just a bit…. Yuzu brought it to my attention that you felt different to her. Admittedly, the others have noticed it as well, but have elected not to say anything." The red-green-haired boy hummed a bit.

"Something told me Yuzu would notice. You see, when a witch becomes of age, their magical aura is a lot more prominent, so someone whose been around one of us for long periods of time will sense the change in our energy. Yuzu, Gongenzaka, and the others have noticed it for a while now, but as you said, they decided not to say anything for my benefit. Not that it would have mattered," Yuya admitted.

"That's why? Seriously? But um…." Odd-Eyes glared at him and Yuya sat the dragon down, causing it to whine a bit as it went over to the food bowl and began chomping down on dog food in annoyance.

"Personally, I don't think it's anything to worry about Shuzo. Yuya is trained enough to handle his magic for the most part," Yoko assured.

"However, he is still in training, right? I just worry about Yuzu and the others finding out the truth in a bad way." The boy next to Yoko shrunk in on himself a fraction.

"Yea, I thought that too…. I've been working hard to avoid that situation; nevertheless, I get the feeling it's not going to make a difference sooner or later," he muttered.

Shuzo thought about the statement and felt as though he was leaning towards the same opinion. Yuya was a clever boy, and he could keep his secrets underwraps for a long time if he decided to; however, there was a high chance that one day very soon he would slip up, or be forced to reveal who he really was and expose his identity as a witch.

"I think so too, but this is your friends you're talking about here…. don't be so quick to dismiss them in accepting you," Shuzo said as he looked to the boy.

"You've got a point there; I guess I should just hope that they'll hear me out when the time comes." Yoko smiled, musing the boy's hair again as Shuzo looked at Yuya.

"If they choose to not listen, then I will make them hear you out. You've got that as a personal promise, okay?" Shuzo stated as Yuya gave him a sincere smile.

"Thanks, Principle." The man nodded.

"Anytime, now I wanted to know: when are you coming back to Duel School? Allie and the others are driving me crazy asking about you!" he cried as Yuya laughed.

 **{Xyz Dimension: June 8** **th** **2014, 4:30pm}**

A loud crackle went off nearby as a destroyed building began to crumble further into itself as a singular person walked by. He was fourteen years of age, with pale skin, wild and messy black hair with pale lilac bangs, sharp gray eyes, and wore very dark attire consisting of black boots, pants, a dark teal shirt, a brown belt with two deck holsters on it, black leather wrist bands, a red tie, a tattered black cloak, a dark purple Duel Disk upon his right arm, a black leather choker, and a bit lower on a black metal chord was a violet crystal with black angel wings wrapped around it. This boy, was a former student of the Spade Branch of Heartland Academy, a good student, well-liked, friendly, energetic, enthusiastic about his future as a Duelist, and one of the best that the branch had once possessed alongside several others.

Now-a-days, the once beautiful, peaceful, and sprawling city of Heartland had become a desolate shell of nothingness, a wasteland full of broken dreams and empty hearts. The ground was stained with the blood and tears of the fallen, and the joys of the sunlight were all but a distant memory. He continued walking towards a small shrine area that had been tucked away where many of the Duelists from both the Spade, Clover, Diamond, and Heart Branches of their school had died in battle against invaders from the Fusion Dimension, and it was here that he intended on visiting someone he had once called a dear friend.

Tired, and war-torn gray eyes looked towards the forest line where he now stepped into the wooded area, heading towards a tiny shrine that thankfully, even the Fusion Trash that had destroyed their peaceful lives and left their tranquil city in shambles had the honor to not disturb the dead. It was near the hide out of the Resistance, the people who had survived the invasion up till now, and at current this boy wanted to pay his respects and update those within the shrine of what had happened. The old wood creaked as he stepped up and went into the small building, shutting the door behind him as he grabbed the lighter from his pocket and took two incense sticks from a small drawer nearby before placing them into the holder as he went to his knees and bowed before the images of their fallen allies.

"I'm here with another update, I thought you would like to know what was happening…." He paused for a moment, taking in a steadying breath as he kept his gaze down.

"We've been able to hold back the Fusionites, they're becoming more predictable seeing as all of the people they send out save for a handful have the exact same deck. Ancient Gears aren't as tough as everyone thinks they are once you learn their weaknesses…the ones we have the most problems with are the few that have unique decks…." The boy took another moment, almost as if he expected someone to answer him.

"In addition, we've been able to keep more people from being carded; however, just recently….Ruri was kidnapped by one of them. They didn't card her for some reason, but they took her away from me right before my eyes….and I know I swore to all of you that I would protect her, but I failed, so please, forgive me and let me get her back…" the boy felt tears begin to well in his eyes, the memories of the last few days eclipsing his normally rational behavior as he sat crouched before the memorial of his former classmates turned comrades in arms during wartime, and the memories of their final moments crossed his mind.

"I promise; I'll bring Ruri back home safely….no matter what the cost. Hey, can I ask a favor of all of you? Can you watch out for my mom and dad? I know they're adults, but I can't help but worry about them, ya know? Also, watch out for each other, like we promised…and…. Yuma?" gray eyes looked to the image of a wild-haired youth with bright crimson eyes, a broad grin upon his face as he looked into the camera, one of his ace monsters, Number Thirty-Nine Utopia just in the background of the image.

"Can you…. make sure Kotori doesn't get into arguments with anyone? You know how she can get….and tell her that I'm watching out for Sayaka and Ruri, and that I'll bring Ruri home soon….so, do me a favor and keep up that can do attitude, alright? Remember, that stupid word you used to call it…cattabunga was it? I used to think it was so ridiculous, but…hey, here we are…. I just wish that I could…. tell you how much…. I miss hearing you say that…." The boy felt his eyes burn even fiercer before tears began to fall upon the dusty floor.

That was right, no matter how many times he came here to talk to them, the fact that they were gone never changed. This was a feeling of nothing short of disdain and pain on an unimaginable level because he had to witness their deaths, he had to watch them die right before him, not being carded, but cut down in the name of Academia, in the name of a man known as the Professor who had deemed several of them – himself included – as to much of a threat to merely card. Kaito had done all he could to protect him and had nearly died because of it; however, it had been Yuma Tsukumo, having aged to almost sixteen and having survived the Barrion Onslaught and the terrors of the Number Hunters to emerge as a stronger Duelist and someone that the younger Spade Branch students looked up to, such as himself.

Yuto Kisaragi, as he was called, had been only thirteen at the time, a first year student who had been targeted for reasons that no one understood. Terrified as he was, his best friend Shay, and the others had tried to keep him safe, but as he'd laid there wounded and about to be executed, Yuma had swung in with his ace monster and stopped the attack with his allies behind him, they were fighting, escaping and doing as the older students told them: but it wasn't enough.

They had tried to flee, but it had been too late and to Yuto's bitterest memories, he had witnessed as a strange man in white and black attire wearing a strangely designed white mask with black details had cut Yuma down, stating that the marked Duelists were supposed to die. A year later, Yuto had become a strong Duelist, but the memory of watching someone who had become his friend and ally being cut down right before him burned horribly in his mind's eye every single day of his life.

"I'll be stronger, always…just like you asked me to be, and I'll keep my promises…. but…I also wanted to apologize…. for not being able to return the favor and save your lives…. hey, Yuma? You know what? Kaito is still a bit of an ass when he wants to be, but he's a great ally….and Shay? He's still kicking ass with his Raidraptors! Don't worry, everything's gonna be…. fine…" tears continued to spill down his cheeks despite his efforts not to cry as he remained where he was.

Seconds ticked by and they seemed to turn into hours upon hours, almost as though nothing existed outside of this tiny pocket in reality. Yuto wanted these moments to remember better days, but it never ended up that way, and he'd always walk into this shrine thinking of the days that would come when more images were added to the shrine until nothing was left. Gray eyes closed firmly, tears still falling as he tried his hardest to shake away the pain, to hide the lies that he was keeping within himself: _that he was stronger than this, that he was a warrior for the resistance, and that he could handle this_. The sound of the door opening caused Yuto to activate his Duel Disk only to see a familiar face standing there.

"Shay?" he asked, his voice thick.

"I thought I'd find you here. Yuto, listen… I'm going to the Standard Dimension to begin looking for Ruri..." the boy slowly stood.

"Why are you telling me this?" he questioned.

"Because, I'm going alone." A sudden jolt raced through Yuto as he stared at his longtime friend, looking deep into tawny eyes.

" _Like hell you are!_ We don't know what the people are like in the Standard Dimension! For all you know they're allies of the Fusionites! I am not letting you go alone!" Yuto snapped, stepping forward as he felt his nails lengthen slightly, causing Shay to look at him as he tossed his hand out during his statement.

" _Don't lengthen your claws at me Yuto!_ I'm not your enemy!" Shay retaliated as the boy narrowed his eyes at him.

"I know that! But do you honestly think that I'm just going to let you walk out when all this shit is happening?! I know Ruri means everything to you, she means the same to me! But going on your own is a suicide mission!" the two stared at one another and Shay took in a deep breath.

"I swear, you half-blooded ones are some of the worst I've ever met," Shay told him, arms crossed as he watched the boy smirk just a fraction, the violet and black pendulum crystal seeming to make a chime-like sound as Yuto glanced down.

"Well, Imps have a reputation to uphold…. after all, it's not like trouble-making business is in high regards right now. Especially ones like me." The dark-blue-haired fifteen-year-old sighed.

"Phantasmal-Imps…. what can you do? I made friends with someone who's not entirely human, story of my life….so, what will you do to stop me _oh demoted one?_ " Shay queried as Yuto smirked, putting his hands on his hips as he looked to him, the pendulum crystal shining in the dim light as it began to sway.

"I'm going with you of course! Besides, you can't find shit without me!" the dark-blue-haired teenager smiled just a fraction as he watched his friend come closer.

"Right, magic and the pendulum crystal…. I swear, I can't remember when you didn't have that thing…. where did you get it anyways?" Shay probed as Yuto stepped down out of the shrine and onto the ground.

"Don't know…. but as you know, I've been good at finding things since I was a little kid, so don't doubt my skills now! Especially when you're looking for something as important as Ruri's whereabouts." The two glanced to one another as Shay looked at the pendulum, glowing as it did while swaying to and fro.

"The fact that the thing still sways like that and glows is creepy! I remember when we found out you were an Imp and it did that for the first time. That was the day that we saw Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon for the first time," Shay recalled as they headed down the small slope and towards the edge of the forest.

"Yea, I remember…. but enough reminiscing, let's go!" Yuto ran just a fraction ahead of him and Shay shook his head.

"Whatever you say Yuto, whatever you say…" with that the two of them pressed a button on their Duel Disks and vanished in a shimmer of light.

 **{…}**

 _And if it is, then everybody best stop steppin'…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** I wanted to take a breather from the Duels, seeing as we just came out of one; however, we'll be getting right back into the swing of things in the next chapter. Also, what did anyone think about the tiny Odd-Eyes Dragon? I kind of thought it was cute, and as for the last bit of this chapter…I wanted to expand upon the situation in the Xyz Dimension, because I honestly felt as though the anime didn't give it enough time, and in my version of events, Yuma and Yuto did know each other, which is my next question: what do you think of this reveal? I think it makes sense that the Professor would want to get rid of Duelists who were strong enough to stop his plans to unite the Dimensions – or Millennium's Zones – as a whole world and his scheme to revive his daughter.

Well, let me know what you think.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.


	7. Chapter 7: Trade Bait Fake

Chapter 7: Trade Bait Fake

 **{Maiami Second Junior High School: June 8** **th** **2014, 3:45pm}**

Yuya sighed, stretching a bit as he went about exiting school for the day, having finally returned after a few day's break. Yuzu was walking beside him with Allie, Frederic, and Tate – the blue haired boy who had elected to join the You Show Duel School after everyone had declared that Yuya was a cheat because of his Pendulum Summons – who had met the two teenagers just outside their school so they could walk to Duel School together. Today, Yuya had been taking notes diligently in class, but had also been reading his family's grimoire between classes and during free periods so that he could get used to a few new spells that he was trying to learn. At current, he was muttering to himself, discussing how the spell he was trying to use worked.

"If it's based upon personality and your physical structure, then what will it turn out to be? Mom said that it was different for her and…" Yuzu frowned.

"Yuya?" she asked as he paused and looked to her, scarlet eyes meeting periwinkle ones.

"Yea?" the pink-haired girl puffed out her cheeks.

"Will you stop muttering like that? It's kind of freaking me out," she admitted as he took in a deep breath.

"Sorry…. I just -" Before he could get the rest of his sentence out, three darts – the ones with suckers on the end of them – landed right between his eyes, causing them to cross in confusion while the others stared at him.

"Wh-What…the?" started Yuzu.

"Triple Bullseye! That's a hundred-and fifty points. Wasn't that amazing?" The group looked to see a young man wearing their school uniform of dark burgundy pants, black shoes, a dark gray collared shirt, red tie, and white jacket with red and gold trim. His skin was slightly tan, a knowing smirk upon a fairly handsome face, his bangs a blonde-tone while the rest of his hair was a light brown, and his eyes a bluish-gray. In his hand was another dart, and at current, Yuya had no desire to be treated as another score board.

"Hey! What's the big idea!" Allie asked, glaring at him.

"Allie, it's fine…." The teenager walked over to them as the little girl glared at Yuzu who was more curious as to what the other wanted.

"Bu-Bullseye?" Yuya questioned in slight confusion as the teenager grabbed Yuya's hand, looking him in the eye.

"You're Yuya Sakaki, aren't you? I'm Sylvio Sawatari, from Class One. Nice to meet you." He shook his hand and Yuya swallowed, getting an uncomfortable feeling.

"Eh? S-Sure…" he replied as Sylvio let go of his hand and looked at him.

"Although I only saw it on TV, it was so much fun! Your Duel with Strong Ishijima." Sylvio reached up and plucked the three darts from his face finally and he looked at him in slight surprise as slight red marks were left behind.

" _Something's not right with this guy…."_ Yuya thought as he rubbed the offended area on his face.

"I really, really liked that whole Pendulum Summon thing you pulled off. What were they called again? Those card you used?" Sylvio inquired as Yuya met his gaze, knowing that his magic and instincts weren't leading him a stray at this point.

"You mean the _Pendulum Cards?_ " Yuya sent him a slightly confused look, not liking the sudden heavy inquiry.

"Yeah, yeah! That's it! I guess such rare cards can only be used by the chosen people, after all!" Sylvio said, giving a theatrical reaction towards Yuya, smiling as he did so while Yuya felt the praise bring a bit of a flush to his cheeks.

"Sawatari, was it? Don't praise Yuya too much." Yuzu's input caused the red-and-green-haired boy to groan a bit.

" _I suppose I can always count on Yuzu to keep me from being big headed…"_ he thought in slight disdain.

"No, no I really do mean it." Yuya granted Sylvio a slight smile, the flush returning to his face.

"Yuya, weren't you going to the Duel School to show Tate and the others Pendulum Summoning?" Yuzu asked.

"Oh yeah, I was, right!" the girl sighed as she watched the boy's slightly lazy-content face with its flush vanish as he seemed to start getting his mind back on track.

" _I swear, sometimes I think Yuya's part cat…"_ Yuzu thought as Sylvio stepped in.

"I have a much better stage if you want to show off Pendulum Summoning. How about we use the center court at LDS at, oh, five-o-clock? I have it reserved!" Yuya felt realization come to him.

"Eh? You mean _that_ LDS center court?" he asked as Yuzu spoke up.

"You've reserved it?!" she declared in questioning as Sylvio smiled in a slightly smug manner.

"I'm a star pupil at LDS, and my father is expected to be the next mayor of Maiami. If I ask around, it's easy to get someone to lend it to me." Tate and the other children looked at the man in slight excitement.

"Going to LDS' Center Court…." Started Tate.

"And seeing a Pendulum Summon!" continued Allie.

"Awesome! It gives me goosebumps!" finished Frederic while Yuya stood contemplating the situation as Yuzu glared, clearly not impressed.

"I'd say our school would have sufficed, too." Yuya glanced her way, and was about to agree when the children spoke up.

"Come on, Big sis Yuzu! We're talking about LDS' center court!" Frederic input as the other children began to cheer for going to the center court at the Leo Duel School until Yuzu gave them an irritated glare and huffed before sighing.

"I get it. I'm coming with you, though. I should visit rival schools, being the representative of You Show Duel School." The children began to cheer and Yuya gave the girl a small smile.

"I thought you'd say that! Shall we go then?" asked Sylvio as Tate grabbed Yuya's wrist and the children started to run off, dragging Yuya with them.

"Let's go!" they cheered as they went and Yuya struggled to keep up, having been forced to run in a slight crouch.

"Come on, wait up! Guys!" Yuzu called as she went after them and Sylvio followed slowly.

" _Everything's going exactly as planned."_

 **{LEO Duel School: 4:30pm}**

"Welcome to LDS!" stated Sylvio as he walked the group of five through the front doors of the school, showing them the remarkably modern interior.

The place favored an expensive hotel in the heart of Tokyo, but had the feel of an upscale office with the LDS letters floating in a holographic projection as a screen displayed a battle going on between a dragon and Buster Blader in the screen just past it. On either side were two stores, one that seemed to be a small café and the other a shop that sold supplies for Duelists. Without question, the members of the You Show Duel School were impressed as all around windows were visible for where students could watch Duels going on in the interior courts or discuss strategies and plans as they prepared for classes.

"Whoa…." Sylvio smiled.

"Leo Duel School, or LDS for short. As you can probably guess from the name, it's a Duel School run by Leo Corporation. And naturally, they're the largest company in the business next to Kaiba Corp and Industrial Illusions, whom they have contracts with to work on Solid Vision for the Duel Disks, and for distribution and creation of cards," he explained as they walked by several areas where people were working out, forming strategies, or attending lectures.

"And their facilities are state of the art, right?" Tate said.

"Tate, you sure know yoru stuff!" Frederic's statement had Tate sigh a bit.

"Well, my mother kept saying it'd be better for me to come here," he admitted as Sylvio smiled once more and continued talking.

"They've got the best equipment and the greatest teachers. _Strive for the best curriculum_ is their motto." Allie piped up at this point.

"Meaning they have everything that the You Show Duel School doesn't!" she pointed out, causing Yuya and Yuzu to groan in slight defeat.

"You're also pretty knowledgeable yourself." Sylvio's compliment caused Yuzu to grit her teeth.

" _So sorry w_ e're such a run-down joint!" she said.

"C'mon, don't get so upset! Cheap places have their good points, too!" Sylvio grinned at Frederic's statement while Yuya was just a bit back, looking at a large piece of paper that was set against one of the windows of a room.

"But it's true that they have a lot of stuff we don't. not only do they have a class on basic summoning methods, they also have a course in Xyz Summoning and a course in Synchro Summoning!" Yuya mentioned as he continued to scan the courses that listed Tuner Basics, Rank Basics, Applied Ranks, Monster Effect Negation, Classic Ritual Summons, Modern Ritual Summons, and D-Draw. As Yuya looked this over, a young boy wearing a blue jacket with orange and gold cuffs walked by. He had pale blue hair, vivid, pastel green eyes, and was carrying a pink lollypop in his hand while he glanced towards Yuya.

"Wow! They even have a course in Fusion Summoning!" he mentioned aloud, surprised to find it there. The statement had the blue-haired boy pause and look back to Yuya before leaving as the scarlet-eyed boy glanced after him.

"Yuya!" Yuzu called.

"Huh?" Sylvio pointed to the left of them.

"The center court's that way!" he said as the boy smiled.

"R-Right…"

Yuya walked to them and they followed Sylvio as they were lead down a hallway and then out into a stadium that was almost as large as the entire court of the main stadium that Yuya had Dueled Ishijima at. The distinct, glossy black floor showed where the holographic system was located while the area was done in an amphitheater style, letting it be to where there were no bad seats in the house. Yuya and Yuzu eyed the area, impressed but both feeling something amiss with how smooth everything seemed to be going as Sylvio walked a bit ahead.

"It's the LDS center court I've been longing to see!" stated Frederic with a bright smile.

However, as they looked around, three youths came forward, looking as though they were distinctly interested in Yuya who all the sudden felt a quiver in his energy, letting him know that his instincts weren't leading him astray as he felt something was wrong. One of the boy's said hello to him and he smiled back, but despite his best attempts to squash the sensation of misfortune, Yuya couldn't quite shake it. Sylvio came to stand next to him, eyeing the boy as he kept a polite expression upon his face while Yuya never once took his eyes off the three other boys while Yuzu found herself glaring, not liking the situation.

"These boys are also fans of yours. Would you mind showing them your cards? The cards you use to Pendulum Summon, I mean!" Sylvio said as Yuya felt a surprised expression appear upon his features.

"Eh? B-But…" he started as Sylvio smiled.

"They just want to see 'em for a sec! okay?" he assured Yuya who felt his heart rate pick up.

"S-Sure…" Yuya reached into his pocket and removed his deck from the holster before pulling out Stargazer and Timegazer Magician, the only ones that anyone else knew he had.

" _I'll show them Stargazer and Timegazer, but like hell I'm letting them know that other monsters in my deck became Pendulums that day too. If something goes amiss, I'm going to need an element of surprise to outwit these guys_ ," Yuya thought as he pulled his two magicians from his deck. Instantly, Sylvio jerked them from his hand and showed them to the others.

"See, here they are," he told the other three.

"Awesome! So these're the cards you can use to Pendulum Summon!" said one of the boys.

"I want em so bad!" Sylvio took the cards from the boys.

"No can do! These don't belong to you guys…ain't that right?" Sylvio started in a scolding manner while Yuya quietly ground his teeth together.

"Tch! No fair!" Sylvio looked at the two magicians.

"After all, they're about to become a part of my collection," he said as Yuya felt his eyes grow wide.

"Huh?!" Yuzu glared.

"Hold it! What're you talking about?!" she snapped.

"I happen to fancy rare and powerful cards, you see. And I loathe tainting my collection by putting in weak cards. That's why I decided I'd be taking these." Yuya glared, knowing that his prior choice based upon instinct was proven correct as Yuzu began her tirade.

"So that's why you called us here?!" she snarled at Sylvio who shrugged, looking towards Yuya.

"That's not the only reason. I figured I'd better try and use them once I got them…" he explained this as he put them away in his jacket pocket and looked to his lackies.

"You lousy, spineless little son of a…." Yuya placed a hand upon Yuzu's shoulder, shaking his head.

"You guys want to see a Pendulum Summon, don't cha?" Sylvio stated.

"Hell yeah I do!"

"I'm dyin' too!" said one of the others as the upperclassmen pulled out his Duel Disk.

"So, that's why I reserved the center court…." Sylvio activated his Duel Disk and walked towards Yuya.

"I see…so you wanted to lure me here just to snatch my Pendulum cards and claim them for yourself…. that's pretty damn low," Yuya stated sharply.

"You cut me to the quick, Yuya! It's fine! We call came here to see the Pendulum Summon…didn't we now?!" Sylvio asked as he grabbed Yuya's goggles, pulled them forward, and snapped them over his eyes, causing the boy to hiss in pain as the force knocked him backwards and onto the ground.

"Big Bro Yuya!" the boy pulled his goggles back up, wincing as he tried to shake the sudden pressure away from his head.

"Huh? It's almost like you don't wanna Duel me or somethin'. I guess it's because of your status around here now-a-days, thanks to those Pendulum Cards you've gone from freak to celebrity," Sylvio said as Yuzu glared.

"Hey! Back off! You jackass!" the Sylvio looked to her as she came and crouched next to Yuya while Sylvio whistled in surprise as the younger children settled nearby the two teenagers.

"Well, _I guess your girlfriend's raring to go_. You know, Yuya, I gotta admit, when I first got a really good look at ya, I could tell why people in school call you a freak. I mean hell, look at you!" the blonde-brunette stated as his lackies looked at the petite boy.

"Yea, I mean what the hell is up with your hair? Red and green? What are you, some kind of Christmas elf?" the first laughed, and Yuzu could feel Yuya bristle, not liking the insult.

"What about those freaky red eyes, like some kind of _demon or something!_ You gotta be _something evil, I mean look at you!_ " the second gave the taunting jeer towards the boy who took in a shuddering breath as Sylvio smiled and Yuzu glowered sharply.

"Not to mention you're so tiny and pretty for a boy! I thought you were a girl at first glance with your looks. Hell, you're what? About eight-five or so pounds? And you're fourteen? Well, color me shocked! I would have thought you were twelve or so…." The last mocking statement had Yuya biting into his lip in agitation as Sylvio walked forward, crouching before the boy.

"Just to sum it up, you're nothing but a freak still, Yuya Sakaki. First it's your strange hair, which by the way seems to suit your freak-status perfect, and then we have those brilliant red eyes that honestly scare the hell out of most people if you look at them for too long! And then there's the fact that you're such a petite w _imp, the son of a cowardly lion,_ and now you've lost your Pendulum cards…so tell me, what are you, really? Just some kind of freak trying to be something you're not…." A sudden noise came from Sylvio's duel disk, causing him to look up as he stood.

" **Why don't you leave it at that? We've asked for you to retrieve the Pendulum cards, not harass the boy,"** stated the voice as Sylvio laughed.

"Are you kidding? This freak had it coming, trying to act like he was superior because of some new method that he invented! Like that changes what he is." The sound of the person on the other line went dead for a moment before the person cleared their throat.

" **Personally, we don't care about your opinions. What we have asked is for you to retrieve the Pendulum cards and leave the boy alone…. not harass and bully him just because you can! Now do as you've been requested, we will not go lightly on you otherwise!"** Yuya narrowed his gaze.

"So, someone's paid you off is that it?! How low do you people think you have to go? Do you honestly think that Kaiba Corp or Industrial Illusions takes theft from another Duelist lightly?! One word is all it takes to turn this situation on its ear for you bastards," he snarled, bearing his teeth in a manner that had Yuzu and the children startled as the man on the Duel Disk continued to talk to Sylvio.

" _Yuya? What's wrong with you…I know your angry, but you never get like this no matter what! So, why are you…."_ Yuzu's thought process was cut short.

"Ahh, Nakajima? I'm afraid my goal's different, you see. I wanted these cards for myself from the very start!" Sylvio stated with a smirk.

" **What are you thinking?! Don't start acting on your own!"** Sylvio smiled brightly.

"I'll do what I want, and tell President Akaba that the boy he's so interested in is nothing but a weakling of a freak, and totally not worth the time he's spent obsessing over him!" with that, the line went dead and blue-gray eyes turned towards the scarlet-eyed boy.

"You're a low grade bastard, you know that?" Yuya's sharp tone had Yuzu wincing as she held the children close to her, knowing that the boy's behavior wasn't average for him.

"Big Bro Yuya is acting weird," muttered Allie as Yuzu placed her hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay Allie, he's just angry at that guy. He's being really mean." Tate nodded and Frederic looked to the boy that he and the others always admired.

"We won't tell our moms and dads about the bad words he's using, okay?" Yuzu sighed, smiling.

"Okay…let's just…" Yuzu was cut off.

"And with that…" Sylvio snapped his fingers and the other three circled around them, grabbing the children and Yuzu as Yuya felt a fearful spike in his energy.

"Huh? What do you think you're doing?!" Yuzu snapped as she was grabbed and pulled away while one of the older guys grabbed the three children.

"Big Bro Yuya!" they called to him and Yuya's pulse of magical energy seemed to rise.

"Hmmhmm…. now, what will you do? Yuya?" asked Sylvio as the boy turned a sharp glare on him.

"Stop it! Let Yuzu and the kids go!" the other sighed.

"Oh please! No need for you to worry about them! I'm just gonna have them lend us a hand in our Duel." Scarlet eyes glared.

"In our Duel?" Yuya questioned, a slight spike rising in his energy again.

" _Calm down, calm down, calm down… don't let this get you worked up, showing that you're a witch is not going to help the situation right now…"_ Yuya thought as the children and Yuzu were taken over to an area to the left side of him.

"Oh yea. I'd feel bad that only _you_ gave me cards, so…." The teenager tossed the large stack of cards at Yuya's feet, causing him to look down in shock.

"I didn't give you anything!" the red-and-green-haired boy snapped as the fifteen-year-old grinned.

"Oh, but you did! Your Pendulum cards, your little friends, your girlfriend, and I'll bet you'll also give me the recognition that you are just a cowardly lion." Yuya glared once again.

"I'm not a coward! You should know better than to call a lion that!" he heard Sylvio laugh.

"More like trained house cat! Anyways, I'm giving all of them to you! Those cards there…. After all, I think those _trashy cards_ fit you like a glove!" Yuya felt a sharp sting at the words.

" _There is no such thing as a useless card, every card has a purpose to play and while one person may not find it well suited for them…someone else will find it as a vital component to their deck and their own style…."_ Those words rang in his head, not knowing where they came from as his father had never told him such things even though he knew he whole-heartedly believed it. Yuya took in a deep breath and looked down at the pile of cards as he began to crouch, an upset expression appearing on his face as his once hard eyes softened.

"You called them trashy? How could you?" Yuya asked as he looked to the card on top, a low level one monster of earth attribute with zero attack and only one-hundred defense.

"Because that's how low-class, cowardly freaks are viewed in my eyes! And to start things off! I'm gonna pick the field!" Yuya was on his feet in an instant.

" _Shit! If he activates an action field, we'll be locked in here until a winner is declared…I might not have a choice..."_

"Tower above us as you trap the frail Princesses! Action Field, on! _The Tower Prison of Dark Town!_ " Sylvio declared this setting as Yuya tensed, preparing to move.

A dark and terrifying version of what seemed to be New York City began to form around them, chains whipping about from around the place as the field took shape and Yuya started searching for Yuzu and the others. In a matter of seconds, he spotted them, hearing them scream in fear and shock as they were set high above the rest of the field upon a tower at the center of a bridge. Scarlet eyes narrowed as Yuya began thinking that in this case, his mother would not object to him using agility magic so he could move quicker. Once more he scanned the area and then heard Yuzu scream again as Sylvio laughed, cool and collected as Yuya ground his teeth together. He wouldn't cheat using that magic, absolutely not! However, using sensory magic was a different story as it would let him hear what Yuzu and the others were saying and see them easier if they were to be placed in danger.

" _Okay…I call to the wild earth and the unending sky, grant me the sight and sound of your greatest warriors, come to me and seek not temptation but guidance from the wisest of your sages, lend me the skill of your bravest soldier, and the grace of the stars above…."_ Yuya's internal chant seemed to work as a faint burning started to form in his eyes as a ringing developed in his ears only to moments later be able to hear the grinding of the city coming to life in a far louder and clearer form than earlier, and then his eyes began to searching frantically, looking for the quickest route to where Yuzu and the children were. Scarlet eyes now glowing in the dimness of the field looked to up where the tower was in the center of the bridge as Sylvio began to speak.

"Ya know, Princesses need to be locked up in towers. Don't they? Just like your little friends, and your _beautiful damsel in destress._ Miss Hiiragi does make a fitting Princess for this tale don't you think? The fallen knight who can't overcome his own fears, and the proud warrior. Now, who do you think will win this duel, Yuya Sakaki?" Sylvio expected an answer, but Yuya shot him a withering glare, eyes glowing as he began rushing across the rooftops, leaving his opponent to gawk at what he'd seen.

In only a matter of moments, Yuya was just across from the others where they could see one another, but it was far too dangerous for him to make a jump that wide without using agility magic. He reached his hand out, trying to find a way to use his magic to get to them, but failing as the buildings began to grow farther and farther apart. Yuzu stared at the boy, his eyes seeming far too bright for normal as she found panic settling into her system on different levels. Her first sense of fear came from the fact that she and the children were at the top of a solid vision tower that was not where Duelists or anyone should have been, and secondly her fear came from Yuya's strange behavior and the sudden glow of his already bright eyes.

"YUYA!" she called to him as he looked onward.

"Guys! It's alright, I'm gonna get you down don't worry!" Yuya called back to them, knowing there wasn't much he could do at this point, save for one thing. At that moment, the tower rose up higher, the clouds and water ways forming as Yuya stared onward in shock.

"BIG BRO YUYA! HELP US!" the children pleaded, terrified as Yuzu held onto them.

"YUZU! ALLIE! FREDERIC! TATE! JUST STAY WHERE YOU ARE, DON'T TRY AND CLIMB DOWN!" Yuya ordered as he heard a laugh.

"You're just adorable, you know that? Well, if a freaky little coward is your definition of cute, at least," Sylvio said as Yuya glared at him, teeth grinding together as he met his gaze.

"Listen! I'll Duel you, but only if you let me get them down from there!" Yuya made this demand; however, Sylvio shook his head.

"No, I don't think so. They'll be fine," he stated as the boy shook his head.

"Are you _dumb or something?!_ This is Solid Vision! All of this has real mass! If one of them falls they could get hurt or worse!" Sylvio smirked.

"If you wanna save 'em come and Duel against me Yuya Sakaki! Show me you aren't some coward, and prove that you're equal to me!" Sylvio demanded as the boy growled.

"You think I need to prove that I'm equal to _some scum_ like you? No matter how much I wanted to Duel someone, I _would never endanger someone's life!_ So, if you wanna Duel, then fine, I accept your challenge; however, I am going to prove that I am not equal to you…." Sylvio smirked.

"Right because without your Pendulum Cards, you're just a _useless, worthless, meaningless, childish freak!_ So, you'll never be able to be on my level, Yuya," he stated this to the boy who bowed his head and grabbed his Duel Disk before strapping it on, the device activating as Yuya pulled two cards – which was Block Spider and Mimiclay - out of his pocket and slammed them into his deck.

"No, I won't…." The other grinned.

"So, you realize that you'll never achieve my level? At least your smarter than those pretty looks and that weird hair color of yours would lead me to believe. I guess it's just fate for you too…." The boy settled a glare on him, scarlet eyes still glowing with the spell he cast.

"You see, there's a great difference between you and I. Nothing about you possesses a lick of honor, integrity, or joy as a Duelist. I may be an entertainer, but I am also a Duelist who would never stoop to such pathetic and lowly levels to get what I wanted from an opponent! So no, I'm nothing like you Sylvio Sawatari! If anything, you have a lot to learn, and your level is far too low for me to reach…sorry! But I don't view you as an obstacle to overcome…" Sylvio frowned.

"Then what am I?" Yuya's Duel Disk's slot appeared, glowing in the dim streets of the Field.

"A bug to be crushed beneath my feet as I put your plan to rest!" he snapped, Sylvio glared.

"Fine! Let's get this started then…"

 **{Survey Room: 5:20pm}**

Reiji Akaba frowned as he watched the Duel between Sylvio Sawatari and Yuya Sakaki continue. It had been going steadily for the last fifteen minutes, and at current Yuya was starting to appear as though he was being backed into a corner while the President of Leo Corporation watched in anticipation. The idea of getting a better feel of the Pendulum cards had been his initial plot; however, endangering innocent people, and causing more of an uproar than necessary wasn't a factor he had considered. Reiji knew as well as anyone else that Yuya's threat of reporting them to the overseeing companies was very viable and they could not stop him seeing as the Duel Disks sent out signals when they were being used to both Kaiba Corp and Industrial Illusions. The silver-haired seventeen-year-old took in a steady breath, finding himself remarkably uncomfortable with the fiasco as Yuya broadened his defenses with Block Spider and Mimiclay, causing Reiji to smirk just a fraction while he set to watching the Duel once more.

"Sir?" asked Nakajima.

"Yes? What is it?" violet eyes turned to the dark-haired man.

"Well, we've got that report you requested on Yuya Sakaki. If you would like me to read it aloud I can…" Reiji shook his head.

"Leave it here with me. I believe I can manage to review it and keep tabs of Mr. Sawatari's blunder," he stated as Nakajima rose an eyebrow.

"Blunder? But sir, Yuya Sakaki is losing this Duel." Reiji took the folder from his assistant and settled it down upon the desk before him.

"Oh? Really? I do hope you realize that boy isn't the simple child everyone assumes him to be. He's plotted ahead of this far beyond what Sawatari could even consider, and besides…Yuya is the founder of Pendulum Summoning, surely you don't think that Stargazer and Timegazer are his only Pendulum Monsters," Reiji pointed out just as a reading for Pendulum Summoning activated.

The two looked to the screen to see that Sawatari had Pendulum Summoned, shocking the boy for an instance, causing him to stare at the sight with his still glowing red eyes widened and a look of panic upon his features. Reiji understood that it would come as a shock; however, Yuya did need to learn that he would not always be the only one capable of Pendulum Summoning. Nonetheless, he had no intentions of traumatizing the poor boy just to test his prowess as a Duelist, and not five minutes later, he was proven that his prior belief of Yuya having plotted ahead was correct when the boy activated a trap card known as Pendulum Bullet.

"A Pendulum Trap card?!" Nakajima asked in confusion as Yuya smirked on the screen.

" _ **This card allows me to banish three monsters from my graveyard and in return, I can break your Pendulum Scale and take control of those cards. Therefore, Stargazer and Timegazer return to me!"**_ Nakajima felt his mouth hang open as the two magicians vanished from Sawatari's field and Yuya leapt in a graceful manner to the dock where Sawatari was only to snatch the cards from him and jump back atop Performapal Skeeter Skimmer with an almost wild smirk.

"Yes, it would seem he's created a sturdy support for the summoning mechanic. Now, show me what you can do…Yuya Sakaki," Reiji replied as he and Nakajima watched in questioning.

" _ **However, because of the cards effect, I cannot play the cards I have just recovered for two turns…"**_ Sylvio laughed at the boy who blew his bangs from his face, keeping his stance surprisingly sturdy atop a Duel Monster who was floating on water.

" _ **What good did it do you then?! You have only a handful of Life Points left and nothing to stop my next attack, unless you have another robbery card on the field. I guess you don't know as much as you think you do, freak!"**_ Yuya smirked, laughing just a fraction.

" _You're a fool Sylvio Sawatari, if you think for even a millisecond that this boy can be outdone like that…his father never faltered or went down easy, and I highly doubt he will either,"_ thought Reiji as Yuya held two cards out, causing the people around him to gasp in shock while the boy's scarlet eyes shimmered in the dull light of the Field.

" _ **Come now, you think for a second that I would ever let you see what I can really do? Very well…. I'll use Performapal Pendulummucho and Performapal Momoncarpet to set the Pendulum Scale. Now I can summon out monsters' levels one through six!"**_ Sylvio's jaw hung open.

" _ **WHAT?! BUT YOU'RE ONLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE TWO PENDULUM MONSTERS!"**_ Reiji nodded to himself.

"Mr. Akaba? How did you know? That the boy had more than two Pendulum cards?" asked Nakajima.

"It's a basic magic trick that most people can figure out. It's known as _Sucker_ and is called such because the magician acts as though they've gravely messed up and caused trouble for themselves. It's also quite a comical routine if done right, and in a Duel, it can be used to cause your opponent to think that you're not capable of doing anything. Yuya is a magician through and through as he was trained to be so by his father…" the assistant rose an eyebrow.

"Magician? I thought that Yusho Sakaki was just a Dueltainer?" he probed as Reiji adjusted his glasses.

"No, every entertainer knows a form or another of stage magic. Sleight of hand, illusions, trick of the eye, and naturally the mess-up-fake-out that Yuya just used on Mr. Sawatari. The trick Sucker is one of the best for a Duelist to learn because it allows you to deceive them into thinking that you're at a loss and then backfiring their largest strike. Yuya has done a brilliant job of using this technique." Violet eyes looked back to the screen.

" _ **You've not been able to do anything for all this time and yet you had another Pendulum scale ready to go?! How?"**_ Yuya shrugged, smirking just a fraction.

" _ **Well, I am a magician, and as you probably know: a magician never reveals his secrets,"**_ the scarlet eyed boy replied with a wink.

"This should be interesting," muttered Reiji as he flipped open the file for the boy who was currently on screen.

 **{Center Court: Prison Tower of Dark Town Top: 6:40pm}**

"Yuya Pendulum Summoned!" Allie cheered, holding onto Yuzu as another attack lashed outwards, causing the group to scramble just a bit.

The dire straits they had kept finding themselves in that day just seemed to get worse and worse. Between Frederic hanging on by a thread, giant billiard balls destroying the bridge that lead to the tower, the tower constantly tilting back and forth, and now Yuya pulling out a last minute stop, and now the tower being held on by the chains of the entire bridge and tower was just the cherry on top for a rather terrible day. Yuzu looked down towards Yuya who gave her a confident smile and activated one of his face down cards. However, the resounding blast of one of Sylvio's monsters being destroyed by Raigeki Break resulted in the tower being shaken too much. At this point Yuya took to activating his Pendulum Scale, planning what he needed to do at this point.

"I'm using my Pendulum Scale to play the following monsters: Performapal Hip Hippo! Performapal Trampolinx! And Performapal Thunder Rhino! Next, I release Performapal thunder Rhino and play one of my special friends!" Sylvio stared as did the others as the towers chains began to groan and Yuya's sharp eyes looked onward as he rushed.

"What?!" Yuya raised his hand out.

"I Advance Summon! _Performapal Sleight Hand Magician!_ " Yuzu felt her eyes grow wide as she looked on at elegant, yet slightly gothic magician with a crystal for a lower half and white angel wings around the bottom of its coat.

However, the elation at seeing a new Monster was short lived as the grinding crunch of chains breaking caught Yuya's acute hearing and he turned looking to Trampolinx who nodded as Yuya ordered his monsters to act fast. Hip Hippo stood its ground while Trampolinx and Sleight Hand shot after the group as the building toppled and the two Performapals raced to save the others. Yuzu and Allie were caught by the guiding hands of Sleight Hand Magician, and Frederic and Tate were balled up within Trampolinx, bouncing slightly as the Performapal landed with little difficulty before the group was safely placed upon the ground. Now out of harm's way, Yuya turned his attention back to Sylvio as the two Performapals returned to their master's side.

"You… YOU CAN'T BRING OUT A LEVEL EIGHT MONSTER WITHOUT TWO TRIBUTES YOU CHEAT!" yelled Sylvio as Yuya smirked.

"Wrong! Sleight Hand Magician can be special summoned by releasing one Performapal monster that I control so long as it's not a Pendulum monster."

"Did you plan everything to turn out this way?" the fifteen-year-old questioned as he glared towards Yuya who set his gaze upon him.

"I didn't plan it. I just believed!" Yuya told him bluntly.

"Believed, you say?! I activate the effect of Ultimate Darts Shooter!" Sawatari's yell startled the children who went to stand by Yuzu while Yuya shot them a small smile, knowing that his opponent had gotten so wrapped up in beating him with his own Pendulum Monsters that he hadn't anticipated the four face down cards that Yuya had played two turns ago.

" _Pendulum Bullet got him, next was Raigeki Break which destroyed his one of his monsters…after that is two combo cards that I rarely use, so it won't be in some database…but it should get this over with, and teach this ass an important lesson…."_

"Oh you do?" Yuya teased as Sylvio glared.

"The Darts Monsters I released are summoned back to my field at the end of the turn! I end my turn!" the red-and-green-haired boy frowned, now facing not one giant monster, but three weaker ones.

"I gotta admit…. I really hate combo monsters like that. First you have those damn X-Y-Z Tank monsters…then the rest of the alphabet came with them, honestly, ABC decks are so predictable, but so are Darts Monsters. Do you know why?" Sylvio glared.

"Are you dissing my monsters? Especially when you run a deck full of carnival rejects!" he protested as Yuya smirked a bit.

"Na, I just think that they _fit you like a glove."_ The boy threw Sylvio's prior insult back at him and the boy glared.

"I'll teach you when to keep that mouth of yours shut Sakaki!" Yuzu stood firm near Yuya who shot her a quick smile as she nodded.

"What are you gonna do Yuya? He has three Monsters again!" pointed out Tate as the boy nodded.

"If things won't go as I planned, I'll just destroy everything in my way!" scarlet eyes glanced away from Sylvio and to the others.

"Guys, sorry for not getting there sooner," Yuya apologized.

"It was both thrilling and gave me goosebumps, Big Bro Yuya! But, I don't want to do it again thanks." Tate nodded.

"Agreed, but don't feel bad, we believed you could save us like you said," he told the elder Duelist.

"Thanks…" Yuzu looked to him.

"Okay, it's time to turn the tables!" she said as Allie cheered.

"Get 'im!" Yuya nodded once more and looked back towards Sylvio. It was his turn now, and he had to make this count, otherwise he would be unable to recover. Right now wasn't the time to be nothing but an entertainer, but also a well-prepared Duelist, because just as his father had taught him: even entertainers needed to be prepared.

"My turn! Draw!" Yuya declared as he looked at his monster and nodded.

"Alright, Pendulummucho! Momoncarpet! Let's go! You ready Sylvio? Here comes the fun part!" the others cheered as Sylvio glared.

"Fun part?! The only fun I'm gonna have is watching you fail!" he snapped.

"Oh, really?" The lights around the city went out, leaving the entire place completely devoid of anything bright.

"Wh-What?" Sylvio asked in confusion.

"Here it comes, here it comes!"

"Finally! Time to begin!" Tate cheered while Yuzu and Allie awaited the beginning of Yuya's little performance in anticipation.

It was as they stood in darkness that a singular light appeared, Yuya smiling as the lights within the city began to grow back into life before he stood at full height and raised his arms up into the air before dropping one down, raising one to curl over his chest where his hand met with his shoulder in what seemed to be the beginnings of a bow.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! I hope to present a sparkling show to you, my dear spectators! First and foremost, if we are talking about Pendulums, I will have to give my assistants the limelight for just a moment!" Yuya's two Pendulum Monsters glowed, the pillars of stardust around them shining like a column of diamonds.

"Yes! Big Bro Yuya has two cards in his hands! I bet one of them has gotta be something epic!" said Frederic as Yuya smiled.

"Exactly! Let's ask my lovely assistants for help in introducing today's stars! Firstly, I'll be doing our opening act! _Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light upon the sky! Pendulum Summon!"_ Yuya had gotten everyone in on the summoning by this point and when he called for the summoning of his monster, every one of his friends said it with him.

"Come forth! My monster!" Yuya declared this as the web of stardust spread even further until finally a monster appeared.

"Performapal Turn Toad! And, from my prior liberation of my kidnapped allies! I activate the second effect of Pendulum Bullet which after two turns brings the returned monsters out! Come forth! Stargazer Magician and Timegazer Magician!" the two trusted magicians appeared, nodding to Sleight Hand who repeated the process.

"Three Magicians and two Performapals! He can win this!" called Allie as Yuya bowed a bit.

"However, I am not done here! Next I release Performapal Hip Hippo! And, to do so, I can bring out one of my trusted allies: I Advance Summon! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" the monsters took center stage and the group cheered.

"Yes! He did it!" Yuzu smiled to Yuya, raising a fist into the air.

"That was perfect, Yuya!" she told him loud and clear as she looked at the monsters on his field.

" _Performapal Turn Toad, Performapal Sleight Hand Magician, Stargazer Magician, Timegazer Magician, and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon…. plus, he has two face down cards still…. okay Yuya, show us what you've got!"_ Yuzu thought as she watched the boy smile.

"Even with all of that effort! They're still junky cards! Your Pendulum Monsters aren't being used properly! And hell! You can't even manage to Pendulum Summon your Ace Monster! That stupid Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! So don't say that it's perfect!" Yuya smirked.

"I have a plan and this is an upper scale version of Pendulum Summoning! Advance Pendulum is what I've called it, where I use Pendulum summoned Monsters to Advance Summon larger monsters with great effects. But, I think you should be more concerned about what will happen when my next move comes!" he stated.

"You can't do shit! You've got a whole lot of fire power, but my life points are still higher than yours!" Yuya once again, smiled.

"Whoa! I do wonder about that! You see, several of my Performapals have some interesting effects, but instead I'll be playing my first face down card: Performapal Calling! This allows me to add a Performapal from my deck to my hand, and special summon it if it's a level four or higher. But oh dear! I seem to have forgotten that I can only have five monsters, if that's the case, I use Timegazer Magician and tribute him to once more advance summon and bring forth Performapal Kaleidoscorpion! Because of the special effect of Performapal Calling, this is counted as a special summoning, not a normal summon. However, any monster I advanced summon outside of this turn cannot attack," he said.

" _So, that means that even though Yuya was able to Advance Summon both Odd-Eyes and Performapal Kaleidoscorpion, he cannot use Performapal Sleight Hand Magician…. but that's a twenty-five-attack monster! What is he gonna do?"_ Yuzu thought his while Sawatari began to seethe.

"You little weasel!" Yuya gave him a cattish grin.

"Now, I have a special gift for all of you, and for you Sawatari who seems to doubt my carnival mates. Performapal Kaleidoscorpion has a rather marvelous effect! It may be too bright, but do not cover your eyes, my dear spectators!" he stated as Yuzu and the others, and a certain blue-haired boy who was watching since the beginning hung on his every word.

"Go Yuya!" Sylvio glared.

"I activate Performapal Kaleidoscorpion's effect! _Kaleido Search!_ "

The Performapal scorpion wearing a bowtie and top hat raised its colorful tail where a beam of bright, colorful light appeared, glowing across the sky almost like stardust in rainbow fuses. The colors spread across the night sky and then the effect hit one of Sawatari's monsters.

"What's going on?" he asked in confusion as Yuya smiled.

"This effect can be activated if my opponent has a monster, that was Pendulum Summoned on their field! Your Pendulum Summoned Monster is Ultimate Darts Shooter, is it not?" Yuya looked to Sylvio who stared.

"What about it?" he questioned as Yuya turned, placing his hand upon Odd-Eyes' upper foot, gently asking the Monster for help as it growled to answer that it would gladly do so.

"I shall choose a Pendulum Monster as well. Doing so…" soon Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon began to glow not the strange blue of Sawatari's monster, but a warm, ethereal gold that stemmed from where Yuya's hand was.

In that instant, Sawatari's other monsters glowed silver and red, beams of light leaving them and hitting the golden-glowing Odd-Eyes directly causing the monster to grow brighter until it divided into one red ghostly version of Odd-Eyes and one blue version of Odd-Eyes. Yuya turned, standing just under his trusted dragon's head as he continued with his show.

"Now it is able to attack each Monster my opponent has!" Yuya explained as Sawatari stared in shock.

"So pretty!" Allie stated as scarlet eyes stayed upon Sawatari.

"This is the effect of Kaleidoscorpion! Kaleidomirage!"

"This is a bunch of bullshit!" Sawatari declared as he glared at his opponent.

Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon roared and its two ghostly, crystal looking counterparts soared up into the air and around the tower of the bridge. As gleaming shimmers cascaded from them while Yuya looked to his audience, prepared and excited to deliver the end of this Duel with a brilliant finish.

"I would like everyone to be able to watch it for a while, but we are in the middle of a Duel. Now! Let's see some battles involving these Odd-Eyes'! Battle! My Red-Crystal Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon attacks Ultimate Darts Shooter!" Yuya announced as Sawatari prepared for the attack.

"I'm only going to take a hundred points of damage!" Sawatari stated smugly as Yuya shrugged.

"Now the, dear spectators! Do you happen to know what the effect of Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon is?" scarlet eyes looked around for an answer.

"When it attacks a Level Five or higher Monster, the Battle Damage is doubled!" Tate explained while Allie and Frederic kept their eyes glued to what was happening.

"Precisely! And so, here you go, double Battle Damage for you!" Yuya pointed towards Sawatari.

"D-Double?!" he questioned just as the Red-Crystal Odd-Eyed Pendulum Dragon came swooping in, taking out his Ultimate Darts Shooter in a blast of brilliant color as Sawatari fell into the water and his four-thousand Life Points dropped down to thirty-eight-hundred.

"I'm not done! This time, I attack Rocket Darts Shooter! Go, Blue-Crystal Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Yuya's declaration caused Sawatari to jump out of the water, glaring as he realized he was in for another assault.

"Shit…" Yuya continued speaking while Sawatari got his breath.

"Of course, the damage is…doubled!" the Rocket Darts Shooter was blasted away.

"Again?!" Sawatari was sent flying once more and this time hit the concrete, his Life Points dropping to twenty-six hundred.

"And now, for the big finale! Attack Power Darts Shooter! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! SPIRALING STRIKE BURST! And the damage is of course…" Yuzu, Allie, Tate, and Frederic jumped in.

"DOUBLED!"

"Apparently!" Sawatari said as he had no time as the large dragon ran towards his monster, smashing it to pieces and sending him flying as his Life Points hit twelve-hundred.

"Hmm…" Yuya put his hands on his hips, pleased with the work his Dragons had put in.

"You've done as you pleased this turn…but I still have Life Points left!" Sawatari stated as Yuya watched him.

"Oh no! he was able to do all that, but Big Bro Yuya still didn't manage to win!" Frederic felt disappointed, but Yuzu had a feeling that Yuya wasn't done.

"It'll be fine. Take a look at Yuya's face," she said as the children looked to see what she meant.

"Big Bro Yuya's gonna win…" Tate's words caused the other two children to smile.

"Hmm! Yeah! Go n' bring home the gold!" Allie cried as Yuya looked to Sawatari, standing slightly tilted to where his left him was turned a bit outwards while both his palms were face up at his sides.

"Now, here comes the part everyone has been waiting for. The entrance of tonight's stars!" Yuya spoke clearly as Sleight Hand Magician and Turn Toad took to the stage.

"What s _tars!_ All you've got is a zero attack points Monster and a bunch of defense ones!" Yuya closed his eyes momentarily.

"Oh, he cannot attack as he is right now…." Sawatari sighed he relief.

"Thank God…"

"But do not worry!" the blonde-brunette glared.

"What the?!" Yuya's bright scarlet eyes locked onto him.

"Performapal Turn Toad is about to turn things on their head! This is it! Turn everything around Turn Toad!" Yuya called as Sawatari gawked in disbelief as the toad turned its own effect upon itself, snatching Kaleidoscorpion's own attack points and adding it to itself before Yuya smiled and played the face down card he'd set earlier.

"Wh-What the hell are you doing?!" Sawatari asked in confusion as Yuya smiled brightly.

"This is one of my favorite trap cards, it's called Turncoat! This card's special effect is pretty neat because if I have a monster on my field that's below level five I can tribute it, adding its attack points to a monster in my graveyard that is also below level five and special summon that monster, then, when that monster is summoned, it can directly attack an opponent, even if they have a monster, and it cannot be negated by Spell or traps, which, you don't have anyways. Now I activate Turncoat and send my Turn Toad to the Graveyard, reviving my Block Spider and giving him Turn Toad's added attack points which now add up to…Oh! Would you look at that!" Yuya gave him an impish smirk.

"Block Spider has…. twelve-hundred Attack Points?!" a look of misery appeared upon Sawatari's face as Yuya continued to smirk.

"Yep! See, that is why Turncoat is one of my favorites, I could have shot you down with Turn Toad, but I figured it'd be fair to show you that the trash you threw out turned out to be another man's treasure," Yuya stated.

"No…. No way!" scarlet eyes glinting, Yuya stood straight and looked at the newly resurrected Block Spider while the petite boy put a hand upon his hip.

"By the way, you only have twelve-hundred Life Points left, so when my Block Spider, with its twelve-hundred Attack Points, attacks, what would your remaining Life Points be?" Yuya raised his hand from his hip and pointed one finger up.

"They'd….they'd…." Sawatari found his voice failing as he couldn't believe what was about to happen.

"Members of the audience, you all know what they would be, right?" Yuya called to the others.

"Of course!" everyone called back and Yuya smiled brightly, looking down at the shaking Sawatari.

"Then, everyone, Altogether now! Block Spider, attack him directly! And the answer is!" Yuya held his arms up waiting for the attack to go through as Sawatari ran like a fool to escape the oncoming impact. It resounded with a fantastic blast and flash of light and color as the others cheered while Sawatari stared in horror as the hit went dead on.

"ZERO!" The others called as Yuya stood there before the chaos of his victory against Sawatari, the Kaleidoscope effect flashing around him.

The Field vanished, leaving everyone cheering as Yuya set his Duel Disk away, looking at his friends and disarming the sensory spell now that the fiasco was over and done with. Sawatari was on all fours while his lackies stood around him and Yuya stood near the railing with Yuzu, Tate, Allie, and Frederic.

"I guess I have no other option but to take 'em by force! Guys, go get 'em!" Sawatari ordered his lackies to get the Pendulum Cards from Yuya who ground his teeth together, not liking how it was about to go. However, in that instant the sound of two footsteps caught their attention and then the three upperclassmen were on the ground and Sawatari had a knee to the face.

"Geeze, these guys looked pretty lame in the end," said a blue-haired boy wearing a blue and orange jacket.

"Who are you?" the boy, hands on his hips turned to look at Yuya.

"But _you_ were super cool out there!" the boy stated as Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"Are you another LDS student?" the other shook his head.

"Nope! I wanted to be, but not anymore. I wanna be your student!" he announced, startling Yuya a bit.

"Eh?!" the others apparently, were just as shocked.

"Student? Mine?! What?!" Yuya couldn't quite form the correct responses.

"Yup! If I'm gonna learn something, I wanna learn from someone fun. You're the most interesting person I've met since I came here," the boy stated.

"Um…did you do this?" asked Yuzu as the boy looked to her.

"Oh, I just knocked them out for a bit! My dad was a martial arts instructor so I learned all sorts of stuff! By the way! I'm Sora Shuinin! Nice to meet'cha!" he said happily as the others stared at the diminutive boy who only came up to about Yuya's chest.

"Eh…y-yeah…" Yuya shook his hand.

"Now, when should we get started on my lessons teach?" the red-and-green-haired boy gaped.

"Ah…you n-need to um…. sign up for the You Show Duel School first so…" Sora nodded.

"Okay! I'll go do that and see you guys tomorrow!" with that he left and Yuzu smiled.

"I think you have a fan Yuya," she said.

"Or a very weird student…" Frederic smiled.

"At least he's not taller than you! Now you have someone you can look down to when you talk instead of up," he grinned and Yuya started trudging off the court.

"Where are you going Big Bro?" called Allie.

"Home! To get an ice pack…my head is killing me." With that the boy departed and the others soon followed.

 **{…}**

 _Cause I got ten in my pocket that'll bend your locket…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Yep, Sora is officially here. I also did add in a few extra cards of my own design to Yuya's deck for this Duel, and I didn't focus on it heavily because I wanted to do a bit more with just stuff out of Duels because we all know that when the tournament comes we'll be seeing a lot of Duels or stuff focusing on it all the way up to the battle royale. So, here's my answer for Yuya vs. Sawatari, and as I said in chapter one, we'll have a few moments where the Duels are only discussed, not shown, such as Yuya vs. Yuzu from episode 2.

Trivia:

Sucker is a legitimate magic trick that magicians, and yes, even Duelists use to trick their opponents or the audience into believing that they messed up. this magic trick is actually spoken about in _Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V_ but it's not in the Anime, but the Manga. It's in _**Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V Volume 1**_ and is a discussion between Yuya and Yuzu.

Turncoat is actually a name for someone whose turned traitor and become an enemy to those who once were allies. Ironically, the card has nothing to do with that, but there is a hint in there for future chapters, see if you can figure it out.

Yuya does often remind me of a cat sometimes.

Well, tell me what you guys think.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.


	8. Chapter 8: Selection

Chapter 8: Selection

 **{Sakaki Household: June 11** **th** **2014, 6:29am}**

Growing up as a witch – and in a family full of them – Yuya had long since learned the importance of dreams, and how they reflected internal problems that you couldn't seem to solve when awake, and also how they could be a gateway for visions of the future. While Yuya didn't quite inherit the gift of divination like his mother, he did have a few decent skills in it that allowed him to pinpoint as much vital information as he could with them. In his current dream, Yuya had just one the world championships, and become one of the greatest Duelists to ever be, but while doing so he had been able to stick by his beliefs as an Entertainment Duelist and really show off the skills that his father had taught him.

The dream was going well, his most trusted monster: Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon had defeated Tyrant Dragon, and he felt as though he was on top of the world, that is until he'd been pounced on by one Sora Shuinin and fallen off of the moon – why his dream was set in the astral realms he wasn't sure – and into a dark abyss. It was cold there, hollow and devoid of all life; however, that all changed when the pain of hitting his head on the floor of his room greeted his senses. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and Yuya was face-first on the ground. Having grown up in a family of witches, Yuya had also learned something else: bad starts to the day always meant a bad day, _period_.

"Dammit! Why does that always happen?" Yuya muttered as he started to get himself the rest of the way out of bed and onto the white and red tile floor of his room while his eyes adjusted to seeing the sunlight and read that it was still far too early for him to be up, but he accepted it nonetheless and got to work on getting ready for the day.

"Seriously, how many more dreams are gonna cause me to fall face first onto the floor?" he wondered aloud as he went to brushing his hair and teeth before washing his face as he went back into his room and began getting dressed for the day.

Without question, Yuya knew that waking up as he did proved that his day was going to be nothing short of weird if not stressful. Another huff left him as he finished getting ready and then looked towards his wrists as he sat on his bed for a few moments, completely focused as the pendulum crystal he wore swung between his scarred arms, stopping just short each time of being over both his scars. It had been a stupid mistake, and he regretted it every single day since it happened, and what made it all the worse was that Yuzu had been the one to find him. His dearest friend who he cared for deeply had been the one to witness the state he had placed himself in, and in all the chaos, never once left his side. Sighing, Yuya grabbed the two wrist bands he wore and pulled them over his wrists, hiding the scars as he started to exit the room, dressed with his usual attire on save for his shoes and jacket which were downstairs. As he started walking through the hall a bark caught his attention.

"En! Core!" he smiled as he crouched down to where a small corgi puppy and a strange, fat cat had come to him. The cat had a heart-shaped mark on its back, one yellow eye, and one blue, and wore a small tie that Yuya had put on it once out of boredom during an event where he had to wear a suit and tie – which was on his list of least favorite attires - and the cat hadn't allowed him to take it back since.

"You've become pretty heavy, En! Even though, when Mom picked you up from the street, you were so small you could fit in my palm, which is saying something seeing as you know I have tiny hands, huh?" Yuya said as he pet the small dog who barked at him as the large, strange-looking cat pawed at his leg, causing him to look at him.

"Good morning Core," he said to the cat who meowed in its strangely deep voice as he smiled a bit at the two animals and sat En down.

"Just as I thought, you were pretty hungry." The sound of his mother's voice caught his attention as he started towards the poll – similar to ones you would find in Fire houses – and then slid down it as though it was a simple task.

"Come on, eat as much as you'd like!" his mother stated as he hit the ground and started walking towards the kitchen.

"Mom, did you pick up something aga…." Yuya froze in his tracks.

"Ah, teach! Good morning!" Sora greeted as Yuya went face first into the ground.

"Why are you….?!" Yuya just about couldn't muster words at this point. Ever since he'd knocked Sawatari and his lackies out, Sora had been hanging around him like the Grim Reaper did hospitals. Yuya shook that morbid thought from his mind and looked back at the boy.

"Oh, you know…he was hanging around here. I saw that he was pretty hungry, so, I ended up picking him up," Yoko said with a smile as Yuya groaned.

"Mom! You shouldn't _pick up humans!_ You know…" he rolled his eyes, looking down at his food in frustration.

"Well, he is your Duel student, isn't he?" she questioned.

"He isn't! What have you been telling her Sora?" the blue-haired boy kept eating his pancakes in peace.

"Hmm…I just told her that I was going to become your student. Teach, besides, as far as I'm concerned you're the best man for the job!" he answered as Yuya growled, gritting his teeth while Yoko eyed his behavior with a cautious gaze.

" _I need to tell him about his magic soon, it's showing more and more in his attitude and that's not a good thing,"_ she thought.

"I am not! Did you even sign up at You Show?" Sora smiled.

"Yep, the Principle should have my paperwork all sorted out now," he stated as Yoko watched her son sink down into his seat.

"I don't believe this…." Yoko smiled.

"Come on, Yuya give him a chance! I'll bet you'll be surprised by how nice it'll be to have a student," she assured her son who shot her a long look, scarlet eyes seeming to bore holes into her as for just a second his pupils flickered to fine slits similar to a cat's before returning to normal.

"Teach, it's fine! I won't cause you a lot of trouble, I promise! I just want to learn Pendulum Summoning!" Yuya gritted his teeth.

"Why are you hanging around my house anyways?" he questioned.

"Because, you're interesting, like I said and I think I'm going to like knowing you better! That, and your big sister's pancakes are so yummy!" Yoko looked to him.

"What? Big sis?!" she probed.

"Oh, aren't you? With how young and pretty you are, I assumed you were Teacher's sister…. but then again…. you guys don't really favor, are you his cousin or aunt?" Yoko felt a twinge in the pit of her stomach.

"Really? Well, I am Yuya's mother…." Sora felt his eyes widen.

"Whoa! You must have been really young when you had him, especially looking as youthful as you do," he said.

"Yes, Yuya was born when I was eighteen. I married early in my life and about five months later I found out that I was expecting Yuya…" Sora smiled.

"Wow! Then you didn't have a lot of time to prepare, did you? I had a cousin who had a baby and I remember it was really tough on her, was he a hard baby to have?" Sora questioned as Yuya began to sink further into his chair, contemplating a passage on paralyzing potions that worked on vocal chords in the grimoire and wondering how long the potion took too steep before it could be used.

"No, you see, Yuya was a premature baby…I had him when I was at the seven-month marker during my pregnancy," she explained as Yuya felt his eyes grow dim as he checked out for a bit, mind rambling through different bits of homework and information in the family grimoire.

"Oh…is that why you're so small teach?" Yuya snapped out of his daze.

"I AM NOT THAT SMALL!" Yuya roared only for Yoko to place a hand upon his head.

"Yuya, no yelling in the house, you know the rules," she told him as he sighed in defeat.

"I didn't mean to offend you Teach, I was just curious because I noticed you do seem more on the…. petite side?" Sora tried his luck with that statement and Yuya stood.

"Ya know, I think I'm gonna head to school now, bye!" with that Yuya left and Yoko groaned.

"Dear Ceres! That boy…. Yuya! You've gotta eat!" she called as the boy tugged on his shoes and raced out the door.

"Does teach not eat like he should or something?" Yoko looked back to Sora.

"No, he doesn't. I don't really know what to do with him sometimes," she said as Sora started eating and then glanced to the untouched plate of pancakes across from him.

"Well, personally, I think that you don't need to worry. Teach is a really healthy person ya know? It's kind of spooky how well off he always seems to be." Yoko paused as she heard Sora's statement.

"I take good care of him, that's why," she said as Sora nodded and went to deliver his dishes to the sink.

"There you go, I need to head on myself, but can I come back later?" Yoko smiled as she patted the boy's head.

"You're welcome back any time you want, now get going before you're late to school yourself," she said.

"Okay, bye!" with that, Sora left and Yoko took in a deep breath, shaking a bit.

"He's right…" she looked at her reflection on the surface of the pot of water that she had on the stove right then.

"We don't favor at all…"

 **{Road to School: 7:45am}**

"Yuya? Are you okay?" asked Yuzu as she watched her friend slump a bit as he walked.

"Not really, this morning was just really crummy…" the pink-haired girl rose an eyebrow.

"How so?" she questioned.

"Well…first I fell out of bed, then I found out that the kid whose been following me around has found where I live and is joining us for breakfast….in addition, my mom's so smitten with him…I think she's likely to adopt him into our family…" the boy sighed in defeat again.

"Oh, that boy? Sora, that's his name right?" she probed.

"Yep…" Yuzu frowned.

"So, he's staying at your place now?" the boy shook his head.

"I hope not…" he muttered.

"Is it that bad?" she questioned.

"He's kinda driving me insane…. I don't know how he found me, but…he invaded our house, and I don't think pest control handles those kinds of situations." Yuya had put both his arms behind his head and was still walking, dangling his school bag behind him between his fingers.

"Come on now, he can't be that bad! He just looks up to you, calling you big brother or…"

"Teacher!" a voice called from behind and Yuya sighed.

"Yea, he says that a lot…wait! What?! When did you…" Yuya turned and saw Sora standing there with a bright grin.

"Hi, good-morning!" he said as Yuzu watched the interaction.

"Why did you tag along?" scarlet eyes meeting pastel green.

"Well, I'm your student after all, teach! I'll follow you wherever you go," Sora stated with a bright grin as Yuya stepped back in a slightly uneasy manner.

"Funny, I don't recall making you my student! How many times do I have to…" the blue-haired boy cut him off.

"Come on, make me your student! Watching your Duel was super exciting! Pendulum Summoning is so cool! I've never seen it before! I want to try it too!" Sora stated excitedly as Yuzu gave him a questioning look while Yuya sent him an exasperated one.

"Well, you can't perform a Pendulum Summon if you don't have Pendulum Cards." Yuya didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, but he didn't quite honestly have a choice at this point.

"Then show me again! Please, please, please!" Sora begged while Yuya put his hands on his hips, refusing to budge.

"I don't think so…" Yuzu sighed as Sora turned to her.

"Hey, Yuzu? Could you ask teach for me?" he questioned.

"Why me?" the blue-haired boy rose an eyebrow.

"Well, teach would probably listen to what his girlfriend says, wouldn't he?" Sora questioned.

"G-Girlfriend?" Yuya felt warmth rise to his face alongside Yuzu.

"What? Aren't you? I mean Sawatari called her your girlfriend during your Duel with him and you never denied it so…" Yuya and Yuzu jumped at the boy.

"No, I'm not!" Yuzu declared as Yuya looked at the boy.

"No, she's isn't!" the two glanced at each other while Sora smiled.

"H-Hey, I just assumed you were sweethearts…" Yuya pointed his finger at a still blushing Yuzu.

"Why would I date Miss Barbaric Strong over here?! As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing sweet about her! So why would I bother!" he snapped as Yuzu's fan appeared and she whacked Yuya across the face so hard he hit the ground and she stormed off muttering.

"What the heck are you talking about?! Who do you think I am? Gosh! Stupid boy!" Yuzu kept going as Sora looked at Yuya who was still reeling from the impact.

"Teach, are you alright?" he questioned.

 **{Maiami Junior High School: 9:45am}**

Science class dragged its feet as Yuya sat there, listening to the drone of the teacher talking about how quartz reacted to one another and how a spark could be administered. They were going over earth sciences this semester, and to Yuya, it was quite honestly dull; therefore, he sat by his place at the window, one hand propping up his head as he contemplated the facts that he'd gathered thus far about the new method of summoning he'd created. Anyone could use a Pendulum Summon with the right cards, but seeing as he was the only one with them at the time, Yuya supposed worrying over that wasn't important at current, still his face remained serious while he thought of those details and then considered his dreams lately and why every time he started to awaken from them he'd be cast into a frigid abyss of darkness. None of it made sense, and that didn't go unnoticed by Yuzu who was trying to take notes, or Sora who had a serious look up on his face as he watched Yuya from a tree outside the classroom.

"Why is he got that serious look on his face? Something must be really bugging him…. maybe it's because I upset something between Yuzu and him? Or…is it because I know something about him and his mom that I shouldn't?" Sora contemplated aloud before turning right-side up on his branch.

During gym class, Yuya was put into soccer with the other boys, and quite honestly had started to grow annoyed by that point, not because of the game, but because of a certain blue-haired, orange pom-pom wielding cheerleader on the other side of the fence. Next was lunch which resulted in the same shock of being greeted by Sora out of the blue, then in class Yuya felt something bump his leg and looked down to find that it was Sora yet again, finally, Yuya retreated to the restroom, thinking that he could hide until the day was over from the boy, but low and behold, he appeared there once again.

Yuzu stared at Yuya who was dragging his feet by the end of the day, walking alongside her with a glum look upon his face. Sora had drove him to the point that Yuya had screamed at the boy, baring his teeth in a threatening manner until the blue-haired youth had backed away and told him he'd see him later. Yuya had missed two classes because of the fiasco and now he was relying on Yuzu for notes – something he wasn't fond of – only to then find out that they had a test. Yuya removed his goggles, musing up his hair the goggles slid down to rest about his neck and chest while the pink-haired girl looked to him.

"Yuya? Come on, cheer up," she said.

"I can't, Yuzu! Don't you get it! This kid is going to drive me insane!" she smiled.

"You do the same thing to me from time to time, so I guess you know how it feels now," she stated before hearing another long sigh leave the boy.

"Shut up!" the girl stared.

"Yuya…" he sighed in defeat.

"I…listen, I think I'm just gonna head home and cram for the test on Friday…I don't really wanna just…" Yuzu glared.

"Go to the Duel School, then go home and study. In fact, I'll help you out so long as you don't skip Duel School, am I clear?" she asked.

"Fine, I'll go!"

The ending result of Yuya's less than spectacular day had resulted in him nearly being crushed to death by a Five Nights at Freddie's imitation that came from Sora's Fusion Summoning while using his Fluffal Deck, nearly having a nervous break-down when he thought he'd failed to protect Odd-Eyes, laughing like a maniac when he had forced himself to just smile and laugh, only to find out that Pendulum Monsters go to the Extra Deck and then One-Shot-Killing Sora in their Duel only for the boy to denounce that he was going to be his student, and instead become his friend. Yuya wanted to give him a chance, but he was honest to god past the point of being able to sit back and take things at face value.

At current, he was sitting in the kitchen while his mother was cooking, a grim look on her face as he watched her in confusion. What had gotten to her was beyond him, but he suspected asking would not be in his favor, therefore he didn't. Sora had ran off somewhere after their Duel, and now he was busy trying to study two different forms of science for a test that he hadn't realized was going to happen due to Sora's interruptions. He contemplated the types of metals that reacted to magnets, then he considered the reaction certain gemstones and crystals had with one another, and that got his brain on the rabbit trail of a Duelist named Jesse Anderson who used Crystal Beasts and how other _Gem or Crystal_ themed cards had come out since that person had been in his age group and what it must be like to go up against Rainbow Dragon.

"Damn! _Focus_ , Yuya! Focus!" he said, slapping his cheeks hard enough to cause them to sting a bit as Yoko looked to him with a mournful glance as he started working again.

Yoko almost corrected him for swearing, but for some reason she couldn't find herself the mindset to do it. The things that Sora had said earlier that morning rang in her mind every time she looked at the boy sitting in the room with her working ceaselessly on his homework and the notes that Yuzu had made copies of and handed off to him. She sighed, momentarily pausing with her back turned to Yuya in order to clutch at the locket she wore, her eyes burning as she considered what she was thinking of talking to Yuya about. It wasn't going to be easy; however, Yoko knew several people personally who had to do this with their children eventually, and that it wasn't what one would call an easy feat.

" _How can I tell him the truth? How will he take it?"_ she thought as she glanced back to him and he growled, defeated as he tried to get the basics down and make flash cards for him to remember the information. At this point, Yuya blew his bangs out of his eyes, feeling his reading glasses slip down the bridge of his nose as he did so.

"Yuya? Why don't you take a break?" she offered as he set to reviewing again, his bangs hanging freely in his eyes due to his goggles being upstairs in his room. He was dressed in his normal attire, but his shoes, belt, wrist warmers, and choker were completely gone, leaving him with just his shirt, pants, and pendulum crystal on.

"I've gotta memorize these stupid answers by Friday! It's Wednesday mom!" he groaned in defeat at this and Yoko walked over to him, seeing what he was studying.

"Yuya, you already know about reactions with crystals and gems," she said crouching down just a bit.

"But I have to give the _mortal_ answer to this! Not the _witchy one!_ " Yoko sighed.

"You know Alchemy, and you can't memorize this for science? Come now, you'll be fine, besides, your father and I…" she felt the words die on her tongue as the boy's warm scarlet eyes looked to her.

"Mom?" he asked as Yoko tensed, but then smiled.

"It's nothing, just do your best. Now, put it up and help me cook, you look like you could use a break." Yuya relented at long last.

"Okay, what are we having anyways?" she smiled.

"I thought we'd travel out of Japan tonight and try something else. How about Italian? I know you like cheese ravioli and grilled chicken, or do you feel like Spanish food? Maybe even creole?" Yuya gave her a wiry grin.

"That's something I think I'll leave to the chef," he told her.

"Then…Italian it is. I'm not good enough of a cook to make the pasta myself, but I do have a wonderful recipe from Reid Pepper for baked four-cheese lasagna with chicken and mushrooms, how does that sound?" Yuya nodded.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Well, the pasta needs to be boiled first, then we have to cook the meat and season and pre-cook the mushrooms, then we have to layer everything and put the sauce in it, so about an hour or so worth of work, sound okay?" he nodded quickly.

"Fine by me! So, I'll start with the pasta or do you want me to start with the vegetables?" Yoko smiled.

"Get the pasta started and then start chopping the mushrooms, okay?" she questioned as he nodded.

"Okay…"

Yoko worked on cutting up the chicken and getting out the rest of their ingredients while she watched Yuya work on the mushrooms out of the corner of her eyes. From the time he had been an infant to now, Yuya had always been her little boy, someone she loved and wanted nothing more than to protect with all she had; however, she was beginning to realize that he was growing up and it was time to start telling him some very important details, the first of which, related to his magic which with what she had seen, was indeed what she thought it was not too long ago. The prospect of this child being born with that kind of magic baffled her, but only to some extent as it was proven that certain types of magic were completely hereditary, and tended to go through generations.

However, she wasn't certain as to how Yuya would handle it, knowing that his magic was so different, and she didn't even want to contemplate what his reactions would be towards the other things she needed to tell him. Yuya paused in his chopping to empty the plate into a bowl where the mushrooms would be rinsed, seasoned and pre-cooked before going into the mix of cheese in between the shredded chicken. Yoko smiled as she eyed him once more, looking over his lithe structure and the features he had while he kept working. Yuya had a small nose that almost had a small pixie-ish upturn to it, very bright, wide eyes, high cheekbones, a slight jawline, fairly full lips, straight teeth that were white and pristine, and small ears.

His hair fell in a messy state, his bangs hanging in his eyes, the two colors in stark contrast with one another, but always seeming to look good. His body build wasn't very broad in any form, and that came from being premature and having colic as a baby. Yuya's shoulders weren't very broad, he had a slender column as his throat, a small torso, slender arms, tiny hands with long, slim fingers, small hips and slightly long, but thin legs. His skin was tan, but not extremely so, while he wasn't also very tall, being fourteen years old and only topping off at four-foot-eleven. Yoko sighed, knowing exactly who the boy looked like in every aspect right down to the complexion he had. Yoko clutched the locket once again, taking in a deep breath as she started getting everything ready to put the pasta together.

"Alright, the pasta should be just about ready, let's get the cheeses and then we'll can cook the chicken and get it all in the oven. How about we have salad with it?" Yoko asked as Yuya nodded.

"Okay mom…" Yoko didn't show the pain in her eyes as she smiled to the boy.

 **{Streets of Maiami: 8:25pm}**

With a crackle of energy, two figures appeared within an alleyway, looking at their surroundings as they got their bearings after having jumped through a dimension to get to where they were now. The sharp, tawny-eyes of Shay Obsidian looked around as he pulled up his bandana and grabbed a pair of sunglasses that were in his jacket pocket. It would be vital to lay low only because they weren't certain what kind of environment they were in, let alone what the entirety of the situation was with the Standard Dimension and the war going on. Next to him, was Yuto who was looking around in momentary confusion before glancing towards his friend who nodded to him as they started out and Yuto pulled a pair of goggles up from around his neck.

"Yuto, that crystal of yours is glowing again," Shay stated as he pointed to the violet and black pendulum around his friend's neck.

"It's been doing it since that guy on the motorbike showed up…he had something glowing on him and his Dragon and mine don't seem very fond of each other…" tawny eyes met storm-cloud gray as Shay sighed.

"I guess there's not much you can do about it, but just be careful…if we split up we need to make sure we can find a way to meet back up in case we need to get out of here," he stated while Yuto thought for a moment only to a second later close his eyes.

Shay knew what his friend was doing: he was using his magic. Yuto was a type of creature known as a Phantasmal Imp, or at least, part of him was and that was where his black and purple hair came from; however, because of what he was, Yuto could use magic and one of the forms he was best at was dark magic which allowed him to access an immense form of spells and powers that even witches couldn't do normally. Yuto opened his eyes, and instead of the normal stormy-gray, there were black sclera with celeste-blue irises as he scanned the area in a quick pace before finally glancing back to Shay.

"Any ideas?" the boy nodded.

"The Pier, just to the north. There are old warehouses, meet me at the entrance dock if we get split up, also, try and remember that our Duel Disks have homing devices in them," Yuto pointed out as Shay nodded.

"Right…but…this city is massive, how are we gonna start looking?" the other smirked.

"Leave that to me on one end, I'll take the left side of the city, and you can take the right, sound good?" Shay looked him over.

"Are you sure you're okay with that?" he questioned as the boy gave him a confident smirk, his eyes returning to their normal gray color save for his right eye which was frigid blue with a black sclera still.

"I'm a _Phantasmal Imp!_ At least, part of me is! I can handle myself Shay! Now start looking, I don't think wandering around in daylight is a smart move. If we see any Duel Schools we'll start doing some digging, for now…. good luck Nakama!" with that Yuto darted away, jumping up a series of fire escapes until he was on the roof and racing over them.

"And to you, Nakama…may the heart of the cards guide you," Shay stated as he started walking down the sidewalk, preparing to begin his search for his sister.

The two off-worlders wandered off from one another, each with their own plans in mind for searching for Ruri, Shay's little sister, and the one person who meant the entire world to Yuto. The two Xyzians, survivors of the interdimensional war, began to search, hoping for the best as they wandered by moonlight.

 **{….}**

 _I'm tired of all these rockers sayin' come with me…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** So, Shay and Yuto are back in the picture after a tiny break, Yoko is struggling with some secrets, Sora is driving Yuya crazy, and Yuzu is starting to admit that she has feelings for Yuya. In other words: all is so far right with the world. However, I should inform you that yes, we will be seeing a few Legacy Cameos outside of the ones that are already in Arc-V as well as some scenes with the KH group, but there won't be much as I should remind you that these events are taking place around the time of the _Lost Two – Part II/Kingdom Hearts: Descending Shadows._

Trivia:

May the heart of the cards guide you was said by the Pharaoh Atem to Yugi during the Ceremonial Duel in Season V of _**Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters.**_

 _ **Nakama**_ is the Japanese word for friend – as is _**Tomodachi**_ – but it also means _**comrade or ally**_ whom the person knows very well.

Yuto is a _**Phantasmal-Imp**_ , and is a bit close to the Ghouls from the anime/manga series _**Tokyo Ghoul**_ when it comes to speed, reflexes, and certain traits; however, he does not possess a Kagune of any kind, but he does know some seriously badass magic, and yes, you will get more Yuto screen time than in the anime.

Tell me what you think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.


	9. Chapter 9: Misidentification

Chapter 9: Misidentification

 **{Rooftop of You Show Duel School: June 14** **th** **2014, 9:15am}**

Several days of being in the Standard Dimension had granted little leeway when it came to evidence to support finding Ruri in this Dimension; however, both Shay Obsidian and Yuto Kisaragi had decided not to surrender just yet on the matter and selected to now begin investigating the local schools to see if there were Fusionites present amongst the populous. Yuto knew very well that not only the Fusion Dimension used Fusion Summons, and that the one they were in was completely mixed and even had Link Monsters – which he had never seen before – and the Duelists used multiple forms of Summoning when it came to their monsters, as he had already witnessed a Duelist using a Synchro and Xyz monster in their decks together.

"No Fusionites still, okay I guess I should count my blessings," he muttered looking up at the clear blue sky.

When was the last time he'd seen the sky such a stunning color? Or felt the rays of the sun without flinching? Being out in a clear, beautiful summer day only a few days before summer break was about to begin felt both nostalgic and incredibly painful. Yuto cast away the memories that threatened him and looked down to the students who were Dueling in a Field known as an Action Field. It was a simple one and quite bouncy due to the young age of the children. All of them were happy, having a three-way Duel and bouncing around on the spongy surface of the field while Yuto smiled, remembering when his home of Heartland had once been like that.

However, as he watched a man in a fire-colored track suit came storming in with a blue-haired boy asking them to focus more on their skills before the blue-haired boy bunny-hopped away, cheering as he bounced. The man, or Principle as he suspected sighed in defeat and began to follow the kids, showing them how they could use the bouncing to their benefit while Yuto continued to smile, activating a simple spell with a basic incantation before listening in on the conversation. The man was directing the children and they continued taking their turns, using the spongy surface to bounce up to the backs of their monsters while he continued to watch, not being sure whether or not any one at such a jovial school could use fusions. It was then that the door burst open and a pink-haired girl shot into the room, roaring to her father about being careful not to throw his back out.

"Sorry, I just thought it would be fun for them if I joined in," the man, her father defended.

"If I have to lug your sorry tail to a chiropractor again I swear!" she raised a fan and Yuto heard someone laugh, it was light, jovial and clear almost like a bell and it caused him to raise an eyebrow as the pink haired girl turned to where he could see her face.

"Ruri?!" he asked aloud, questioning himself as the girl put her hands on her hips and puffed out her cheeks in a cute manner.

"Calm down Yuzu! Let him have fun! Besides, this is a really bouncy surface, and it's soft so him getting hurt isn't very likely, anyways, your dad is thirty! Not sixty!" the boy tossed his white jacket aside, removing his goggles as well just outside the door before he leapt onto the surface and jumped, turning and doing a very acrobatic twirl before landing in a perfect stand.

"W-What the! YUYA! DON'T YOU START AS WELL!" the pink-haired girl screeched as the red-and-green-haired boy called Yuya jumped again, cartwheeling before landing in a crouch.

Yuto was impressed, needless to say, and as he stared he found that he wished he could join in with them as it seemed like they were enjoying themselves. The pink-haired girl, who favored Ruri so much, and yet sounded nothing like her, had eventually joined in, deciding to have some fun with them as well, bouncing and practicing tumbling with the red-and-green-haired boy who Yuto now turned his attention to. The boy jumped up, cutting a back flip before sticking the landing as he did a handstand and got into a crouch atop one of the circular balls near the corner before staring up at the sky, effectively startling Yuto when he saw his own features – albeit a tad younger looking and much more carefree – staring back at him.

The black-and-lilac-haired teenager stood straight, backing away as the boy laughed, smiling in a manner that did nothing to help Yuto's sudden panic. His mind began racing, wondering if the boy had some relation to him as he felt a sharp burning in his chest as the pendulum crystal around his neck glowed and his gray eyes looked to the boy who did indeed have a pendulum crystal on as well, it was fair silver and had a pale blue almost clear crystal instead of violet like Yuto's own. it radiated warmth and light much like the boy himself did, causing the Xyz Dimension survivor to stare in disbelief as he watched the boy.

"Who…. or what are you?" he muttered as the boy paused and glanced up towards where he was while Yuto cast an invisibility spell just in time to be missed by the boy's brilliant scarlet eyes.

Instantly, Yuto began to panic as he considered that the boy he'd just saw was not like the others in the room with him. The boy saw straight through him even with his magic turning him invisible; however, his panic started to disperse at the prospect of finding someone similar to him. Yet he did wonder if the boy was indeed like him, and if the pink-haired girl was like Ruri. Who were they, and why was it that Yuto – who had never met the crimson-emerald-haired boy – felt such a pull towards him, almost as if he needed to speak with him immediately. Storm-gray eyes narrowed, a hiss leaving him as the boy jumped up, cutting a back flip and glancing towards where he still sat, invisible before smirking, letting him know that he did indeed see him; however, he was unable to make out his features save for a few details it seemed.

"I need to leave…" Yuto stood, the spell breaking as he did so before he looked back at the boy who had apparently scared the daylights out of the others due to him free falling from the height he'd jumped.

"Sorry, Yuzu! I was just trying to see how high up I could get…" the boy apologized.

"Just don't scare me like that Yuya!" the girl stated sharply as Yuto paused.

"I know, Jeeze, have a little faith, would you?" the girl sighed.

"I swear, sometimes I think your magic or something with the stunts you pull," she mentioned as the boy laughed, but Yuto could detect a nervous undertone to it.

Yuto began to walk away, thinking over what the girl who favored Ruri so much said. Was it at all possible that the boy he'd just encountered wasn't just different in his blood but overall? The inhuman side of him seemed to grumble in discontent as he heard his stomach give a growl indicating that he needed to eat. Sighing, Yuto started moving, thinking over what he'd heard before he found a bit of a realization falling into place. The girl who looked like Ruri – Yuzu, he believed her name was – was definitively human; however, the boy, Yuya as the pink-haired girl had called him: _was a witch._

 **{Leo Duel School: 12:15pm}**

"I'll have my Mobius the Frost Monarch attack your Power Darts Shooter!" declared Sawatari as he went up against his old deck with a new one.

The Lose icon appeared on the other side of the field while Sylvio smiled, looking at the giant Frost Monarch that evaporated as the Duel ended. He was pleased with the Monarch archetype; however, to him, something was still missing when it came to the style and form he had seen not too long ago by someone in particular.

"Dude…" started one of his lackies.

"Hmph!" Sylvio said in a pleased behavior, once more liking his new deck, but not wanting to show his internal displeasure.

"Sawatari, this time your cards are seriously way to strong!" stated one of his other lackies.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Not true. It ain't my Monsters that're powerful…. the one who's actually strong is…" Sylvio snapped his fingers and the three lackies held their hands out in a jazz position towards Sylvio.

"Sylvio Sawatari!" they declared as he grinned.

"Oh yes! What's most important is a Duelist's skills. It's all about calculating strategies, having precise judgment, an iron will, and finally, one helluva body! You've gotta be fit and prepared to face the trials ahead without second guessing! And the one who has it all is?" Sylvio snapped his fingers.

"Sylvio Sawatari!" declared the three again.

"Yes, yes! Or to put it another way, a perfect Duelist to whom winning comes naturally! That's..." he snapped both his fingers.

"Sylvio Sawatari!" they said once more as Sylvio smiled.

"That's right! No, with these new cards I got, you guys should call me Neo Sylvio!" he went to them.

"Neo…" he started.

"Sylvio Sawatari!" the three declared one last time as Sylvio smiled.

"Okay, okay! Ladies and gentlemen!" started Sylvio as the three lackies looked to one another.

"Yo, didn't he get that from someone?" muttered one of the guys.

"From that Yuya Sakaki kid, apparently." The other with green hair finished as Sylvio rounded on them, his face looking menacing.

"DON'T MENTION THAT NAME!" he shouted.

Sylvio couldn't get the image of Yuya, standing there in complete enthrallment, entertaining the others amidst the colors of Kaleidoscorpion's effect as he landed the finishing blow with a card that Sylvio himself had thrown away. Without admitting it aloud, Sylvio had figured out that there was something strange with Yuya Sakaki alright: in a supernatural sort of way. Did he believed the boy cheated? Deep down, no he didn't, but there was a magical charge around the boy as he elaborated the finishing blow to him in a way that only a performer could. Not that he would admit that any time soon.

"I lost to him due to some card trouble. I didn't have those Pendulum cards and had dumb, bad luck!" Sylvio turned his gaze down and the three lackies stared at him.

"Eh?! You just made that up!" said the brunette.

"And you even took his Pendulum Cards by tricking him in the first place!" said the red-head.

"But this time, I'll beat that little freak, no matter what I've gotta do! Just you wait, Yuya Sakaki! You, evil little demon."

 **{You Show Duel School: 12:20pm}**

The group was in the wash room cooling down and using the water and towels to rinse their faces a bit as they had worked up quite a sweat earlier during their little series of bouncing exercises. The entire group had experienced quite a fun few hours before Yuzu's dad had told them to take a break and they were now in the process of getting cleaned up a bit. Yuzu was holding onto some towels while she looked at the group who had already gone and gotten cleaned up that included Sora, Tate, and Allie, and she was now waiting for Frederic to finish up while Yuya was standing at the one closest to her, still missing his jacket and goggles as he splashed some water on his face, taking in the coolness after being out in the warm sunlight for hours.

"Ha, that feels good…" Yuya muttered a bit, splashing the water on his face again.

"It gives me goosebumps!" Frederic did his little swaying motion while Sora and Tate continued to dry their faces.

"After Dueling up a sweat, this is great," Sora stated while Yuzu looked at the boy closest to her.

"Yuya, make sure to splash some water on the back of your neck, remember what your mom said about getting over heated, plus its dirty." The boy nodded.

"Yes, yes…" she frowned at his attempt to be cheeky.

"You only have to say yes once!" she stated.

"Sorry Yuzu, I did it though, okay?" Yuzu looked to him as she thought about something.

Yuya stared at her, bangs hanging in his face from the water, the colors darker than normal as he took a towel from her and began to dry his face and the back of his neck while she continued to watch before handing a towel to Frederic while she considered him for a moment. Yuzu had known Yuya Sakaki since they were born – her having been born a few months earlier than him – and he had always been by her side, talking with her, cheering her on and supporting her just as she did him; however, it wasn't until last year when the boy was thirteen that she started to see him in a little bit of a different light.

Without question, the boy in front of her was attractive, but in an odd way. His brightly toned hair, vivid eyes, tan skin, and slightly feminine features made him cute in a boyish way, and beautiful in an unnatural manner. Yuya had the kind of personality that was glowing, like the sun and a smile that was worth a thousand words in every sense of the meaning. However, Yuzu had seen him when he was dim, dark, and depressed, when he didn't shine but shrouded everything in a thick blanket like the night. She glanced down before looking into his eyes as she moved closer to him and brushed his still damp bangs out of his eyes.

"Yuzu?" she only continued to stare at him for a moment.

"Hey kids, you may wanna beat it unless you wanna see these two make out," Sora said, breaking the sudden spell that had seemed to of been cast on Yuya and Yuzu, causing the two to look at each other as Yuzu glared and she noticed a deep flush on Yuya's face.

"Are you really gonna kiss him? Big Sis Yuzu?" asked Allie hopefully.

"Why do you sound so hopeful?" the three children looked at one another.

"I think you two would be cute together," said Allie with a grin as Tate and Frederic nodded in approval.

"Same here, Yuya's really hyper and high spirited, but he can get really depressed, so he needs someone level headed and tough, but kind like you Yuzu." Sora's statement had the pink-haired girl blushing before she glared at them.

"Just go, we'll be out in a second, I wanted to talk to Yuya about something in private!" she stated as Sora ushered the three children out.

"Hey, just don't do anything that you wouldn't want little eyes to see!" with that Sora shut the door, making the awkward silence between Yuya and Yuzu even worse.

"Um, I really should…" Yuya shot her a concerned look, eyes wide and face flushed as he started to walk towards the door and Yuzu took in a deep breath.

"Yuya! I want to know something…" the boy paused, reaching for the door.

"W-What?" Yuzu bit her lip.

"Ever since…. that day…. you've been…. different, and I…" Yuya tensed, finding a small ache in the center of his chest.

"Of course I've been different Yuzu! _I tried to kill myself!_ Just because I chose to live doesn't mean that I'm completely over it!" he snapped, expression turned into what Yuzu would describe as a vicious snarl, eyebrows slightly frowned and his teeth bared in a menacing fashion.

"That right there! What is wrong with you, Yuya? You're never this hateful towards anyone! I know what Sylvio said got under your skin, but…no…. even from before then, you've been acting strange…." Yuya looked down, fists clenched.

"Do you hate me or something? Did I do something to make you fearful of me? Is it bad if I change or something?" he asked, his voice trembling as Yuzu stared at him.

"Hate you? Yuya! I could never hate you! I lo…" scarlet eyes stared up at her in shock at what she'd almost said before he shook his head.

"Let's not continue this conversation, okay?" Yuya's suggestion had Yuzu almost in tears.

"No, please…. just…. listen to me… Yuya…" her voice softened, and he sighed, looking her in the eye.

"Yuzu, is something really going on that you're worried about? I know that I'm a little unsteady right now, but…. I'm getting better, so don't worry about me, okay?" Yuzu shook her head, moving towards him before wrapping her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest.

"Yuya, I just don't want to lose you…. if you're not there…. I don't feel right for some reason. You're special to me…. So, if something's wrong, please just tell me the truth," she pleaded tears beginning to stain his shirt.

"I just…. listen…. right now, I can't tell you what's going on, but can you trust me to take care of it? If I need your help though, I promise I'll tell you everything, and don't worry, I won't lie." Periwinkle met scarlet and she nodded slowly.

"Promise me, that no matter what…. we'll be there for each other, okay?" she asked holding him closer as he slowly returned the embrace.

"I promise… and I also promise that if you need me I'll be there, and I'll protect you…" Yuzu felt her eyes widen.

"Me too, Yuya…. I promise too…. that I'll be there if you need me, and I'll protect you too," she muttered as he smiled and placed a hand atop her head.

"Hey, let's get out there with the kids, who knows what kind of stuff Sora's corrupting their minds with." Yuzu nodded quickly.

"Agreed." With that the two departed the room.

 **{Riverside Walk: 4:40pm}**

Yuzu sighed as she walked back from the market place, contemplating what had gotten her and Allie to go; however, she supposed that she was thankful for some time away from the other boys who had started to drive her up the wall. Yuya had blown off their earlier conversation with a teasing smile due to so many questions only stating that he wouldn't kiss and tell – Yuzu had almost hit him with her fan so hard that he was seeing stars – but she quickly learned that it was his way of telling her that their conversation was private, and it would stay that way unless something came up that required it to be spoken about aloud. He wouldn't tell anyone about their promise, and she had smiled, assuring him of the same silent vow. Sometimes, Yuya could have too much of an impish side to him for his own good, and other times he was incredibly sweet, understanding, and complacent with listening to others problems. It was what made him someone she would always confide in; however, as she thought on that conversation, the point where it had almost abruptly ended broke into her mind and she felt her face heat up in a manner that did not go unnoticed by Allie.

"Are you thinking about the kiss you and Big Bro Yuya had earlier?" she asked in curiosity.

"We did not kiss! Allie, really I promise we didn't!" the red-haired girl gave her a knowing look.

"Then why did you volunteer to get the ice cream?" she probed.

"Because, I wanted to get away from those crazy brats for a bit." Yuzu thought about the cheering and smiling faces of the others as the red-haired girl smiled.

"I think that you should have kissed him!" Allie said as the pink-haired girl went red-faced.

"Why do you guys want us together?" Yuzu asked in curiosity.

"Like Sora said, you two are good for each other. You helped Yuya when he had his accident, remember?" Yuzu paused, she had almost forgotten that the children had been there that day, but hadn't been the ones to find Yuya, thank god.

"Right…. say, um… Allie? Do you think that Yuya likes me?" she questioned.

"Of course he does! My mom and dad always tell me that the reason boys don't admit their feelings is that they're just as scared of rejection as we are…and I think Yuya likes you, he just doesn't know how to outright tell you!" Yuzu gawked at the girl, sometimes forgetting that children were more perceptive than people gave them credit for.

"Thanks, I'll think about that. Anyways, what about…" Allie paused as Yuzu did and she looked in the direction of an old warehouse and crouched down.

"Big Sis?" she asked.

"Shush just a sec okay?" the girl nodded as Yuzu listened.

"Sawatari is pretty hyped up, isn't he?" asked one of the two guys.

"No matter what he needs to do, he'll pulverize that little freak Yuya Sakaki this time!" said the brunette, startling Yuzu and Allie.

"It looks like he's gonna do something really foul, and smash through his weak points…." Said the green haired teen.

"By the time Sawatari's done with that little mutant, he'll be in such a bad state that he'll probably never wanna pick up a deck again." The two laughed before the brunette looked to his friend.

"Let's hurry it up! he gets really nasty when his stomach gets empty," said the brunette as they started picking up speed and Yuzu glared after them.

"Sylvio Sawatari…" she growled a bit as she started going after the two.

"Big Sis Yuzu!" Allie called as she went after the girl.

Down by the docks, near sunset Yuto stood awaiting the end of the day as he prepared to go and explore the city for more information to keep tabs on the next school. Having looked at most of the other local schools on his side of the town, Yuto had but one left, and it still as a large silver and blue hour-glass style building with the LDS logo on it. This was the Leo Duel School, and he had every intention of digging into those details as quickly as possible, at current though, Yuto was also wondering about what he'd seen that morning. The boy who looked like him, he was undoubtedly a witch or something of magical inclination; however, he didn't seem evil or even remotely cruel, but kind and gentle. The black-and-lilac-haired boy sighed as he looked at the sunset and the glistening LDS building that seemed so close he could have reached out and touched it.

"A witch…. damn… and here I thought that Ruri was the only one I knew…." Yuto said to himself as a clack of footsteps came from down below. Stormy eyes looked to see the two lackies racing into the building while the boy on the roof scoffed.

"That guy in there, I swear…if someone doesn't shut him up I'm feeding him to Dark Rebellion," he muttered, puffing out his cheeks just a bit in annoyance as he listened to the squabbling of one Sylvio Sawatari.

Within the ware house, the two lackies came in, carrying Sawatari's food as he sat upon a sofa and threw darts at a board in slight irritation. Sylvio wasn't known for being patient, and it wasn't hard to guess that he was full of himself; however, at current his mind had decided to haunt him with the last encounter with Yuya Sakaki, the freak who turned everything on its ear and blasted his ass from here to Kingdom come. Currently, he was devising a strategy to begin destroying the boy who had caused him such trouble, but he was also starving, and trying to think on an empty stomach was almost impossible.

Sorry to keep you waiting, Sawatari!" said the brunette.

"Jetson, your late!" the brunette apologized.

"Sorry!" the brunette apologized as the green-haired teen came to him and sat down a small white box.

"I bought the sweet milk apple-berry pie with honey all over just like you asked!" he said.

"Thank you Nakoto," Sylvio said as he got the food from his lackies while outside of the building, Allie and yuzu were watching and waiting to see what would happen.

Without a second question, Yuzu was going to talk to Sylvio and demand a Duel. Her promise with Yuya rang in her head, and she knew then and there it was time to back it up because she knew these guys were going to do something horrible to her best friend, and Yuzu Hiiragi wasn't going to take any of it lying down. Allie tugged at her skirt, and she glanced towards the red-haired girl, knowing that it was no place for her.

"Big Sis Yuzu, we should go tell Big Bro Yuya!" the little girl suggested.

" _In that last Duel…Yuya did everything he could to help me. And now, I've made a promise to him…. it's my turn to protect Yuya."_ Periwinkle eyes turned to Allie.

"Allie, go back to the Duel School. Take the ice cream and wait there, I'm going to talk with Sylvio," she said as she handed the little girl the ice cream bag.

"Bu… but! Ahh!" Allie got nothing else out as Yuzu went towards the entrance, Yuto watching her from above, unseen by the girl as slight panic filled him.

" _What is she doing here?!"_

Within the warehouse, Sawatari was about to take a bite out of his favorite pie when the door slammed open, revealing a severally pissed off Yuzu Hiiragi, and causing him to nearly choke on the pie slice. One of his friends handed him a bottle of water and he graciously accepted it and began guzzling it down, struggling to breath as Yuzu stood there, a glower befitting a feral tiger settled upon her face as she stormed into the place.

"You spineless coward!" she roared, causing Sawatari to look up.

"Well, if it isn't the Princess," Sawatari said as Yuzu shot him a withering look.

"Shut your pie hole you boorish pig!" the teenager eyed her.

"Boorish pig? Excuse me! I'm better than that freak you hang out with," Sawatari said.

"No, you're not! Because no matter what you do, you'll never beat Yuya!" she snapped back.

"Oh-Ho! Someone's mouthy today, listen sweet cheeks, we – "Yuzu sent the red-haired teenager a look so cold it could have frozen the ocean.

"Let me make one thing clear: _do not call me sweet cheeks!_ Got it you narcissistic, ass kissing, spineless jackass!" Yuzu never swore, but at this point, she couldn't hold it in, and she was far past the point of being polite.

"Okay, okay…. look, Yuzu Hiiragi, right? I know that you probably want to chew my ear off and all, but I just don't wanna hear it. After all, anything I have to say can be done so clearly with Yuya Sakaki, not you, got it Princess?" Sylvio stated with a smile.

"You'll listen to what I have to say or I swear you'll wish you'd walked through Dante's Inferno by the time I'm done with you!" the blonde-brunette winced at the volume of her voice.

"Fine! Jeeze, I get that you're defensive over that freak, but no need to bust a gasket or…." Yuzu bristled.

" _YUYA IS NOT A FREAK_ YOU BOTTOM FEEDER!" she bellowed, taking in a few deep breaths while Yuto listened to the conversation just outside.

" _I'll grant her this much…Ruri or not…she sure can yell like her…"_ the Imp-half-blood thought in dismay of all the times Ruri had nearly ripped his head off for something stupid he'd done.

"Uhuh, and you're not sticking up for him just because your fucking him," said Jetson with a wiry smirk, causing the others to look at him before nodding in agreement.

"Yuya and I do not…" Nakoto jumped in at that.

"No need in denying it, I mean hell, it's clear you've got the hots for that side-show freak, so I mean, by all means, screw him if ya want to, I just don't wanna hear the details," he said shaking his head.

"Come to think of it, how is it that some side-show runt scored a hottie like you?" Sylvio frowned, not liking the tone his lackies were taking.

" _I'm all for scare tactics, but this is toeing territory I am not okay with,"_ he thought. At the last statement, Yuzu had whipped out her Duel Disk and shot them a sharp glare.

"Duel me, or are you not man enough to face a girl?" she asked sternly.

"I ain't Dueling some chick whose screwin' that little freak, no thanks." Periwinkle eyes narrowed as Yuto watched slight, using the invisibility spell to keep tabs on the situation.

"Some man you are! Yellow-bellied coward! Yuya is ten times the man you could ever hope to be, you second-rate, scum-sucking, good-for-nothing Duelist!" Yuzu snapped, anger getting at her as Sylvio narrowed his eyes on her.

"Second…. rate? I think not! Fine! I'll Duel you, Yuzu Hiiragi!" Sylvio got out his Duel Disk, and as he did, Yuzu glared, preparing to gear up to teach the smarmy jerk a lesson.

"You know, making implications on a lady such as that is rather rude," stated a voice, slightly muffled in sound.

The four people turned to see a black-clad figure, wearing a mask and dark goggles, his hair messy, spiked up, black in color with lilac bangs as he walked forward, his boots making a clacking noise while he placed a hand upon Yuzu's arm, causing her to stare into storm gray eyes. Yuzu instantly felt as though she'd seem this person somewhere before, but couldn't be certain; however, he stepped forward, his Duel Disk activating.

"Hey! I can…" gray eyes looked to her again.

"As much as I am certain you can, I don't think that _he would want you hurt_ , and neither do I," the boy stated and Yuzu read the statement loud and clear.

"Do you think you can just take her place mystery man? I have to teach that little bitch a lesson! Now stand down!" Sylvio was quickly shot a withering glare that by far was more terrifying than Yuzu's.

"Little bitch? The only one like that I see around here is you, and your demoting behavior towards others. You really are a yellow-bellied scum sucker," the boy stated, a clearly mocking tone apparent in his voice.

"Damn you…. I'll make you regret that!" Sylvio activated his Duel Disk and the boy moved into position to face him.

"You don't even know me, so why…" the boy glanced to Yuzu.

"Honestly? I don't know, but you remind me of someone…plus, I have some questions for these idiots," he said as Sylvio prepared for the Duel.

"Ya suddenly pop out of thin air, like some knight in shining armor coming to save the Princess? What, you got some kinda hero complex?" the black-haired boy laughed a bit.

"Maybe I do, let's see if you can change that, shall we?" he asked as he held his Duel Disk out and Sylvio frowned.

"That's an unusual Duel Disk ya got there. Guess I'll take that as you not backing down…. but that's fine by me." The two squared off.

"Duel!" Yuzu stepped back as Sawatari smirked and drew five cards while the other did the same.

"I take the first turn," the black haired boy said.

"Fine by me, I'm just gonna beat ya to a pulp." The boy looked at the cards in his hand.

"I have five cards in my hand and I'll set each and every one of them! Turn end," he stated, shocking the people watching.

"Huh?! Wow, you barge in here actin' all cool and _that's all ya do?"_ the green-haired guy, Nakoto cheered as Sawatari laughed.

"Sawatari, bring on a _heavy storm!"_ the black-haired boy gave him a bland look.

"That's a banned card you dumbass!" he told the jeering Nakoto.

"Ya didn't even draw one Monster, eh?! It's pretty pitiful, but you just ain't got what it takes. Once I finish you off, I'll go take care of Yuzu Hiiragi, and then I'm gonna get my hands on that little side-show freak Yuya Sakaki!" the pink-haired girl glared as the black-haired boy shot Sylvio a withering look.

"Side-Show Freak? Is that the best you've got? I've heard worse insults than that from a frog!" the black-haired boy shot back.

"F-Frog?! Why you…" the boy glared.

"Didn't you hear me? I ended my turn. Take yours already dammit," he snapped, causing Yuzu to stare in surprise.

"I'll give you a glimpse of my perfect Dueling! My turn! Draw! First, I'm gonna make use of those face-down cards of yours. By doing this: when my opponent has two or more cards in their Spell-Trap Zone, I can special summon Escher, the Frost vassal from my hand! Come forth Escher! Then, I release Escher for an Advance Summon! Mobius the Frost Monarch!" Sylvio's monster seemed to not impress the black-haired boy, but his lackies cheered.

"Sweet! This is gonna be a breeze," stated Jiko, the red-haired lackie.

"Yea, he summoned a Monster with twenty-four-hundred attack power!" Sylvio smirked.

"I activate Mobius's effect! When this card is successfully Advance Summoned, I can select up to two Spells or Traps on the field and destroy them! _Freeze Burst!"_ Yuzu winced as two of the cards on the black-haired boy's field were shattered by the effect of the Monarch.

"Ahh!" Yuzu winced, fearful of the outcome as the black-haired boy merely stood there, unfazed.

"The party's just getting' started! I activate the Spell Card, Advance Carnival, from my hand! When I successfully Advance Summon, this card allows me to Advance Summon again!" Yuzu felt realization dawn on her.

"He's going to release Mobius the Frost Monarch and Advance Summon _again?!"_ she spoke aloud and looked at the black-haired boy who nodded to her.

"Don't worry, its fine," he assured her of this and Yuzu gave him a long look.

"If you say so…"

"Correct! I'll release Mobius the Frost Monarch for and Advance Summon! Show yourself! Mobius, the Mega Monarch! Under normal circumstances, I'd need to release two Monsters, but, if you use a Monster that was successfully Advance Summoned, he can be Advance Summoned with just one release!" Sylvio stated as the black-haired boy yawned.

"Are you done?" he gave him a bland look and Sylvio glared.

"I activate Mobius, the Mega Monarch's effect! When this card is successfully Advance Summoned, I can target up to three Spells or Traps on the field and destroy them!" Mobius geared up his effect as Jiko started jeering.

"Hey! Mr. Knight! Shouldn't you do somethin' with those cards before they're destroyed?!" he asked.

"Useless! If this Monster was Advance Summoned using a water attribute Monster, the cards targeted by Mobius the Mega Monarch can't be activated! _Freeze and shatter to pieces! Blizzard Destruction!"_

The attack hit, destroying the rest of the black-haired boy's cards, leaving his field bear as Sylvio grinned at him and Yuzu gave him a concerned look. True, he was a stranger, but he still had stood up for her, and she didn't want to see him loose because he had bitten off more than he could chew. Periwinkle eyes watched the two, wondering what would happen now as the wind blew by her in a fast pace.

" _Huh? Why do I feel wind when this isn't an Action Field? What's going on here?"_ periwinkle eyes looked to the black-haired boy, and he barely even flinched when the wind burst brushed past them.

"With that, all the cards you set have been disposed of! And your hand count is zero. And to top it off, ya don't even got a Monster to hide behind. Pretty darn pathetic for a guy who stormed in here acting all cool!" Sylvio stated.

"H-Hey, you! Get your act together already! If you were just gonna come in here and play horribly, you should've just let me – "the black-haired boy cut Yuzu off.

"I said I would help you, and I am going to. Just be patient," he said sharply as Yuzu nodded slowly.

"O-Okay…." Sylvio grinned.

"Now then, Mr. Knight dressed in black. You're a real eyesore to look at, so I'd like to send you home as soon as possible. Battle! I'll use Mobius the Mega Monarch to attack directly!" Sylvio ordered as Mobius shot after the black-haired boy.

Yuto braced himself, not liking the fact that this was going to be one of his more painful experiences in Dueling as he had heard of, but never seen a Monarch card before. However, he didn't plan on letting a vow he took to help out this girl or get answers he needed go to waste or be broken, therefore, he decided now was the time to act.

"I activate the Trap Card, the Phantom Knights of Shadow Veil, from the Graveyard!" he declared.

"Huh?!"

"From his Graveyard?"

"A Trap Card?!" Yuzu gawked while the black-haired boy nodded.

"Correct," he answered as the trap card revived.

"You're activating a Trap Card from your Graveyard?!" Yuto kept his gaze focused on his Duel Disk, the snow from Mobius's attack gearing up and growing stronger.

"When you declare a Direct Attack, I can Special Summon as many of these cards as possible from the Graveyard as Monster Cards," he explained.

Three knights in ragged clothing and made of blue mist and flame atop ebon steeds with the same blue-flames for their manes and tails appeared, each with three hundred defense points and standing at a level four. The people present stared in surprise, having never seen such a strange tactic before; however, Yuzu was learning very quickly not to question this person's methods.

"What good does that do?!" the black-haired youth looked at his opponent.

"If these cards enter the Graveyard again after their effects are activated, they're banished," he said.

"He suddenly got three Monsters on the field at once!" Yuzu looked to him, bracing herself against the storm.

"So, you set those cards under the assumption that you were going to special summon them as Monsters?!" at this point, Yuto only nodded while Sylvio laughed.

"Hmph! In the end, all you'll do is Summon those Monsters as a wall to defend yourself! I'll knock 'em down with ease! Go, Mobius the Mega Monarch! Attack Shadow Veil! _Imperial Charge!"_ one of the Phantom Knights fell at the feet of the Mega Monarch and the black-haired boy never once blinked.

"Upon being sent back to the Graveyard, Shadow Veil is Banished," he stated.

"I guess you could say your head's barely still attached. I set one card face down to end my turn." Sylvio relented, and the black-haired boy took in a deep breath.

" _Alright, time to get this mess over with,"_ he thought.

"I guess I'll let you live 'til my next turn." Yuto resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Neo Sawatari's the greatest!" declared Jiko.

"There won't _be_ a next turn for you!" the black-haired boy pointed this out and Sylvio tisked.

"What?" he watched as the boy grabbed for his deck.

"My turn. Draw! I was attempting to sink my teeth in a little, but I couldn't feel anything remotely resembling the sharpness of a blade or the impact of a bullet in your Dueling. You have no soul or heart in your deck, you possess it for strength, not as extension of yourself. Your heart is not in the cards and therefore the heart of the cards is not within you! Not even a shard!" Yuto stated sharply, causing Sylvio to roll his eyes.

"Oh please, that stupid saying? No one uses that shit anymore! The games all about strength and power and who's the best!" the black-and-lilac-haired boy gave him a long look.

"Then you're dumber than you look," he said.

"W-What did you just say to me you vagabond?!" the boy sighed.

"The hell's this guy sniffin'?" asked Jetson.

"It hurts, man, it hurts!" Nakoto watched Jiko before commenting himself.

"Leave the jokes at home, pal!" he stated.

"I'm not going to waste my time repeating myself. The conditions have been met. Now that I've gathered Monsters of the same Level on the Field, my deck can show its true value!" he began, and Yuzu stared.

"Huh? That stupid thing has no value, I mean – "Yuto took in a deep breath.

"I use my two Level Four Phantom Knights of Shadow Veil to build the Overlay Network!" he declared.

"It couldn't be!" started Sylvio.

"That's…." Yuto focused on summoning his most faithful Monster.

"Fangs of Treason, from the pitch-black darkness, oppose crass, foolish power! Descend before us now! _Xyz Summon!_ Rank Four! _Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!_ " he declared as the gigantic black dragon appeared in the center of the room.

"An…. Xyz… Summon!" Yuzu said in disbelief. She had never once witnessed an Xyz Summon in her life, and now that she had, without question she could say it was terrifying.

"Incredible…. he Summoned a Monster from his Extra Deck…." Jiko jumped in at that.

"This guy friggin' uses Xyz?!" he asked.

"No friggin' way! Xyz Summoning course're for the elite top class students!" Jetson's statement caused Sylvio to clap as he looked at the black-haired boy.

"Suddenly Xyz Summoning out of left field like that sure caught me by surprise. But, are you planning to use that Monster to battle against my Mobius? I mean, Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's only got twenty-five hundred attack points. And it's facing Mobius the Mega Monarch with twenty-eight-hundred attack points! Seems like you did the math wrong. After all, Xyz Monsters seem to be nothing but a whole bunch of showing off." Yuto glared.

"I don't think so…yo know nothing about them, clearly. Otherwise, you would know that the true power of an Xyz Monster is to detach its very soul – called Overlay Units – in order to extinguish the opponent," he stated.

"What a lovely explanation of Xyz Monsters! Not that I'm the least bit interested." Yuto looked up to him, storm-gray eyes narrowing.

"Then you'll just have to learn firsthand! I activate Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's effect! By detaching one Overlay Unit, I can halve the Attack Points of one level five or higher monster that my opponent controls, and add that to my Dragon's attack! _Treason Discharge!"_ the group watched as Dark Rebellion's attack when up from twenty-five-hundred to thirty-nine-hundred.

"Whoa! Dark Rebellion's Attack Points!" started Jiko.

"They've surpassed Mobius's!" Yuto looked to Sawatari.

"NO FREAKIN' WAY!" Sylvio began to panic as the black-haired youth sighed.

" _Once I'm done here, I'm going for a very long walk so hopefully, I can forget I ever met this clown…."_ Yuto thought.

"I'm not done! I detach the remaining Overlay Unit, and activate Dark Rebellion's effect once more! _Treason Discharge!"_ he declared as Mobius's Attack went to seven-hundred and Dark Rebellion's climbed to forty-six-hundred.

"It's got forty-six-hundred attack points now!" Yuzu's statement left her before she had time to think as Sylvio stared in disbelief.

"It's a lie, lie, LIE!" Yuto raised his hand out.

"Battle! Dark Rebellion, destroy Mobius the Mega Monarch! Go, use your fangs to smash through the glacier! _Rebellious Lightning! Disobey!"_ the attack went through, the explosion causing debris to fall as wind rushed around, and Sawatari was thrown into the wall, causing him to go faintly dizzy as Yuzu braced herself against the force of the wind.

She let out a startled scream and Yuto went to her, blocking her from the explosion as a piece of debris fell and smacked him across the head, thankfully only destroying the goggles instead of giving him an injury. The lights shattered, smoke billowed out of the top and front doors of the warehouse, and soon everyone started to rise from the destruction, Sawatari doing so with only one-hundred Life Points left.

"We felt the blast even though there's no Action Field set!" Jetson stated.

"His monster's so powerful it even sent us flying!" Jiko looked to Nakoto.

"This ain't good," he said as Sawatari stood fully and looked at the black-haired boy while Yuzu stared at him as he went to stand with his Dragon once again.

"I'll only ask once, so you had better answer. Is this badge from LDS? What's your connection with the Academia?" the boy held up a gleaming badge as he looked to Sawatari.

"A-Academia? What's that?" Sylvio asked.

"Don't play dumb!" the other stood.

"I'm not! Everyone who entered LDS has a badge like that! I don't know what this _Academia_ is! Trust me! he stated. Yuto pulled his goggles up, but his eyes remained shadowed.

"We're done, then." Yuto began to walk away.

"Idiot! The Duel ain't over! I activate my trap! Ice Rage Shot! If an Aqua-Type Monster of mine was destroyed by battle, this card destroys one of my opponent's Monsters, and it inflicts damage to them equal to that Monster's Attack Points! I destroy your Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, and make you eat its forty-six-hundred Attack Points! I planned everything like this, and set this Trap Card so it'd secure my victory!" the boy paused, startling the others as he began speaking.

"Your strategy is weak. A mere child's play, even…" Yuto stated as Sylvio stared.

"What?!" the boy, back turned raised a hand.

"I activate the Continuous Spell, Phantom Death Spear, from my Graveyard. When my opponent activates a Trap Card, by Banishing this card from my Graveyard, it can negate the Trap Card's activation and destroy it," Yuto explained this as the Spell Card appeared behind him before vanishing as an ancient looking spear with glowing red runes around it appeared.

"What?!" the trap card disappeared.

"And then, it inflicts one-hundred points of damage to my opponent!" he declared.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!" Sylvio began flailing, trying to avoid it.

"Prepare yourself! This is the pain and sorrow of the battlefield!" the black-haired boy declared as the spear shot through, nailing Sawatari to a wall before his Life Points were completely destroyed and the spear vanished along with Dark Rebellion. Yuzu stared in shock as the boy turned to his opponent and finally removed his mask.

Due to his goggles pushing his bangs down, Yuto favored Yuya more than he realized at that moment, the only differences in them being the hair and eye color. His eyes flashed open as he took in a deep breath and looked at his opponent, Sylvio gaping in shock as Yuzu did as well. Storm-gray eyes looked to periwinkle and blue-gray as the silence of the room overtook while a singular flicker of fire from Dark Rebellion's attack remained.

"Yuya?!" Yuzu asked.

"I-It was you?! The whole damn time!" Sawatari slid down the wall, passing out as his lackies circled around him and began to help him up.

"Not good! This is not good!" Jetson declared as the four of them fled the building, leaving Yuzu alone with the boy.

 **{…..}**

 _Wait, it's just about to break, it's more than I can take…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Yuto getting more screen time, extending things for more fun, and him being a bit of a troll. Seriously, I get the feeling that if Yuto had been allowed to live longer in the anime then he would have been a bit of a troll and probably pulled a few pranks alongside Yuya. I know in the manga he and Yuya get into bickering arguments, back-and-forths, and do tend to prank one another on occasion, so I think that he'd be a bit well _impish._

tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Yes, Yuto's last name in this story is Kisaragi, and yes, it's based upon Yuffie Kisaragi from Final Fantasy. No, she does not have any relation to him.

In the Japanese version of the anime, the Phantom Knights of Shadow Veil are actually Spell Cards, as are most of them. While in the US they're Trap Cards.

Yuto in the scene where his goggles push down his bangs, causes him to look incredibly like Yuya, almost to the point that I would say that they are twins _– I never really thought Hugo and Joeri looked like Yuya as much as Yuto –_ but according to the artist and author of the Arc-V Manga, all the boys have the same two-toned layering hair like Yuya does, but they're just styled differently.


	10. Chapter 10: Crazy Schemes

Chapter 10: Crazy Schemes

 **{Maiami Harbor: June 14** **th** **, 2014, 7:20pm}**

She stared in confusion for a few moments as they watched one another, curious, but also unsure on whether or not to talk or merely walk away and pretend it never happened. Yuzu frowned, glaring at the boy and whipping out her fan in an instant, bashing him over the head as he hissed in pain and rubbed the sore spot. Yuto knew then and there that he had been mistake for Yuya – the red-and-green-haired boy from earlier – and he wanted to clear it up, but Yuzu, the pink-haired she-devil as he was now going to call her, wasn't going to let him get a word in it seemed.

"YOU DAMN IDIOT! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" she boomed, causing him to wince, his sensitive ears not liking the volume.

"Would you calm down, and let me explain!" he defended, but she whacked him over the head again.

"No! You dumbass! What if that guy had hurt you! And what were you thinking doing whatever the hell it was that you did to your Duel Disk! Not to mention you also could have hurt everyone in here! I get that you're an entertainer, but that doesn't mean you have to brutalize and scare the hell out of people!" Yuto blinked.

"Whoa! Wait! I didn't…" Yuzu bashed him over the head again.

" _Okay, she's not Ruri, but she hits like her…"_ he thought as he rubbed the sore spot on his head.

"Yuya Sakaki, I swear! Sometimes I don't know what to do with you! What did you do to your hair? Why are you in that costume? And why are you wearing colored contacts? Not to mention where did you get a Phantom Knights Deck? Were you trying something out for when Halloween got here? And when did you learn to Xyz Summon?!" she demanded as he gaped at her before taking in a deep breath.

"I've always known how to Xyz Summon! It's what's taught at my school!" another whack.

"Don't make up a bunch of lies! We're not teaching Xyz Summoning at You Show! Are you going behind our backs and learning at LDS or something?! I want to know now!" she snapped at him, raising her fan again and he sighed as it connected to his head.

" _For a paper fan that thing hurts like hell!"_ he thought in dismay as he considered how he was going to explain this.

"Hey! Would let me explain before you hit me again!" he shot back, glaring as she sighed.

"Start talking…" Yuto sighed in relief as he rubbed the sore spot on his head.

"Firstly, I'm not Yuya Sakaki. I'm not wearing a costume or anything, this is my normal clothes, I don't wear contacts because my eyes are gray not scarlet… and where I come from, my school taught Xyz Summoning as the main method! Which is why I use them!" he replied.

"You're not…. Yuya? Then why do you look like him?!" storm-cloud gray met periwinkle.

"You got me there, I have no idea! I came here looking for someone and I thought you were her for a moment but being closer to you, I know that you're not her," he explained, not liking that he had to say so much to someone who was a stranger.

"Who are you?" the boy shifted.

"I don't think introductions are a good idea… you see… a lot of really bad things are going on and getting you and your boyfriend wrapped up in this mess is not a good idea," he stated as Yuzu glared.

"Yuya is not my boyfriend!" gray eyes looked her over.

"But you like him, don't you? Or is it more than that? Do you love him?" he probed as Yuzu went red-faced.

"I-I… why should I tell you?! I don't even know your name!" the boy sighed, rubbing his temples in exasperation. Interdimensional travel was far more stressful than movies or books made it out to be, that was for sure.

"Because, to anyone who cherishes someone, the behavior you take on when he's in danger is plain as day. You may not want to admit it, but you're in love with him," he said bluntly.

"He's my best friend…. we've always been there for each other, and we grew up together… so… to me Yuya is very important, without him I feel like I'm missing a piece of myself." Yuzu admitted this as the black-and-lilac-haired boy nodded.

"That's what my missing person is like to me…. she's everything to me…. and my best friend whose helping me find her," he spoke softly at this moment and Yuzu frowned a bit.

"Well, just don't go attacking randomized people. That's no way to get anything done without dragging more people into it or causing trouble for others!" storm-cloud-gray eyes looked to her and Yuzu smiled.

"Thanks, I'll try to remember that…. but…. those idiots deserved it," he admitted.

"True, and thank you for helping me, by the way, I'm Yuzu Hiiragi." The pink-haired girl held out her hand and Yuto eyed her momentarily and then took it.

"Just call me -"

"YUZU!" a familiar voice called out for her frantically and both of them looked up.

"That's Yuya!" Yuzu stated as a small chime like noise rent the air as her bracelet started glowing, startling the two inside the warehouse as it flashed brilliantly and Yuto disappeared. Instantly Yuzu was looking around, confused and shocked by the boy's sudden disappearance as a shout came from near the door.

"Yuzu! Thank god! I was trying to find you!" scarlet eyes looked to her, glowing in the dim light of the warehouse and startling her slightly.

" _What's wrong with his eyes? Why are they glowing?!"_ a thrill of terror went through her as his arms came around her and he held her close, causing Yuzu to freeze before she realized that it was indeed Yuya who was holding onto her. The scent of cinnamon and oranges clear as day and the warmth of his body close to her own as he continued to hold onto her.

"Y-Yuya? I…" she stared into scarlet eyes, still gleaming a bit in the dim light as the boy looked to her.

"What is it Yuzu? Are you okay?" he asked, concern clear in his voice.

"I-I'm fine…just a bit spooked is all…" she found her words failing her as she compared the boy still holding her to the one she'd just encountered and who had disappeared before he could tell her his name.

"Let's go home okay? It's late and I don't think you wanna deal with your dad yelling about staying out all night," he said as he grabbed her hand in his, and she noticed for the first time how fragile his hands felt.

"Yuya?" her voice trembled a bit.

"Hmm? Is everything okay?" he asked, scarlet eyes looking at her as the moonlight showed on them a bit.

"Y-Yea…I just…" her eyes burned a bit as he squeezed her hand, pulling her close as they started to walk.

"I'll take you home, you won't have to go by yourself," Yuya promised as he looked into her eyes.

"Thank you…" he nodded.

"Don't mention it."

 **{Sakaki Household: June 16** **th** **, 2014, 6:45am}**

Fourteen-year-old, witch-in-training, Yuya Sakaki was having a bad day, and he knew it was going to get worse. He had gotten up earlier than normal to attempt a few new spells he'd been practicing and had somehow made a serious blunder in one of them. At current, he was sitting on his bed in his room with his mother staring at him with her hands on her hips, looking slightly amused but a bit worried and scolding at the same time. When he'd called her up here, she had expected him to have turned his lamp into an owl again or something along those lines; however, she hadn't been expecting what she'd gotten instead. The boy sighed in defeat as she looked him over, knowing that this was indeed, going to be a long day.

"How on earth did you manage this one?" Yoko asked.

"I don't know! It just happened!" the boy whined.

Yoko would be the first to admit that raising a child was a tough job – especially alone – however, raising a child who could also do magic had other, and much more daunting challenges, such was the case right now with the shout for her to come upstairs not three minutes ago and what it had resulted in. she sighed, looking at her son's predicament and then shaking her head.

"You were practicing transformation magic again, weren't you?" green eyes looked to scarlet and the boy slumped a bit where he sat.

"Yea, but not on myself…" he muttered in dismay.

Currently, Yuya was sitting upon his bed, wearing just his pants and his orange t-shirt, with his choker and pendulum crystal on. However, he hadn't done something as frustrating as giving himself a snout – which according Yoko she herself had done once or twice several years ago – but the situation was just as bad. He sat upon his bed, in a distraught state because he had managed to give himself animal appendages. Laid out behind him was a long, sleek, green tail with a slightly red tuft at the end, and twitching occasionally at the top of his head were a pair of very apparent, green feline ears with some red tufts inside them as well. Yuya hung his head, ears twitching as he thought about how long it would take for this to wear off.

"Well, this is a fine mess you've gotten yourself into Yuya. I can't change you back to normal with this one. You'll have to wait for it to wear off," she said.

"WHAT?! But that could take forever!" Yoko shook her head.

"It takes one week at most, but these aren't permanent. You'll just have to live with them until then," she told him as he had a look of horror upon his face.

"I can't go to school like this!" Yoko sighed.

"Finish getting ready and come eat. Once you have we'll go from there, but we'll have to find a way to hide them," she said as the boy laid his ears down flat, causing them to blend in with the messy state of his hair.

"Okay…" he went over to the dresser and grabbed his wrist warmers before tugging them on and grabbing his belt and putting it on before getting his deck and Duel Disk which were pocketed.

"Sora isn't here today, so don't worry. Now, come down stairs and we'll eat, and I can explain to you what you'll probably need to expect from the spell you've managed to put on yourself," Yoko said as she went down the stairs and then looked to her son and saw him slip down the fire escape pole in a swift motion before landing gracefully.

"That was weird…" he shook his head, ears twitching once again.

"You should expect that for as long as the spell lasts. Your senses will be heightened, as will your reflexes, stamina, agility, and maneuverability. You gave yourself cat ears and a tail, so you're basically a Nekojin until further notice," she told him as she sat down a plate of pancakes and he looked to her before starting to eat.

"Great…. if people didn't think I was a freak before at school, they will now…" Yoko sighed.

"You aren't a freak, but hiding those ears and tail are going to be tricky. What I would recommend doing is putting your tail around your waist under your shirt, and I would use your goggles to pin your ears down," she told him.

"My ears are gonna be killing me…" he reached up and rubbed one of them, finding it strange, but somehow his body accepted it like he'd always had them.

"When you have the time, go into one of the stalls in the restroom, take off your goggles, rub your ears a bit and put them back on. Just don't get caught!" Yoko stated.

"I'll do my best…you're supposed to come by the Duel School today, right?" the blonde-haired woman nodded.

"Yes, I am. So, be on your best behavior!" she told him.

"I will…" Yuya finished his breakfast and stood before thinking.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"I was thinking about putting a hole for my tail in the waist band of my pants in case I have to let it come out from under my shirt…I can do that much with magic…" Yuya went back upstairs and Yoko sighed.

"Honestly, that boy…"

Yoko set to cleaning the dishes as Yuya tried to modify his clothing a bit for the tail before finally getting it right as he came back downstairs, tail hidden by his shirt and ears pinned by his goggles he went over to her and she nodded, approving of it and being thankful that the boy's shirt was a longer one so it would hide the hole in the waist of his pants before he gave her a hug and went to the door, sliding on his sneakers before grabbing his school bag and jacket and pulling it on as he waved goodbye and Yoko replied with her own goodbye before he was gone. As soon as the door shut, Yoko took in a deep breath and looked to a picture on the wall of the kitchen of Yusho and Yuya when the boy was about nine or so.

"Yusho? What am I gonna do? I don't know how to tell him the truth, and I promised Yaya I would when he came of age…" Yoko sighed, defeated at current and went back to doing her dishes.

 **{Maiami Junior High School: 8:00am}**

A faint sting came from Yuya's ears during science class and he ignored them, knowing they would eventually go numb and he wouldn't feel the pain of them being pressed down much longer. Yuzu had noticed that he was fidgety today; however, her thoughts on his strange behavior didn't last long as her mind went back to the strange boy she'd met only two days ago when she had confronted Sawatari. The boy seemed kind enough, but he did have a rougher side to him it seemed, and she still wasn't sure what to believe when it came to how much he and Yuya favored.

Except for the hair and eye color, they were identical – the darker haired boy may have been an inch or two taller than Yuya – and even had a slightly similar vocal tone, but the dark-haired boy had a sharper, coarser tone that suggested a great deal of pain and suffering had been placed upon him at some point in his life while Yuya's voice was light, youthful, and jovial: _it was innocent_. Periwinkle eyes glanced towards the red-and-green-haired boy who was trying his hardest to pay attention in class, occasionally fidgeting or glancing towards the window while Yuzu merely smiled. That was a good way to describe Yuya, innocent and full of warmth and light, but that other boy who looked so much like him wasn't innocent and he was darker than the boy she knew so well.

" _Yuya is so innocent, bright, and warm like the sun, but that other boy feels like the sunset, he's still warm, but there are cold spots around him, like he's suffered greatly…he felt like the twilight hours…"_ Yuzu frowned, wondering why she was using sunrises and sunsets as ways to describe two boys who were almost one-hundred percent identical and looked back to Yuya who groaned silently, biting his lip and looking a bit uncomfortable as the teacher kept lecturing until it was over. The second the teacher dismissed them, Yuya vanished from sight only to return a bit later looking a little bit more comfortable.

"Are you okay Yuya?" she asked as he sat back down.

"Yea, I wasn't feeling well this morning so I kinda went and splashed some water on my face…I guess it's just me being anxious for no reason is all…" he gave her a smile and Yuzu frowned.

"People don't get anxious for no reason! Is something going on?" she questioned.

"Not really, I just…. like I said… I wasn't feeling well this morning…" he ignored her at that point and Yuzu sighed.

"Okay, if you say so…"

Classes went on like that for the entire day, Yuzu watching Yuya's strange behavior, noticing his constant fidgeting, and comparing him and the other boy almost constantly. She sighed in defeat as the day ended and they went to their Duel School and sat in a lecture on summoning methods again. The entire time, Yuzu was completely zoned out, the younger children chatting to her father on how they had already gone over all of this and knew it already, but Shuzo informed them that refreshing one's memory was the best way to make sure no one messed up in a tournament where not doing something right counted.

Sora had begun combining vanilla ice cream with vanilla custard at one point during the class, offering Yuya some, but he refused, not wanting to be smacked by Yuzu's fan only to find out that the girl was completely out of focus and hadn't even heard the conversation with him sitting next to her. Yuya felt his ears twitch a bit and he sighed as he adjusted his goggles, not wanting to reveal the extra appendages to his friends as Shuzo continued with his lecture. Their next topic was Fusion Summoning, which Sora – their resident Fusion expert – began to explain how it worked and what the set up was like only to use doughnuts to do the explanation alongside his custard and ice cream. Yuya sighed in defeat as Shuzo began his tirade; however, it was at this moment that the question of Synchro Summoning was brought up, and Shuzo jumped into the explanation for a few moments. And then, Yuya heard something from Yuzu that he had never expected.

"Dad, what about Xyz?" she asked.

"X-Xyz?" Her dad gave her a confused expression while everyone looked to her, dumbfounded by her question.

"You haven't taught us about Xyz before, have you?" she questioned.

"N….no, I haven't. I can't teach something I haven't done. Even the LDS only just started teaching about it." Yuya felt a strange, creeping chill go up his spine as Yuzu glanced his way.

"Yea, he's right…" started Tate while the pink-haired girl looked down.

"Why are you suddenly interested in Xyz Summoning?" Shuzo asked.

"N-No reason…" Yuzu looked to Yuya and for just a second she saw that boy where he was, and he rose an eyebrow.

"Eh? What? Is something wrong?" he asked her.

"Ah…no, nothing…" she gave him an anxious look.

" _Right…. There's no way Yuya could use Xyz Monsters. But…"_ Yuzu's thoughts were interrupted.

"An ambush! Yuya would never do something so craven and cowardly!" stated a familiar voice in outrage. Yuya's keen hearing recognized it instantly.

"Gongenzaka?!" he was on his feet in an instant and heading out of the classroom.

 **{Outside of You Show Duel School: 4:20pm}**

Noburou Gongenzaka stood at the front steps of the You Show Duel School, towering over the people who had come up making accusations towards his best friend. the gall they had to show up unannounced and began making a series of randomized statements about Yuya Sakaki of all people attacking Sylvio Sawatari had set him ablaze within from pure anger at the sheer mordacity these buffoons seemed to have.

"What is going on here?" asked Shuzo as he and the others exited the front of the building.

"Oh! Principle! I, the manly Gongenzaka, was in the middle of running to temper and harden my legs, when I saw these three spying into You Show Duel School. I approached these three ruffians and questioned them! They inexcusably claim that Yuya, late last night, ambushed them while they were unaware!" Gongenzaka turned his attention back to none other than Jetson, Nakoto, and Jiko who stood there with smirks upon their faces.

"Ambushed?!" Shuzo questioned as Yuya felt a startled look come upon his face.

"Me?" Jiko stepped forward.

"That's right, don't tell me you've forgotten! You came in there wearing all these dark beat-up clothes, you had a different Duel Disk, and you used Xyz Summoning to beat up Sawatari!" he stated.

"I didn't do that! I was looking for Yuzu the whole time!" Jetson smirked.

"You did manage to wash that hair dye out pretty damn quick, but I guess for a side-show-freak that wouldn't be too hard to do," he told him as Yuya glared, a hiss almost escaping him.

" _Showing my feline traits and my magic right now is a very bad idea. I need to stay calm and not let these bastards get to me,"_ Yuya thought as the three continued their jeering.

"We were there, and we saw you with our own two eyes! In fact, there were four…no…five people who saw you!" stated Nakoto.

"Five people?" the three nodded.

"Yep, myself, Jiko, Nakoto, Sawatari, and Yuzu Hiiragi," said Jetson.

Yuzu felt a sharp sting go through her chest at the statement. True, she had witnessed someone who favored Yuya, but that boy and him were not the same people, and she knew that deep down, but her mind seemed to not quite be able to register it. Nonetheless, she had no desire to let Yuya take the fallout for this.

"Is that true, Yuzu? Did you see Yuya there as well?" asked Gongenzaka as she stared at him in confusion.

"What did you see?" she looked to her father.

"The perp's face! Obviously! She saw the face of Yuya Sakaki, the person who attacked Sylvio Sawatari, the son of the next Mayor of Maiami City," stated Jetson as Yuya looked at the cruel expressions upon their faces.

"That's all hearsay! Yes, there are four people who had time to find a victim to pin an accident on and make up a huge problem when only they were there, and Yuzu probably overheard you and came to set your sorry tails straight!" Yuya snarled as Gongenzaka looked at the boy as did Shuzo and the children.

"Interesting coming from your mouth, you little freak!" Tate and the others stepped forward, standing in front of Yuya.

"That's a lie! Big brother Yuya would never do such a thing!" said the blue-haired boy.

"It was Sawatari who was going to attack him! I overheard the entire thing with Yuzu! She sent me ahead after we heard it to Duel Sawatari in order to give him a piece of her mind!" Allie stepped forward, and Yuya commended her bravery.

"Wait, so Yuzu dueled, not Yuya?" asked Shuzo.

"Yup!" Allie kept a stern look on her face.

"And her opponent was?" he asked.

"Sylvio Sawatari!" Allie confirmed this without hesitation.

"But that means…. the one who ambushed them was Yuzu?!" Shuzo shouted in confusion, hands on his head.

"Wrong!" said the three children.

"We keep saying it was Yuya Sakaki. He attacked Sawatari, not the little Princess." Scarlet eyes narrowed at the three.

"Don't call her that! she doesn't need someone to come and rescue her! She can handle herself just fine!" Yuya snapped. Yuzu looked to him.

"Yuya…."

"Poor Sawatari, he was so banged up, they put him in the hospital. They even say he might never Duel again," stated Nakoto in dismay as Yuya felt a lick of magical energy curl affectionately over his cheek, brushing across his skin in a manner that reminded him to keep his anger in check.

" _Anger leads to magical bursts which can hurt non-magic users. As a witch whose now of age, I'm supposed to keep that in check and make sure that normal humans are safe around witches like myself. If I lose control of my anger at this point, my magic is gonna do something really bad…but I know for a fact that they're lying…"_ Yuya thought.

"Be honest, you three don't really know what you saw! You're just telling us this because you've convinced yourself that the person who attacked Sylvio Sawatari was me." Gongenzaka placed a hand upon Yuya's shoulder.

"You may have eye witnesses, but do you have evidence? Anything physical?" he questioned as the three froze up.

"Judging by your expressions, I'll take that as a no." Jiko looked to them.

"The doctors have said that his injuries could be life threatening, if something happens to Sawatari, you'll be held responsible," he said sharply as Yuya stared and then turned to Yuzu.

"Yuzu, come on, you saw everything, right?" scarlet met periwinkle, and the girl flinched, looking down.

"I-I did see, but…." She started.

"What? Yuzu, come on please!" he begged her, and she took in a deep breath.

"I saw a person who favored Yuya, but his hair was black, and his eyes were gray. That guy was taller than Yuya and looked older than him too," she stated.

"Favored me?" she nodded.

"There were some drastic differences, but facially he did look a lot like you," she admitted, and almost couldn't bear to see the look of disbelief and betrayal on Yuya's face.

"You think I did this too, don't you?" she shook her head.

"No! I just said that he _favored you!_ Like I said! His hair was black and purple, and his eyes were gray! He was almost three inches taller than you are and a bit bigger in build than you are! Your voices weren't even the same!" she defended as scarlet eyes glanced down.

" _So, this is what a witch hunt feels like…"_ Yuzu watched the boy shiver a bit, biting his bottom lip in a harsh manner as she felt an unbearable ache develop in her chest at seeing that expression on his face.

"You do know that the police will arrest you if its proven that you're guilty." Yuya glanced to Yuzu and Shuzo frowned.

"Kids, please, explain to me what's going on from the top!" Shuzo stated as a black car pulled up and the group looked to a woman in a dark puce suit with golden jewelry on stepped out of the car. She was tall, slender, pale, and elegant with dark magenta hair and crystalline-blue eyes.

"I would be happy to give you an explanation." Shuzo looked to her.

"You're…. from LDS?" he asked.

"Yes, I am Henrietta Akaba, the chairman of the board of directors."

"Why are you here?" questioned Shuzo as he kept a stern look on his face.

"Why, to discuss this situation without applying false blame. Now, shall we head inside?" she began walking into the building and the others followed, Yuya keeping a sharp glare on the woman's back.

 **{Office: 5:15pm}**

Henrietta Akaba took a seat in the simple office-waiting room of the You Show Duel School and looked at the people around her. Naturally, she did believe what the boys had said had some genuine merit to it; however, her son, Reiji, did not believe it entirely as he had no doubts that Yuya was innocent – why she wasn't exactly sure – nonetheless, she was here to root out the problem, and in exchange for doing something about this mess, she had a price already in mind. Her pale gaze went to the boy standing closest to Shuzo, the creator of the Pendulum system, the son of the most well-known Dueltainer in the world: Yuya Sakaki.

"Everything the boys said is true. One of our students, Sylvio Sawatari, is indeed in the hospital, and he did testify that he was attacked, and the perpetrator was Yuya Sakaki," she said as Shuzo thought of the words.

"Well, Yuya? Did you really?" scarlet eyes gave the man a look of disbelief and Shuzo almost flinched.

" _He probably feels like this is a witch hunt…knowing what he is, I can't say I blame him…still, I can't find it in myself to believe that he'd do this…"_

"I didn't do it! I would never do such a thing!" Yuya snapped, his mind recanting one of the firmest beliefs of his practices: _harm none_. He had been raised to believe that if one must defend themselves, then, by all means do so; however, outright attacking someone viciously, was not part of the beliefs he'd grown up with, and doing something of this stature was not within the practices of witches or their wiccan cousins.

"I, the manly Gongenzaka, believe my friend, Yuya. Don't you guys?" Gongenzaka's statement ended with him looking at the children.

"Of course!" stated Frederic.

"Right. What about you Yuzu?" Gongenzaka nodded and then asked this question to the pink-haired girl who stared in surprise before looking to Yuya who sent her an almost dismissive look.

" _He's testing me…if I don't help him…he could be in serious danger…we…made a promise, and I know that he didn't do it…someone else did, but…"_ scarlet eyes met her own periwinkle ones and she took in a deep breath.

"I don't either..." she stated, nervously as Yuya took in a deep breath.

"I don't know what Yuzu saw, but I didn't attack Sawatari. That's not something I believe in doing." Yuzu felt her eyes widen and she smiled, letting him know that she understood.

"Well, well. It seems they're very close. It seems unreasonable to ask you to hand Yuya over. But, we cannot back down from this either," Henrietta stated.

"Excuse me?" the woman settled her firm gaze upon Shuzo.

"If rumors spread that an LDS student lost a Duel, the school's reputation as the Number One Dueling School would be severally tarnished," she said.

"But our Yuya wasn't the one! So, do you plan to imprison an innocent child?!" Shuzo glared back at the woman, determined to defend the boy.

"That doesn't matter anymore! The problem is that LDS' appearance has been ruined! We will wipe away this indignation by having our schools fight one another!" she declared.

"A Dueling contest?!" Shuzo questioned.

"If you should manage to win, we will overlook the little incident with Sawatari. But, if we should win instead…we of LDS will take possession of your You Show Duel School. And Yuya Sakaki will become a student under our tutelage," she stated.

"WHAT?!" Henrietta looked at the fourteen-year-old boy who stared at her in shock.

"Yes, you, the inventor of Pendulum Summons will become a student at our school. And once you've perfected the method, with your consent, you will become the figure head for the new format of Summoning with us as the banner it stands under," she explained as Yuya gritted his teeth.

"Like hell lady! I am not your lapdog!" the woman eyed him.

" _He's a rather handsome and spirited boy…. he has a lot of power and untapped potential residing within him…I can see why Reiji is so interested in learning more about him…"_ she hummed.

"That remains to be seen, Yuya Sakaki…." Gongenzaka glared.

"So, clearing your own name isn't enough for you?! You think you need to steal someone's Duel School? Their secondary home?! And take one of the best students it's got as your own?!" he roared as Henrietta hummed.

"Yes, it would seem so." Shuzo narrowed his eyes at the woman.

"Chairman Akaba, I've heard that you've been buying out many Duel Schools around the globe. Are you suddenly after acquiring You Show Duel School as well?" he asked as the woman smiled.

"I wouldn't doubt it if you also arranged the attack in question." Henrietta looked at Yuya when he stated that.

"Dear boy, if I did so, that would make you…. how did you put it? Oh yes, _that would make you my lapdog._ Personally, I think you're more akin to a feral cat or a wolf than a lapdog," she stated.

"Shut up!" Henrietta smiled.

"Personally, I think the opportunity would be splendid. Many of our students look up to you Yuya, and would like to use Pendulums as a mechanic to summon. You are the creator, and here, at this little shack of a school, your talents and capabilities are being wasted! As I said before, you would perfect it before we released it to the others for wide-spread use," she said. Yuya ground his teeth together.

" _I am trying to stay calm, but by Osiris, this woman is really pushing the wrong buttons."_ The thought crossed his mind temporarily as Henrietta gave him a once over.

"Getting that information together, spreading it worldwide, would be in the best interest of both our schools, therefore merging is best," she told them.

"Pendulums can't be used without specific cards…" she nodded.

"We could easily create Pendulum cards for every archetype out there, but it would be Yuya who would still be the creator, the founder of the method, and the one that everyone would look up to and admire," she said with a smile as Yuya settled a stern gaze upon her.

" _And once we join the schools, I can do a more thorough investigation into what Yuya Sakaki is exactly…Reiji shared a few snippets of his findings with me…and if that boy is what we think he is…then there are so many more potentials awaiting...if he's willing to become a lance that is…for all we know…he could be an enemy to myself and Reiji…"_ she thought and then Yuya spoke up.

"Duels aren't meant to be used as tools for fights! They aren't merely symbols of power! They're here for a purpose and we shouldn't misuse them…" Yuzu looked to him.

"Yuya…" scarlet eyes narrowed on the chairwoman of the LDS, almost glowing with emotion.

"However, I won't let anyone else steal away this school or the Pendulum Summons I've created! You Show Duel School is the school my father created to teach Entertainment Duels! Not for power hungry, self-centered _skinflints_ who don't know when to step back! And think they can have whatever they want if they flaunt money and power!" Henrietta stared in interest at the boy a glare on her features.

"Well said, Yuya! I, the incarnation of man, Gongenzaka, am in agreement! I shall fight alongside you, my friend, to protect our Duel School!" Gongenzaka declared as Sora jumped down behind him.

"But, you're an outsider, aren't you?" Gongenzaka seemed to go rigid, realization falling on him as he stood there, slack-jawed and looking almost as if he was cut out of white paper.

"Gongenzaka? You gonna make it?" Frederic poked the large youth while Sora approached Yuya.

"If we're gonna fight together as a Duel School, wouldn't it be best to use Yuya, Yuzu, and me? After all, I wanted to fight against LDS students," Sora stated.

"Y-You dare to banish me! The manly Gongenzaka?! I-I-Inexcusable!" Henrietta frowned.

"It would seem that the students of this school all feel the same about this matter," she said.

"I, too, feel the same as them. We won't…" the students along with Gongenzaka stood behind the principle.

"Give you our Duel School!" they declared as one voice before Henrietta sighed.

"Then… shall we get started?"

 **{…..}**

 _Everything's about to change…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** there's some more on chaos coming in, Yuya has given himself cat ears, he's been framed – kinda -, LDS is on the move, and Reiji Akaba seems to know something about our Pendulum inventor. Things just get more and more exciting, don't they? Well, tell me what you guys think.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Nekojin are people with cat ears and tails and feline-traits in Japanese mythology. Other types include _**Nekomata, and Gotokuneko**_.

In many witch covens and wiccan beliefs they always return to the earth what they take, and harm none. I personally know a few witches and wiccans and they aren't how Hollywood has portrayed them, at least, not all of them are. If you want a far more genuine example of what witches or wiccans are like watch: Practical Magic.

 _ **Skinflint**_ means: miser, collector, accumulator, squirrel, and or scrooge. It's a very old term and comes from the 1800s.


	11. Chapter 11: Celestial Smackdown

Chapter 11: Celestial Smackdown

 **{You Show Duel School: Duel Area: June 16** **th** **2014 5:30pm}**

"It will be three versus three. The victor is the side that scores at least two wins, understand? So, who will participate first?" Henrietta queried.

"Me!" called Sora only for Yuya, a bit to stern-faced for Yuzu's liking to begin moving forward.

"No, I will!" Yuya stepped up, looking across at the others with slightly predatory glint in his eyes.

"Naturally, the other two don't seem very reliable, after all. You probably thought that by earning one win from the beginning, the other students would – "Henrietta was cut off.

"Whoa there! What's that mean, granny?!" Sora cut in.

"Excuse me?" pastel green eyes glared at her, irritation evident on his face.

"You don't even know how strong I am!" Sora stated sharply.

"Be good." Yuzu placed a hand upon the boy's head and he sighed in defeat.

"Even so, it would be in your best interest to not assume you'll win so easily. They are all in the same Junior Youth Class as you, Yuya, and your other classmates. But they are also top aces we of LDS pride ourselves in from each of our courses," Henrietta stated.

" _So, that means Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz heh…"_ Yuya decided to irritate the others a bit.

"Well, that means Fusions, Synchros, and Xyzs, but I'm kind of disappointed," he said face still calm but his eyes gleaming just a fraction.

"Disappointed? How can it be that the LDS has disappointed you, Yuya Sakaki?" the boy gave her a long look.

"I was in your school not too long ago, and I happened to notice a distinct lack of _Link Summons_ on your course list," Yuya pointed out.

"And do you know how to Link Summon? Sakaki?" snapped the purple-haired boy with a star constellation headband.

"Nope, but neither do you." The three children beside Henrietta bristled while the chairwoman hummed in thought.

" _Clever boy, he knows that Link Summoning isn't easy and he plays to use the fact that there are two Summoning formats our school doesn't have to trip us up with psychological warfare…interesting."_ Henrietta looked him over.

"That is true, as of current we don't not possess Link Summoning, nor your Pendulum Summoning, but once my students defeat you, we will see exactly how long it takes before Pendulum Summoning becomes a wide-spread method, I think it and Link Summoning would go right after Xyz, don't you? Yuya?" the boy glared, a faintly malevolent glint in his eyes.

"Do yourself a favor and take your own advice, don't think any of us are easy to beat," he stated as the chairwoman sighed.

"Well, shall we get on with the festivities? Good, the one facing Yuya from our three courses is…" she looked to the purple-haired boy with a cocky expression.

"Me, I'm Hokuto Shijima from the LDS Xyz Course!" the three children and Gongenzaka looked towards Tate who was typing in the name on his Duel Disk database.

"Found him! Hokuto Shijima from LDS. He won fifty-three of his fifty-eight matches?!" Allie looked at the records.

"He's got a win-ratio of over ninety-percent!" stated Tate.

"And he's already qualified to participate in the Junior Youth Championships!" the three children looked to where Yuya now stood facing his opponent.

"Not only is he a participant this year, but he's a favorite to win!" Allie said in concern.

"Yuya, there's no need to be scared just because he's an _ace or a favorite to win!_ Show them your strength, Yuya!" Shuzo encouraged the boy who nodded to him.

"Yeah!"

 **{One Minute Later….}**

Yuya prepared himself for the Duel, wanting to enjoy himself and entertain the audience; however, he also was well aware that this was a serious Duel and that he needed to take it as such. The boy nodded to himself certain that he could handle the guy he was facing. Hokuto may have high a high winning rate, and he may have been an Xyz user, but that didn't mean he was afraid of him, in fact, Yuya was looking forward to seeing how strong Xyz Monsters really were.

"Our school can handle any situation they come across. Now, go on ahead, choose an Action Field," Henrietta stated as Shuzo looked down at the area below him from the command booth.

"You can handle any situation; you say? Then how 'bout this?! Action field on! The Field Spell, Cosmo Sanctuary, activates!" Shuzo set the stage and looked to Yuya who eyed the celestial field.

"Obtain the power of the stars and fight, Yuya!" he called to his student, who looked as the field continued to expand.

It was a beautiful field, and if Yuya wasn't mistake, he could name about forty of the constellations that were visible within the field itself. However, he had the most distinct feeling that Shuzo – bless him – had chosen a field that would support his opponent a bit more than him. Nonetheless, Yuya suspected that he would be having to put his feline traits to use on this field, especially against an Xyz user. As the field generated, Yoko came into the viewing room, well aware that something was amiss when she felt Yuya's magical aura flaring at the school – being a mother and a witch did have its up sides – and had come to witness what was happening. She was just being filled in by Gongenzaka when she laid eyes upon Henrietta and glowered at her.

" _This bitch is going to be on my_ _ **Too Hex List**_ _for the next century!"_ she thought as Yuya's opponent began laughing.

"What is so funny?" Yuya asked.

"Of all things, you actually selected the one field best suited to me!" Shuzo let out a startled sound as Sora glanced his way in dismay.

"If you took a minute to think about the name _Hokuto_ you'd have figured it out," he mentioned.

Hokuto looked towards his opponent with a faint smile. The boy before him was the creator of the supposedly fascinating Pendulum Summoning method, and was supposed to be a fairly good Duelist; however, to him, he didn't seem like much. Yuya Sakaki only hit at about chest height on him, looked as though he could have been blown away by the wind, had wild, red and green hair, sharp, and rather pretty scarlet red eyes, and looked a bit feminine and was more cute than dangerous. In all, Yuya didn't seem that imposing or threatening, just merely a hot-shot little boy that Hokuto was going to enjoy crushing beneath his feet.

"I'm definitely, gonna win this Duel!" Yuya declared his voice sounding rougher and sharper than normal.

"Oh, really?" Hokuto questioned him.

"Yes! I'll win, and I'll protect You Show Duel School, and my dad's Dueling!" the sixteen-year-old hummed.

"We'll see," he said.

The Duel began and Yoko bit her lip, having not seen Yuya Duel in a while – not since his Duel against Strong Ishijima – and admittedly, she was nervous with how much was on the line here. She knew that Hokuto was underestimating her son, and wasn't expecting the boy to take him seriously; however, she knew that he would learn soon enough that her boy wasn't a push over. But Yuya did have the handicap of his ears and tail. Glancing towards Yuya she only hoped that the Duel wouldn't be a great problem for him.

"We'll never hand over our school to the LDS!" Yuya declared, drawing five cards as Hokuto did the same and laughed while Henrietta hummed.

"How courageous. I wonder how long this enthusiasm will last." Yoko growled as she stood with the others.

"Longer than you think it will. My son isn't weak," she stated clearly as Henrietta looked to her.

"So, your Mrs. Sakaki? Well then, I didn't expect you to be so young! I can see Yuya favors you quite a bit more than his father though…" Yoko narrowed her eyes.

"If you want to insult me and my son, try harder: we've heard worse from far more repulsive hags than you," she snapped.

"Mrs. Sakaki? Are you okay?" Yuzu looked to her and she nodded.

"I'm fine…but I am not about to let that hag have her way," she muttered thinking of all the ways she could jinx or curse the woman next to her.

On the arena, Yuya and Hokuto were preparing to make their first move, Yuya planning on not giving the _invader from mars_ an inch no matter what happened while he was certain Hokuto was going to beat the hell out of him and make him endure quite a bit of punishment for his troubles. Regardless though, Yuya was prepared and determined to not only survive what was thrown at him, but defeat the LDS who threatened his second home.

"I'll go first! I summon Constellar Algiedi! When this card is summoned successfully, I can special summon one level four _Constellar_ Monster from my hand!" Hokuto stated as Yuya braced himself.

" _Right out of the gate, he's gonna aim for an Xyz summoning. I know the basics of it and I know that the monsters have requirements just like Fusions, and Synchros do…. but the monsters have to be the same level in order to build the Overlay Network…"_ Yuya thought hard about what to do as Xyz Summoning could only be stopped by destroying the monsters who were the same level as one another, and that was only if one was lucky enough to not get stopped by a spell or trap.

"So, I special summon Constellar Kaus! Then, I activate Constellar Kaus' effect! Up to twice per turn, I can change the Level of a _Constellar_ Monster by one. For the first use of its effect, I'll raise the Level of Constellar Algiedi by one! And then, I use the second instance of the effect to have Kaus raise his own level by one." Hokuto said with a wicked look on his face while Yuya felt a whirl of panic rise in himself.

"Xyz Summoning…" the purple-haired teenager smirked.

"Right you are… I Overlay my Level Five Constellar Kaus and my Level Five Constellar Algiedi! _Light of the stars, descend now and make the very earth itself tremble! Xyz Summon! The Rank Five Constellar Pleiades!"_ Yuya felt his breath catch a bit as the energy radiated off the Monster.

"So that's….an Xyz Monster," he muttered to himself while he could slightly hear the children discussing the differences in normal monsters and how they had a level, while Xyz Monsters had ranks and that the lights circling the monster were the Overlay Units used to activate the effects of the Monster. Yuya stored that information away, knowing that somehow it would help him later.

"And with that, I end my turn," Hokuto announced as Yuya took in a steadying breath.

" _Yuya Sakaki, if you really are the one behind that sneak attack on Sawatari, I wonder how you'll react to seeing an Xyz Summon…"_ thought Henrietta as Yuya focused on his turn.

"It's my turn! Draw! I use the Scale One Stargazer Magician, and the Scale Eight Timegazer Magician to set the Pendulum Scale!" the two stardust pillars appeared in a gleaming light, brighter than the galaxies around them as the two magicians rose into them and arcane numbers appeared in gold within the pillars.

"Oh…" Hokuto stared a little surprised as an ethereal blue glow appeared within the sky, the pendulum around Yuya's neck glowing as one similar to it began to weave a web of stardust in the sky.

"With this, I can special summon Monsters between Levels two and seven at the same time. _Swing! Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light within the sky! Pendulum Summon! Show yourselves, my Monsters!"_ Yuya rose his hand up, a crystal-like purple-fused portal opening in the center of the stardust web as several multi-colored lights spilled forth.

"Whoa…" muttered one of the others from the LDS.

"First, Performapal Sword Fish! And Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Yuya called as a fish that seemed to be made out of a sword with Elvis hair, glasses, and a bowtie appeared and then next to it the red dragon with heterochromic eyes.

"It's here!" Cheered Allie from the viewing area.

"So, this is Pendulum Summoning!" Henrietta stared, impressed by the power and beauty of the summoning method while within the Field, Hokuto looked highly confused as Yuya kept a keen eye upon him.

"You're not using an Xyz Summon?" Hokuto questioned.

"The one who attacked Sawatari wasn't me! I've never Xyz Summoned in my life!" Yuya kept himself steady while Yuzu thought of his words.

" _I know for a fact that it wasn't Yuya…but I still can't disregard that the two favored each other so much…but doubting Yuya and all of this insanity isn't going to help us…."_ She nodded to herself while Yoko smiled.

"Well, whatever. You're no match for me anyway. Let me be blunt, you will lose! Got it Pendulum freak?" Hokuto jeered as Yuya grumbled, a slightly feline growl leaving him.

"That whole freak bit is really gettin' old! What, did they run out of proper insults at the store or something?" the purple-haired youth glowered.

"You little…" Yuya smirked.

" _Me? Loose? No, no way in hell! I'm going to win!"_ Yuya prepared his next move.

"I activate the effect of my Performapal Sword Fish! Once per turn, I can lower the Attack Points of an opponent's Monster by six-hundred until the turn ends!" multiple versions of the Sword Fish appeared and shot towards Constellar Pleiades, circling it and dropping its twenty-five-hundred Attack Points down to nineteen-hundred.

"YES! With that, Odd-Eyes has the advantage in Attack Points!" stated Gongenzaka while Yuya internally winced as he felt his ears cramping again.

"Battle! I'll have my Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon attack your Pleiades!" Hokuto scoffed.

"Hmph, as expected, this is the best you can offer. I activate the effect of my Constellar Pleiades! By detaching one Overlay Unit, I can return one card on the field to its owner's hand! I target Odd-Eyes!"

In an instant, Pleiades grabbed an Overlay Unit, crushing it within its grasp and Odd-Eyes dispersed in a glittering torrent of golden light. Yuya felt himself begin to freefall, panic rising in him as he turned, landing on a cat like crouch only to bounce a bit too much and roll onto his side. The air flew from his lungs as Yuya started sitting up, pain shooting through his tail and ears as he hoped he didn't break the bones in his tail.

"Yuya!" Yuzu called out to him and he stood, placing a hand to his head in a manner that let Yoko know his ears were hurting badly.

"Every move you make is easy for me to read! What'll you do next?" Hokuto questioned as Yuya's Sword Fish levitated into his grasp which he took instantly.

" _Crap! Sword Fish can't beat his Pleiades. What can I do?"_ Yuya wondered as a series of stars began to fall and one hit the corner of a temple. He began running, hoping to get to the action card before Hokuto could.

"You plan to grab an Action Card?" Yuya kept running, hopping across the open spaces and rushing to get to the card first.

" _There should be an Action Card somewhere around this temple where the shooting star fell…"_ Yuya came to the steps of the temple and instantly he was greeted with a crash as Constellar Pleiades landed before him.

"Dammit," he muttered, pain ebbing through his head again as his ears remained flattened to his head by his goggles. The pain was starting to get to him just like the soreness of his tail was.

"Did you come here looking for _this,_ by any chance?" Hokuto asked as he held up an Action card.

"No way! When did you…." Hokuto smirked.

"This field gives me the home advantage. I've completely memorized where and when the Action Card shooting stars will fall," he explained as Yuya hissed, not caring how it must have sounded as he started running again as another star hit a temple and he kept moving only to have his Sword Fish shout out a loud whoa and come to move in front of him to keep him from being crushed by Constellar Pleiades.

"You see, your efforts are in vain," Hokuto continued, laughing as he did while Yuya snarled.

"Shit…" the purple-haired teenager continued to walk forward while in the viewing room, Gongenzaka, Yoko, Yuzu, Allie, Tate, Frederic, and Sora were on edge.

"Not good. He's able to read every move he makes," Gongenzaka stated.

"He wasn't lying when he said this was home field for him." Up in the control room, Shuzo began to beat himself up for this blunder.

"Yuya! I'm sorry! B-B-But…get yourself fired up! get your blood boiling!" called Shuzo while back on the field Yuya began thinking of what could be done.

The pain in his head and hips from his tail and ears weren't helping him focus, and kept distracting him at the worst points while Hokuto, who hadn't even made an attack, kept dogging him every step he took. Even though it was still his turn, Yuya knew he was in serious trouble and was about to see if his spell had given him cat claws as well or if he wouldn't be as fortunate and might actually lose this Duel. Taking in a deep breath, Yuya tensed against the pain and focused on what was happening.

"Let me remind you, in case you forgot; you instantly forfeit if you don't play a card or make a move for over a minute. Or, if you don't want that, you could end your turn so I can continue the Duel." Yuya hissed again, and held one of his cards up.

"I set one card face-down and end my turn," he stated, trembling a bit as Yoko winced.

" _He's not able to focus…but if he reveals those ears and tail…"_ Yoko bit her lip, thinking about what to do.

"At the same time, Sword Fish's effect ends, which means, my Pleiades' Attack Points return to normal!" Hokuto's monster's attack went back to twenty-five hundred.

" _It seems like you picked the wrong opponent."_ Henrietta thought while Hokuto continued to jab at Yuya's fighting spirit.

"By the way, I've won forty times in a row since I mastered Xyz Summoning. And this'll be my forty-first," Hokuto stated.

"Argh…" another jolt of pain came from Yuya's head as the Xyz user focused on his turn.

My turn! Battle! I'll have my Constellar Pleiades attack your Sword Fish!" Pleiades destroyed the Sword Fish, sending Yuya flying as he bounced upon the ground, the strike knocking the air out of his lungs.

"YUYA!" Yuzu called for him as he hissed, his breath coming back in as short, ragged gasps while Allie covered her eyes and Yoko put a hand to her mouth.

"Man, you're entirely half-baked. Sawatari must've been incompetent to get ambushed by you!" the Xyz user stated.

"That wasn't me! I didn't do it!" Hokuto shrugged.

"Like I care. We'll still beat you guys to a pulp, and then this Duel School will be part of LDS," he said as Yuya felt his magic pulse as his eyes glowed a bit, he grinding his teeth together, his tail bristling under his shirt.

"Like hell! That'll never happen!" the purple-haired invader laughed.

"Then try and stop us. I set one card face-down and end my turn!" Hokuto announced as he followed the action.

" _As long as he has Constellar Pleiades, any powerful Monster I bring out will just be returned to my hand. But, he only has one more Overlay Unit."_

"It's my turn! Draw! Here I go again! _Pendulum Summon! Come forth, my Monsters!"_ Yuya called out as his Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon returned to the field and next to it was Performapal Turn Toad.

Yuya took in a few steadying breaths, his magic rushing over his body in a means to sooth his anxiety as it always did, but between the pain from pinning his ears and tail so long, and the pain of being tossed around so much, Yuya's mind was a bit to hazed for the natural calming effect of his magic to fully work. Yoko noticed this, and she tensed as Sora stepped forward, annoyance on his face.

"Yuya! You need to make this entertainment, it's boring!" Sora stated loudly as Yuya winced and then glared at Hokuto.

"I'm not trying to entertain right now!" he replied sharply.

Yoko found herself in a slight panic as she noticed the slight coldness to the boy's gaze, how his tone was cutting and sharp, and how his behavior was greatly changing into something much more predatory and defensive as opposed to how he normally Dueled. Yuya was an entertainer, just like his father; however, what she as witnessing right then, wasn't Yuya's normal behavior and the thoughts of the form of magic her son had come to mind in a clarity that almost seemed painful right then.

"Yuya…." Gongenzaka muttered as Yuya kept a glare on his features.

"I'm not gonna lose this Duel! No matter what!" he snapped as he saw a star fall and hit another temple.

"Odd-Eyes!" Yuya called to his Dragon and jumped, using the feline agility to his advantage as the Dragon started running towards the area where the star had hit while within the viewing room, several people standing there were becoming unnerved by the normally cheery boy's attitude.

"To see him that serious…." Started Yuzu as Gongenzaka nodded.

"His desire to protect this school might be what's driving him." Yuzu watched as Odd-Eyes rushed and Yuya remained steadfast, prepared to leap off the Dragon's back if needs be to reach the top of the temple while the pink-haired girl found herself internally praying that the boy would be safe and not stay so intense.

" _Yuya….what on earth is happening to you?"_ she thought as on the field Yuya began speaking to Odd-Eyes.

"There's an Action card there! Hurry!" Odd-Eyes roared, and jumped, rushing faster as Yuya held on against the wind.

"I activate Constellar Pleiades' effect! By detaching one of its Overlay Units, I can send Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon back to your hand!" Hokuto interrupted.

Just as they landed atop the temple's roof, Odd-Eyes burst into light and vanished back into its card with a shimmer, returning to Yuya's hand as he started to fall off the top of the building. Yuya screamed in shock as Gongenzaka stared in outrage at Hokuto and his cruel plan to injure Yuya as the boy slid down the side of the building. Having no time to activate his trap card Performapal Revival, he panicked, sliding to fast to work in time. However, in his terrified state, his nails had lengthened, becoming sharper and thicker as he began to cling to the rough surface, noticing that he was slowing as he managed to grab the edge of the temple's roof before he would have plummeted into a decent ten-foot drop.

Having managed to save himself, Yuya scrambled to pull his slight weight back onto the roof, and did so before taking in a deep breath, relieved as he clambered a bit further away from the edge. Pain ebbed up his spine and through his skull once more as he shivered, not liking what was happening at this point. Yuya activated his trap card Performapal Revival, bringing Sword Fish back to the field as he took in a few steady breaths, hoping he could hold out long enough to finish this Duel before having to go and bring some feeling back into his ears. Yoko eyed his crouched state upon the roof as he started up it again until he grabbed the Action Card and then Hokuto activated his own Action Card: Cosmo Arrow. The card destroyed the one Yuya had just managed to get, causing the boy to end his turn as he crouched once more, hoping to relieve some of the pressure upon his hips and spine from his tail.

"You silly twit, you can't beat me here! You aren't fast enough, nor are you smart enough!" Hokuto jabbed as Yoko narrowed her eyes.

" _No choice…this is gonna take some serious explaining…"_ she thought.

"Yuya!" she called as he turned and looked into her eyes.

"Mom?!" Yoko took in a deep breath.

"Take off your goggles, loosen your belt! You don't have to hold back! it's okay!" she called out once more as the others stared at her in massive confusion.

"Mrs. Sakaki, I don't think having him humiliate himself even further is going to – " Yoko shot Henrietta a seething glare.

"My son is not humiliating himself! He is being who he is! If you have a problem with it then stuff it up your ass!" she snapped, Yuzu, Gongenzaka, and Sora working fast to cover the younger children's ears.

"E-Excuse me?!" Yoko looked to her.

"What?! Did you not hear me you daft woman?! I said if you have a problem or opinion about my son or me, or this school! _Shove it up your ass!"_ Yoko bellowed, Shuzo gaping at her as the others turned to see Yuya give his mother a long look before nodding.

"What the hell are you doing?!" asked Hokuto as Yuya crouched, setting his cards down as he undid the notches on his belt and loosened it back to its normal length before reaching up to pull his goggles off his head.

"Yuya?!" the others exclaimed as he took in a deep breath, rubbing his head a bit.

"That feels so much better!" he slid his goggles back on and grabbed his cards before standing at full height again.

The others felt their eyes grow wide, jaws slacked as Yuya shook his head out and two very prominent feline-ears stood straight up while behind him a tail began to flow out behind him as he stretched a bit. Yuzu felt her heart hammering in her chest while the others in the room seemed just as shocked while he stood there, prepared to face the brunt of it while his mother smiled to him, looking at the sight in pride that Yuya did seem a bit anxious, but wasn't letting it show. He was a witch, and though it had been a mistake, his spell had been extremely well done, and he should have been proud of it and who he was regardless of what anyone thought. Yoko took in a deep breath and spoke.

"Do your best Yuya! Aufenthalt fest!" Yoko shouted out to him as he looked in her direction while the others remained shell shocked as Yuzu began to take recognition of what was happening while Yuya leapt down from the top of the building, bounding off a few tall pieces of rubble before landing in a crouch, spooking the daylights out of Hokuto as Henrietta gawked alongside the others while Yoko smiled, glad that Yuya seemed to be able to focus now.

"W-What…." Started Gongenzaka.

"He's a…" Hokuto looked at the boy.

"YOU'RE A CAT?!" Yuya gave him a dull look.

"Actually, the proper term is Nekojin…" he said bluntly.

"W-Wh….no way! No! absolutely not possible!" Yuya glanced towards the others who stared in disbelief as he winked and stared after his mother.

"Ich wird…" he muttered slowly, replying just loud enough for his mother to hear it.

"Right, we'll explain after Yuya wins this Duel." Henrietta looked to her.

"Whether this was some little trick to trip us up, it won't work. My students are –" Yoko tisked.

"Yuya is about to turn this around!" she said.

The next ten minutes consisted of Yuya dodging the attack of the Constellar Pleiades and then having to face the attack of a another one as he went for the offensive using the action card he'd pulled from the rubble as Hokuto's points went down some and then Yuya was hit with damage that dropped him down to four-hundred as Hokuto began to panic and he dodged the attacks again, the rage of comets reigning down and nearly crushing him as he flipped out of the way and landed in a crouch, his tail bristled out as Hokuto ended his turn and Yuya stood straight, ears twitching and electing awes from the children as he laughed and began his turn. Yuya broke his Pendulum Scale, taking Stargazer out of the Scale and then resetting it with Turn Toad, granting him the scale of four through seven before he summoned Stargazer Magician, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, and then Hokuto who activated its effect sent Odd-Eyes back as Yuya tisked.

"That's it for your main star!" stated Hokuto as Yuya shook his head, ears tilting on occasion.

"No, the main star is _immortal!"_ an impish smirk appeared upon Yuya's face.

"What?!" Hokuto asked as Yuya smiled a bit wider, tail starting to twitch a bit in the manner of a cat preparing to pounce as his ears turned to listen and he prepared to explain.

"I activate Stargazer Magician's effect! Once per turn, when a Pendulum Monster leaves my field, I can special summon that Monster again! The stage is all yours Odd-Eyes!" the dragon returned with a mighty thrash of its tail while Yuya smirked once more.

"Yeah! He can defeat Pleiades with Odd-Eyes' damage doubling effect!" started Frederic.

"I. Told. You! Xyz Monsters have _Ranks_ not _Levels!_ And besides, Odd-Eyes only doubles its Battle Damage, not its Attack Points, _"_ Sora pointed out.

"He can't win, then?" the blue-haired boy looked to the field.

"Yuya already told us that the fun part is coming. So, cat-boy is gonna give us a show," Sora stated as on the field Yuya stood between Stargazer Magician and Odd-Eyes Dragon, his ears twitching on occasion, causing Yuzu to smile despite the unnerved feeling she was getting.

"The climax is finally here! I activate Performapal Turn Toad's Pendulum effect! Once per turn, it can switch the Attack and Defense points of one Pendulum Monster on the field! And the one I choose is Stargazer Magician! Which means he has twenty-four-hundred attack points! Then, I activate the Spell Card, _Magical Star Illusion!_ Since I have my Stargazer Magician on the field, until the end of the turn, Monsters both players control gain Attack points equal to the combined Levels of all Monsters that player controls times one-hundred!" Yuya specified loud and clear.

It took the group a minute to gather what had just been said, Allie, Tate, and Frederic caught between what was happening and staring at Yuya's ears and tail while Gongenzaka, Yuzu, Shuzo, Sora, and Yoko were quick to pick it up. The three children suddenly had expressions of realization on their faces as did Hokuto and the others of the LDS.

"The total on Big Brother Yuya's field is…. seven from Odd-Eyes, five from Stargazer, and two from Trampolynx, totaling fourteen! So each of them gains fourteen hundred Attack Points!" Tate explained as on the field Odd-Eyes' attack went up to thirty-nine-hundred, Stargazer's stopped at thirty-eight-hundred, and Trampolynx's came to seventeen-hundred.

"Eh, but the opponent's Monsters' points also increase, right?" Frederic pondered.

"Come…. On!" Sora deadpanned as Yuya grinned while Tate looked to Frederic.

"Oh yeah! Xyz don't have Levels!" Allie cheered at this revelation.

"So, the opponent's Attack Points stay the same!" she stated as on the field Hokuto began to have a nervous breakdown.

"Say what?! There is no way in hell that I am losing to a carnival freak show reject!" he said in disbelief as Yuya laughed just a bit.

"Now! Let us move out! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, attack Constellar Ptolemy M-Seven! _SPIRALING STRIKE BURST!_ " The cosmic dragon shattered, dropping Hokuto's Life Points down to twenty-eight-hundred as he was sent flying.

"Continuing! Stargazer magician attacks Pleiades! _Horoscope Cutter!"_ the warrior was crushed as Hokuto went rolling across the ground while Yuya smiled as the purple-haired invader's Life Points dropped to one-thousand.

"And the final act! Performapal Trampolynx attacks directly!" the trampoline cat bounced rolling Hokuto up and bouncing him out as he whined in dismay.

"My forty-one consecutive wins!" he said as he was shot into the sky as his Life Points hit zero and the field disburst.

"You know what they say! You mess with the cat, _you get the claws!"_ Yuya said, ears twitching as the LDS members gaped while the boy raced over towards the viewing room as the others cheered.

"That's one victory in the bag! Hell yes!" Yoko smiled as Yuya opened the door and the others stared, realizing almost too late that his ears and tail hadn't disappeared with the field. The group glomped the boy, toppling him while Henrietta shot Hokuto a scolding look while he lumbered back in and looked at the red-and-green-haired boy.

"Freaking kiddin' me? What the hell are you?!" he demanded as Yuya sat up, tail laid out beside him as his ears laid back.

"Um…." All eyes went to him as Shuzo stared at the scene, hoping this would go over well.

"Excuse me, but defeated soldiers don't have the right to yap at the champions," Yuzu pointed out, causing Hokuto to flinch, going white and slack-jawed.

"THAT CARNIVAL SIDE-SHOW ATTRACTION DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE CALLED THE WINNER!" Yuya covered his ears.

"Ouch! Jeeze, these are sensitive you know! And I don't know why you're complaining! You lost, that's all that can be said about it! Take a chill-pill would ya _invader zim?!_ Hokuto stared while Yuya chuckled as the boy stared slack-jawed once more and the long-brown-haired, wild-looking youth standing next to the girl looked at their classmate.

"He's got Hokuto seeing stars," he muttered to the girl who sighed.

"You were defeated by the cat-boy, can we leave it at that?" the purple-haired teenager went to a corner to sulk while Yuya stood, stretching as a person who had remained unseen in a corner of the hallway widened his eyes.

" _So, the report was completely true..."_ Yuzu turned on Yuya who smiled sheepishly.

"Talk, now!" she demanded.

"Um…about?" the children and Sora circled him.

"Your ears and tail! How did you do that?" Allie pulled his tail and he let out a very feline-like yelp as it bushed out and he laid his ears back.

"That's attached!" Henrietta looked to the boy.

"Cats are repulsive creatures," she muttered as Yuya looked to her, ears twitching as Yoko went to her son and rubbed his head between his ears, causing him to give a content sigh.

"I find them rather cute. Yuya here is just a little unique is all," Yoko defended as Yuya laid his ears out sideways, tail flickering on occasion from the affectionate rubs.

"What sort of magic is this?" Yuya smiled.

"A magician never reveals his secrets!" Henrietta narrowed her gaze while the others watched Yoko who remained on the ground with her son who never once took his gaze off of the woman.

"Very well…Julia Crystal is up next, Miss Hiiragi? Would you step up to the plate?" she questioned as the girl nodded.

"I will!" Yuya sighed in relief that no one asked any questions and Yoko knew this would either be the moment to reveal the truth, pass it off as normal magician magic, or use a memory lapse charm. She only hoped that the others understood if Yuya dodged their questions, but she wondered how that would work with the looks they were giving him.

 **{…}**

 _I feel it in my veins, it's not going away…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Yuya revealed his cat ears! Dear me! Well, this should be interesting. Hokuto got his tail handed to him, and Yoko chewed out Henrietta, and believe me, I have wished someone would do that to her for a long time. Honestly, I don't hate her, but I'm not fond of her character. Well, we know what happens next, but I don't play on filling the chapter with nothing but Duels as I know those can be boring. Now, Gongenzaka vs. Yaiba – or Kit in the English Dub – is going to be a gloss over because I honestly don't think we need a recap of that Duel, or really Yuya and Reiji's but I will touch upon that briefly.

I just don't think we need to dwell upon it with Yuto, Shay, and our other characters running around, now do we? Besides, I wanna give our two off-worlders a bit more screen time than they got at the start of the anime. Plus, I think Yuya needs some more practice with some things. Well, here we go! Let me know what you think.

Trivia:

Hokuto means _Big Dipper_ in Japanese.

Yoko spoke to Yuya in German during the moment when he revealed his cat ears and tail, and that is the language he replied in.

Aufenthalt fest – Stay steady.

Ich wird – I will.

Invader Zim – Nicktoons cartoon back when they had good shows that were originally theirs.

Purple Invader – Yuya came an inch close to making a One-Eyed, One-Horned flying purple people eater reference, but alas, it just didn't work this time. Maybe later?

Old saying is that if you mess with a cat, you will be scratched, thus, you will get the claws. Yuya had his reference right there, and he took it.


	12. Chapter 12: Clear As Crystal

Chapter 12: Clear as Crystal

"Your tail is real?" asked Allie as Yuya sat down on one of the benches.

"Yes…" Tate eyed him.

"And your ears are too?" he probed.

"Yes…" Frederic frowned.

"But, how? You're not a cat big bro," he said.

"That's kind of hard to explain…" Yuya shot his mother a pleading look and she sighed, knowing that she needed to step in.

"Yuya is a bit different than the rest of you, but this is just part of what makes him special," she stated as Gongenzaka eyed the boy.

"I almost want to say you did magic to cause that…" Yuya went oddly white.

"M-Magic?! I mean, yea! I know stage magic, it's some simple illusion stuff that my dad taught me! Neat huh?" Yoko frowned, knowing they wouldn't buy it.

"Big bro Yuya? Can you do real magic?" asked Allie as Yuya shook his head.

"No, come on Allie! Magic like that doesn't really exist." It pained him to say such words when he knew different, but he also knew he needed to wriggle his way out of this as fast as he could before Yuzu's Duel got under way.

"Right, this is just props and illusions," Yoko filled in.

"But he said that they were attached!" Yuya sighed.

"They are…it's a hair glue on my head and animation tricks that magicians have used for years and the tail is sowed into my clothes with the same animation trick so…if you pull on them it actually can hurt a little bit," he admitted falsely, and judging by the look on the other's faces they didn't quite buy it, but decided not to say anything more.

"Okay! That's pretty neat, but why did you have it on?" Yuya smiled.

"Well, it was so I could practice with them. I thought it would be kinda cool to use it for a Halloween show here to bring people in or to go to the big Halloween Duel event at the stadium! We never go, so I know it's early, but this stuff is kinda hard to get used to so I wanted to be ready!" Julia scoffed.

"I'll grant that you have dedication, but you're also really w _eird._ But, I admire how your eyes shine when you get into action on the Dueling field, and how you have so many young Duelists admiring you…. your eyes brim with light and warmth, it's a good sign of a confident Duelist," she said as she walked onto the field.

"Knock her dead Yuzu…" the pink-haired girl looked to Yuya and nodded.

"I will!" she waved to him and went into the arena and not moments later the field was generated.

It was a crystal hall that for some reason struck a chord of familiarity within Yuya, who had never seen this Field before. Yoko stood next to him, his tail flickering on occasion alongside his ears that turned this way and that whenever someone made a noise that caught his attention. Having the hearing of a cat was both a blessing and a curse; however, Yuya had always had exceptionally good hearing, therefore, it didn't bother him nearly as much. Nonetheless, as he watched Yuzu and Julia begin their Duel, he got a distinctly bad feeling and it was proven right in a matter of moments when Julia revealed herself to be a Fusion Summoner.

Seconds ticked by as she completed her summoning and out came a gigantic, armor and crystal clad monster known only as Gem-Knight Master Diamond. Yuzu's Duel was over in a flash after a series of sharp jabs towards her that caused Yuya to bristle while Julia merely mocked her, stating that her eyes held no light or warmth in them and comparing her to jewels that she'd seen due to her father's profession. Yuya growled deep within his chest, the sound not seeming possible for a human as he kept a stern look upon the Indian girl who tossed her hair over her shoulder, an arrogant expression upon her face as Yuzu had dove for an Action card only to find out that it was behind her.

"Tricked by an illusion in the crystal, have your eyes gotten that cloudy?" she asked as she blasted Yuzu with severe damage, resulting in a loss. Yuya tensed as Yuzu stayed where she was and he ran into the room.

The Duel had ended so suddenly that it had sent her reeling as the field disappeared and tears began to sting her eyes. She felt horribly weak after having witnessed Yuya's Duel and his determination to win no matter what came his way, she had thought she was invigorated, and more than capable of handling her opponent; however, she had been severally mistaken. Julia had seen right through her and that her heart was wavering as she thought about Yuya and what was happening around him, the secrets he kept, and the strange boy who favored him so much. Without question, her heart was wavering on how much trust she could put into her childhood friend, wondering why she was questioning the things he told her after all that had happened, but she didn't have an answer.

"Yuzu!" periwinkle eyes looked up into familiar scarlet ones as Yuya leaned over her and she blinked a few times, the sudden blast having knocked her half-senseless.

"Yu… ya?" he nodded reaching out for her only for Yuzu to shy away.

"You aren't hurt, are you?" he asked in concern as she sat up slowly.

"N-No…" Yuzu stood in a steady pace, not wanting to push herself as the boy stood with her.

"I'm glad, I –" she lost her footing, feeling weak as he managed to catch her just in time as she fell against him, her face rested against his chest where she could hear his heart hammering in clear anxiety.

"Hmm…" she winced, feeling aches and bruises develop on her as he put his arms around her waist.

"Hey, you okay?" he questioned as she reached up and placed her arm upon his shoulder while she rested against him for a moment, taking in the warmth he had and the scent of oranges and cinnamon, the scent she associated with him the most.

" _What am I doing? Yuya's here right now…. like he's always been… this is his warmth, his scent, and he's still the same… nothing that he does is going to change that… even that boy who looks like him… yet some part of me chose to not believe the words he said right in front of me…. I'm so stupid, he isn't the kind of person who would attack people, he isn't an Xyz users, and even if he's not ready to tell me anything…. I need to believe in him…"_ she thought as she closed her eyes a bit, enjoying the closeness and comfort that being held in his arms seemed to always bring as she placed a hand over his heart, feeling it beat in a steady rhythm under her finger tips.

"I certainly didn't expect to see _that._ I gotta admit, you suck as a Duelist, but at least you have good taste in cute boys," Julia mentioned with her arms crossed.

In that instance, Yuzu leaned up and looked at Yuya who stared back at her in confusion, his arms dropping from her waist as he gave her an unsure expression as her face went impossibly red – rivaling Yuya's hair at that point – and shoved him back with a yelp. Yuya crashed to the ground, hissing and rubbing where the joint of his tail was in fait pain as it puffed out and Yuzu stared at it while his ears laid flat.

"What the heck was that for?!" he asked in defense while he continued to rub the sore spot on his backside.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Yuzu apologized, feeling horrible about the sudden action.

"if you're just gonna apologize, don't go pushing me in the first place," he stated as she stared at him, one of his eyes were closed, a blush clear on his face as he looked to her, his ears still lying flat upon his head.

" _Great, I'm being a jerk to the one person who came and comforted me…"_ she thought in dismay as Yuya looked to her once more as he stood straight.

"Um…. it was such an important Duel, yet I… I…." she started to choke up again, tears threatening to spill over as Yuya came to her and placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder.

"Don't let it get you so down. We just gotta win next time," he assured her as she stared.

"Yuya…." He smiled.

"We can do this," he told her, reaching down and taking her hand.

" _Just gotta win next time?_ Please, as if!" the two looked towards the rough-and-tumble kid with a bamboo sword, a fang present just outside of his mouth, long, wild brown hair, and sharp animal-like eyes.

" _It's a fucking werewolf, just great…."_ Yuya thought as he saw his mother give him a look that told him she heard his thoughts despite his efforts.

"What?" scarlet met amber.

"Nothing, it's just that it's quite the carefree thing to say," the boy stated, his laid-black clothing and beaten up white vest matching well with his rather wild appearance.

"I'm Yaiba Toudou from the LDS Synchro Course. Now, which one of you's my opponent?"

"Sora is supposed to go next," stated Allie as the blue-haired boy hummed.

"I'm really not feelin' this anymore. Those LDS dummies are just boring…" Allie fumed.

"You're backing out now!" Yuya walked in with Yuzu, his hand still gently wrapped around hers as Yaiba laughed.

"Then I guess you're just shit outta luck!" Yaiba stated as a crashing sound came from behind him. For just a second, Yaiba thought about what his friends had shown him earlier that day, some video game that a You Tuber had played while freaking out. The animatronics were terrifying, creepy and extremely loud and for a split moment, he thought that maybe something was behind him. Amber eyes looked up – way up – into dark brown ones as one Noburou Gongenzaka stood before him glaring down in a manner that made Yaiba step back.

"I will be your opponent in his stead," the giant stated causing Yaiba to gawk momentarily.

" _Okay not a Five-Nights at whatever's thingy, but he's definite huge enough! What do they feed this guy? Miracle Grow?"_ he thought while he glanced to Yuya whose ears laid flat against his head in warning.

"I'm counting on you, Gongenzaka. Being my best friend and all, I feel reassured leaving this match to you." The giant of a teenager felt his eyes water as he looked at the smile upon his friend's face.

"Just leave this to me! Betting the good name of the Steadfast Dueling we teach at the Gongenzaka Dojo, I will definitely win!" flames seemed to erupt from the teenager as Yuya nodded while Yuzu looked to him, staying close to his side.

"Are ya gonna keep me waiting? Or are ya gonna Duel me?" Yaiba asked.

"Bring it on!"

Shuzo eyed Yuya and Yuzu for a moment as the Duelists got themselves ready for their match. He had honestly hoped for years now, after having watched Yuya grow up alongside his daughter, that the two of them would realize how they felt about one another. To him and Yoko – as well as many others – it was clear that Yuzu had very deep feelings towards the spirited boy, and that Yuya felt the same way about her; however, due to their youth, both he and Yoko had assumed that they weren't sure how to tell one another. Given time though, they both felt the truth would come out. Humming in thought and glancing occasionally at Yuya's ears as they twitched or tilted one way or the other he considered the best field carefully for the Duel between Yaiba and Gongenzaka.

"Very well, but if you think I'm like those well-mannered chumps from before, you're mistaken. You see, unlike them: _I'm actually strong_ ," Yaiba stated while Yuya pinned his ears back again, not liking what his instincts told him about the wild brunette as he stood near Hokuto and Julia.

"Listen to that Yaiba! He's talking like we're weak or something!" Hokuto's statement had Yuya wanting to make a jab, but Julia beat him to it.

"It certainly pisses _me_ off. But a loser like you can't really complain about being called that, right?" she asked as Hokuto gave a similar deadpan reaction, his jaw slacking and going strangely white before going into a corner to sulk while the others looked at him in questioning.

"Ah don't get yourself in a bad state Invader Zim, it could be worse! You could have lost to someone younger than you!" Yuya called to him and Hokuto revitalized.

"IT'S NOT INVANDER ZIM! IT'S HOKUTO! HOKUTO SHIJIMA! YOU CARNIVAL FREAK!" he shouted as Julia looked to Yuya then to Hokuto.

"Oh, but Hokuto? He's wrong about one thing," Julia said as the purple-haired Xyzs user looked to her.

"What?" she eyed him.

"You _did_ lose to someone younger than you. Sakaki's _fourteen,_ " she stated as Hokuto went blanch-toned again and went back to his sulking corner while she watched him in dismay and questioning.

Yuzu laughed just a fraction while Yuya joined in as well. After a few seconds the Action Field, Cemetery of Swords came into form and once again, Yuya felt something familiar about the field, just as he had with the Crystal Corridor and admittedly, the Cosmic Temples. It wasn't as though he'd seen the fields before – because he hadn't – but something about them reminded him of real places he'd felt as though he'd seen at least once before somewhere. Shrugging to himself he started to watch the Duel not realizing that Yuzu was once again watching him closely.

Periwinkle eyes glanced over the boy next to her as she thought about Yuya's strange behavior and then the appearance of the ears and tail told her something else was going on and she desperately wanted to know what was happening to her childhood friend. Yuya meant the world to her, and she wasn't prepared to let him slip by on something that could be hurting him, but somehow she felt that Yuya would ignore her questions or dodge them, never relenting in answering them as much as she would try to get them. Sighing, the pink-haired girl reached over and up slightly before grabbing one of his ears before rubbing the one she'd grabbed, the boy whined a bit, tilting his head a fraction as Yuzu stared in surprise as she realized that the objects were not animatronic attachments, but were warm, and she could feel a pulse in them.

" _They're real! Oh my god! They're real!"_ she thought as shock overcame her and she paused in her actions before returning to them as Yuya continued to let her rub his ear, a content expression on his face.

Without question, he was behaving like a satisfied cat at this point, which Yuzu knew would make sense seeing as he had legitimate cat ears and his tail was probably the same. Yuzu eyed the tail as he swayed it near her and as Yaiba Synchro Summoned – startling the children who'd never seen a Synchro Summon before – X-Saber Gottoms to the field and Gongenzaka prepared his defenses she reached for his tail and grabbed it, tugging a bit as Yuya jolted and let out a very feline-like yowl of surprise as he looked to Yuzu, his tail flickering in agitation as Sora laughed and Yuya gave her an annoyed look.

"As I've said…that's attached! Come on Yuzu!" he whined, ears pinning back as she heard Yoko giggle a bit.

"Yuya, it seems you're going to have to deal with a girl thinking it's cute. Personally, I think you look rather adorable with cat ears and a tail…" the boy seemed to mewl in distaste.

"No! I am not cute!" Julia laughed just a fraction at the petite boy's response while Yuzu messed with Yuya's ears again and he purred a bit causing Yuzu to giggle as he shot her a deadpan expression.

"You may not think it, but that was kinda cute," she stated as he swatted her hand away.

"Focus on the Duel Yuzu!"

The girl sighed and did so, leaving his ears alone before she reached out and took his hand again, intertwining their fingers as the Duel took a turn for the worst towards Gongenzaka. Yuya responded, assuring her with words as well as a slight squeeze to her hand as he told them that Gongenzaka would be fine because he believed in his style of Dueling.

However, as the Duel wound down, it started to seem hopeless until at long last, it ended in a draw. Needless to say, everyone in there – including the LDS members – were in a state of shock while Yuya kept an assured expression as Gongenzaka walked towards the exit, his gaze steady as he entered the room and Yuya went to him, letting go of Yuzu's hand as she stared after him while the two conversed, speaking and assuring one another that nothing was wrong with the tie while Yuzu stared back at her hand.

" _Why is it that every time I get scared, he automatically knows to hold my hand? Every time he does, all my fears just slip away like it's natural…. it's warm, like him, and gentle, it makes me feel safe, just to be by his side…"_ she thought as Henrietta stepped forward.

"The game is at one loss, one win, and one tie. Let's just call it off," stated Yoko.

"No, we'll go into overtime. Julia will face Yuya in a Duel, is that alright?" the blonde-haired woman shot Henrietta a vile look.

"Absolutely not! I don't care who you think you are! But you didn't win or lose, so I suggest you get lost!" Yoko snapped.

"Really? Have you forgotten that your son is being accused of assaulting someone? That this Duel is about settling a score? Your son attacked one of our students and something must be done!" Yuya pulled his goggles down over his eyes, ears lying flat against his head while Gongenzaka stood just behind him, recovering from his Duel as Yuya kept his gaze down, his hands in his pockets.

"Yuya? Assault someone? That's absurd! Yuya would never do something like that! it's against our practices and beliefs!" Yoko bellowed, enraged that someone would even consider labeling her son as someone so violent. It went against the practices and foundations of being who they were as in their beliefs they were to never harm anyone unless harm was to be brought upon themselves, and only then could they fight back.

"Practices?" muttered Gongenzaka as he glanced towards the boy just in front of him.

"Beliefs? What is she talking about?" questioned Tate as Yuzu gave Yuya a confused and concerned look.

"Yuya…" she stared but Henrietta cut her off.

"And what would those practices and beliefs be _, exactly_ , Mrs. Sakaki?" asked Henrietta.

"Do I need to explain our religious beliefs to you?" the woman scoffed.

"I would hardly call what you _practice_ a religion," she said pointedly.

"How dare you! Just because you may not believe the same thing does not give you the right to slander what we choose to believe in!" Shuzo ground his teeth together as he watched the interaction from the control booth, not liking where this was going.

"I think that's enough…" the group turned to look at a person who stepped forward as he removed the hood from his head and cast a violet glance towards Yuya who glowered at him.

"Reiji! What on earth are you doing here?" asked Henrietta.

"I came to see what all the fuss was about, and to be honest, I don't believe that this was necessary. As I said, the details are quite astounding, but I highly doubt that Yuya Sakaki would attack someone without good reason…" the others gaped at the young man.

"Who are you?!" the silver-haired teenager ignored the questioning as he looked to Yuya fully.

"As Mrs. Sakaki just stated, it is against her and her son's practices and beliefs to assault someone without being given a reason to fight back. Am I mistaken on this account ma'am?" he questioned as he looked to Yoko who shook her head.

"No, you aren't…" she didn't like this situation one bit, but at the same time, she had a feeling that this Reiji person wasn't exactly their enemy.

"Why are you here?" Yuya asked sharply.

"To clear the air with you, Yuya Sakaki. This has been a very troubling day, and I know that this must have you in quite the state…but, if my mother is so intent to try and have you out then, will you grant me the privilege of having a Duel with you?" scarlet eyes narrowed from beneath the goggles he wore.

"Privilege? Why would you consider that a privilege? I thought the LDS looked down on other Duelists who weren't part of their little _organization_ ," Yuya stated curtly, surprising the others a bit as Yoko kept a glare upon Henrietta.

"Many do, but I see true worth in many people who have elected not to join our school. Such as yourself, the creator of Pendulum Summoning…you hold an incredible amount of worth in my eyes." Scarlet met amethyst and Yuya ground his teeth together.

"I'm not some kind of prize or trophy. If you think for a second that I'll willingly become a member of the LDS and let you have the school my father founded, you've got another thing coming!" he snapped as Reiji eyed him.

Yuya was very different than what he would have first thought from his pictures. Yes, he was a spirited and rather mouthy youth – which Reiji anticipated – but he also was far smaller, and petite than he would have guessed. However, due to the research and information his people had gathered, Reiji Akaba knew very well that judging the boy by his appearance alone would be a terrible farce on his part. Sylvio and Hokuto had already made that blunder, and he did not intend to make the same mistake as they had. Nonetheless, he had no interest in taking the school from these students, nor pinning blame upon Yuya when it was apparent that the boy had never Xyz Summoned, otherwise, he wouldn't have been as shocked as he was by seeing Hokuto do so.

"I have no interest in taking the school from you or the others, and I am well aware that you are not a trophy. However, I would like you to teach people how to use your Pendulum Summoning method. My mother proposed an idea of acquiring it to teach in all of our institutions, but I believe a smaller scale would be best to begin with…if you would be willing," Reiji stated.

"Willing?" he nodded.

"Duel me, and if you lose, all I ask is that you consider perfecting the Pendulum Summoning method, and then come to teach other students at our school. I have no desire to take it from you…I will use it and distribute Pendulum Cards across the world, but first, I wish to see what you will do with it," he said, choosing to be honest with the boy.

"And if I win?" Reiji looked him over.

"Pendulum Summoning will eventually be picked up across the world, Yuya….but if you win, we will leave you and the school alone…but need I remind you, your method is an incredible asset to the Dueling World, so if you would do me the honor of Dueling against you, I would greatly appreciate it," he explained as Yuya tensed.

"Fine, you're on!"

 **{Sakaki Household: June 17** **th** **2014, 9:15am}**

" _I've realized that Pendulum Summoning is still incomplete! There is so much more that can be utilized within this method! I have seen what lies beyond the Pendulum!"_ Yuya growled in distaste at the memory.

Not even twenty-four hours after Reiji Akaba had walked into the You Show Duel School spouting poppets and challenging Yuya to a Duel, the memory of the sudden departure of the silver-haired Duelist not long after this statement left a bitter taste in Yuya's mouth. Without question, Yuya was facing an almost impossible challenge from the man, and his mother had assumed that because Reiji had Pendulum Summoned that Yuya was useless to them. As much as he had tried to not let that get to him, he couldn't shake the feeling that the statement had inflicted upon him.

His tail flickered behind him, his mind hazed over as he stayed out of school once again, not willing to go and Yoko not having the heart to make him do it as he sat at the kitchen table, doing his homework while his mother finished getting off the phone with the principle of the school, saying that she was keeping Yuya home for the day for his mental health, the man on the phone told her it was fine and that he would see to it that Yuzu received extra copies of homework for Yuya. Yoko hung up the phone and looked at the boy as he seemed to doodle on a spare piece of paper, completely zoned out as he did so while the woman sighed in defeat and sat down a plate of pancakes with maple syrup and then a plate with bacon and eggs on it. Scarlet eyes, dull and hazy never once looked up as she frowned once again.

"Yuya? You need to eat something," Yoko stated.

"Yea…." The woman sighed.

"Listen, just because that guy managed a Pendulum Summon with his own cards, doesn't mean you need to get bent out of shape over it. I don't think Shuzo's tactics were very smart though, you opened up a bit after them, but now…" the boy looked down, his hand pausing in his rough sketch of a diamond with ornate scroll work on it.

"What got me wasn't that he just Pendulum Summoned…. it's that he saw something beyond them that I haven't figured out and I can't pinpoint it," he answered.

"Personally, I think you're just in shock over the situation. I mean, you weren't expecting it and I understand that it can be a bit of a system shock to have something like that thrown in your face." Yoko didn't receive an answer.

"I guess…" the boy went back to doodling.

Yoko knew he wasn't going to answer her anymore and she let the conversation die as the boy finished his homework and started reading the grimoire for his magic studies after placing all of his regular school work over into a pile and then into a folder to keep it separate from his magic notes. His mind was in a daze, she knew that much, and while she wanted to talk to him and assure him that it would be okay: she couldn't do it. Yuya had ended up having the rug pulled out from under his feet just yesterday afternoon, and while he had been doing a good job of keeping his head above the water when it came to his depression, this had set him back quite a bit. Yoko frowned as Yuya continued with his reading, occasionally taking notes before giving out a small sigh as he heard his phone ring and it showed that it was Yuzu calling, but he never answered, only letting it ring as he ignored it. Yoko winced, and then went over to the boy and snatched the book out of his hands, scarlet eyes looked to her.

"Eat, then take a break. How about seeing if you can do some hacking for me?" the boy rose an eyebrow.

"What? But I thought that…" Yoko smiled.

"I need you to see what the Leo Corp is planning on doing about the Duel School. They may still try and start something behind our backs. Can you do some digging for us?" Yuya gave her a long look.

"You're asking me to hack the mainframe computer system for the Leo Corporation? But I thought you didn't want me hacking?" Yoko shrugged.

"Oh? Did I say that? Silly me, I must have forgotten. I guess you shouldn't do it, but don't forget your _research homework_ that Shuzo assigned you on Dueling formats and history," she stated with a wink.

"Mom…." Yoko pushed the food forward, having heated it up before giving it to the boy again.

"Just don't get caught, okay Phantom?" a small smirk came to Yuya's features.

"Roger that..."

Roughly half an hour later, Yuya was sitting at his desk with the laptop on as he began running a series of programs as he typed away on the keyboards, examining the data that was pouring in as he checked into a few details. He was running a check through the systems of the LDS and the Leo Corporation in general to find out if the Duel School showed up in their records and what was connected to it. It was a simple word search system, and only brought up details where the school's name was involved and anything connected to it, therefore, he wouldn't end up with a series of unrelated topics were similar lettering or words were in the information.

Yuya narrowed his eyes a bit, stretching in his chair as he fixed his glasses and looked towards the first bit of information that showed up within the system set. Taking in a deep breath, he began scanning through the information, frowning as he read through data that was very basic and didn't seem to hold any significant details. He continued to check through the information and then looked at the next set that came through, instantly seeing something strange in the data.

His name came up several times, and while he knew that Reiji Akaba seemed to have a strangely keen interest in him, he didn't understand why there seemed to be details about him showing up every few moments. Curious, Yuya opened another system check and typed in his own name, preparing to see nothing more than his Dueling records come up. Then, a green icon came up and he clicked it, instantly receiving information and his eyes slowly grew wider until he stood straight up from his chair, startled by what he was seeing as his gaze settled on the information and his heart hammered in his chest.

"They know…. how did they find out? I know the ears and tail are kind of a dead giveaway, but we were able to bypass that answer this time! I just… how did they find out?! How did they learn that I'm a witch?!" he asked himself, a tiny Odd-Eyes curled up on his bed with Momoncarpet as he looked around his room, considering what he was going to do now that the information was in the database and undoubtedly, Reiji Akaba knew every bit of it.

It was a terrifying thought that someone as powerful as Leo Corporation knew about witches living in their city. Yuya and his mother has worked tirelessly to keep people from learning what they were, and even after the others had seen his ears and tail, they had elected to keep things on a lower scale and use a memory replacement charm on those there to sway their memories a fraction to where they wouldn't exactly remember them, but Yuya knew that memory charms didn't last very long and the second something else came up to where his magic was involved, they would recall every single detail. However, his concerns turned from his friends, to Reiji Akaba and the dangers involved with someone so powerful knowing that he was a witch. Pendulum Summoning had been created through his own magic, strengthened by his will to continue fighting, touching and weaving together with the heart of the cards, it gave him something incredible, and already, Yuya knew there were people trying to abuse it. Taking in a deep breath, Yuya walked over to his window, moving to lean against it as his head began to throb.

" _I've always been taught that the heart of the cards is a powerful thing that genuinely strong Duelists can call upon, but…. Pendulum Summoning is something that it and my own magic granted me…it's a power that I've not learned all the ins and outs of yet, and am still trying to perfect…."_ Yuya sighed once more, letting the cool glass ease the pain in his head.

"And yet…. people are going to try and take it for themselves and abuse the power it grants a Duelist… right now, it probably is too early to tell what Reiji Akaba is planning on doing if he creates Pendulum Cards in mass production….but I know for a fact that I have got to hone it, go above it and show them that there is more to it than just mass summons…" he muttered to himself before closing his eyes while on his computer, more information was coming up through his search and one detail came up through information that was present and it related to his third search that he'd started when he'd begun his hacking program: the attack. Instantly another series or records came up that detailed the events and the computer, programed to do so, promptly sent the information into a flash drive plugged into the computer. Yuya would look at the data later, right now, he needed to erase this mess from his mind.

 **{…}**

 _Everything's about to change…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Did I have to skip those other Duels? Not really, but I felt as though they were taking far too long, and were starting to clog up the story. Just because this is a rewrite of the Arc-V series, doesn't mean that it has to have every single detail to the finest point or for that matter, show everything that happened. I also wanted to focus on the differences in the plot more so than just Duels. But there will be Duels coming as we are entering the warm up for the Championships and the other events, so here we go!

Let me know what you think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Julia Crystal is Masumi Koutsu in the Arc-V Japanese version.

People do still discriminate against witches in this world, and in some parts of the world, certain religions aren't acknowledged. Being a witch or wiccan wasn't acknowledged by the US military until the mid-2000s and is still very rarely noted by them.

In the LDS vs. You Show Duels every single Field chosen was based upon the names of the LDS students – both Japanese and English – however, the Athletic Circus which is Yuya's favorite field is the only one that was chosen to suit a You Show student.

Markiplier was referenced in this chapter.


	13. Chapter 13: Warrior Code

Chapter 13: Warrior Code

 **{Streets of Maiami: June 20** **th** **, 2014, 6:50pm}  
** Shay looked around the street as he started walking, minding his own business for the most part while he searched for Yuto. They had been split up for several days now, and he was beginning to worry for his petite friend. They were in a Dimension opposite of their own, had no idea how things worked here, and were unable to find any information thus far about Ruri, his little sister. It was little questioning that the Leo Duel School had something to do with the entire mess that had become his and Yuto's home Dimension; however, how they were all connected, Shay wasn't quite sure. Taking in a deep breath he glanced to the left and saw a certain someone leaning against the edge of an ally way and headed over, being thankful that people were too busy with themselves to pay attention to them.

"Yuto!" Shay called to him and the boy's sharp gray eyes looked to him in relief.

"I was wondering where you were! Have you found anything?" the dark-blue haired teenager shook his head.

"No, I'm afraid not. What about you?" he questioned as Yuto glanced down.

"For a moment, I thought I had, but…it turned out to be someone who just favored her…" Shay looked down as well, hearing the resentment in his tone.

"It's not your fault Yuto. We'll get Ruri back, and we'll beat the hell out of Academia… and then, once this is all over, the two of you can get married," Shay said, hoping to lighten the mood as his best friend gave him a scathing look completed with a deep blush.

"Shay! Ruri and I might be dating, but we're too young to get married!" the boy looked indignant about his statement and Shay laughed a fraction.

"Come on now, I think you two know it'll happen eventually. Anyways, it's good to see you not looking so grave constantly. I kinda missed my friend's smile," Shay stated as Yuto grumbled under his breath, looking down as he thought about Ruri and the last time he'd seen her.

"I miss her…" the dark-blue-haired sixteen-year-old looked his friend over and took in a deep breath.

"Yea, I do to. But, Yuto? Did something happen? You look really worried about something," Shay pointed out as the other shook his head.

"No, I just want to find her… I don't want anything to happen to Ruri Shay, I love her…" the other smiled at the statement.

"I know you do, that's why I was okay with you dating my little sister. Anyways, let's keep looking, okay?" Yuto nodded and followed his friend.

His mind kept returning towards the pink-haired girl named Yuzu who was present that night he'd interrogated one of the LDS members, and how she had mistaken him for her friend Yuya Sakaki who appeared to favor him quite a bit. The fact that two people were wandering around with his and his girlfriend's faces spooked him a bit, and that took quite a bit to do seeing as he was a Phantasmal Imp and he didn't spook easily. Yuzu was a nice girl, and reminded him quite a bit of Ruri, but there were differences in them that went beyond just hair or eye color, let alone their voices.

They felt different, and it was something that caused him to wonder how they were different. To him, Ruri felt like the setting sun, brilliant in shades of blood reds, pinks, purples, and startling oranges that made him feel at peace and comfortable with his life even when everything around him was falling apart. Yuzu felt like the sunrise, bright, outreaching, and ethereal, much like the boy she mistook him for. They both felt like the sun when it was rising, almost blaring and startlingly beautiful but something soft yet terrifying in an unexplainable way. Yuto sighed, looking down to his pendulum crystal as it swayed to and fro on the black chain it was held on with.

According to Yuzu's behavior, he and Yuya favored as much as she and Ruri did, and while it shouldn't have caused him this much concern: it did. What did all this mean? And why was this happening now? Why was it that Ruri was taken? And why had they both felt the need to go to the Standard Dimension? Shaking his head, a bit, Yuto continued walking, hoping to sort the disaster out before too long.

" _So…Yuya and I are… alike? Just as Ruri and Yuzu are? This is so confusing… what am I going to do?"_ the pendulum crystal swung in a fierce manner, startling him as it glowed faintly, and he winced, feeling a sharp stab in his chest as he thought about the boy that he'd glimpsed a few moments of during his stake out of the You Show Duel School.

"Yuto? Hey! Are you alright?" Shay asked as he went to his friend who was nearly doubled over at this point.

"I-I think… so… I… my chest started… hurting all of the sudden." The older teenager looked him over for injuries and then wrapped an arm around the other's waist before walking with him.

"Come on, let me help you. I've got a hideout set up near the harbor, you can rest there," Shay told the other as he saw the boy nearly double over in pain, clutching at the area of his heart as his vision began to swim between clarity and darkness.

"Dammit…" Yuto hissed between clenched teeth as he felt his heart hammering his chest as if he was afraid while the pendulum crystal glowed dimly, pulsing like a heartbeat of its own. Shay glanced down and looked at the pendant as it swung in a circle slowly, almost looking menacing in the way it moved and gleamed.

"Yuto, what the hell is going on?" he asked as the boy went to his knees, nearly being sick with how much pressure seemed to be rushing through his body. It felt as though something was squeezing his heart, choking the air from his lungs, and rendering his body useless as his natural inherited instincts started to take over, turning his nails black and making them extend a fraction while an evident point appeared to his ears and the sclera of his left eye turned black as the iris went celeste-blue and his pupil slitted.

"S-Shay…. g-get me… out of… here…" Yuto managed to get the words out as the other nodded and went to pick the boy up into his arms, not caring if the other found it awkward or protested as he did so and rushed towards the docks, Yuto keeping his eyes closed as he tried to reign in what was happening.

Only a handful of times had Shay or any of the others seen what his heritage caused him to look like. The first time anyone had seen his Phantasmal-Imp appearances show through was when he'd become enraged by the actions of Academia and lost control, which resulted in his current traits coming through to the point that there was no hiding it. In addition to his blackened, sharpened nails, pointed ears, mismatched eyes, and fanged eye-teeth, he could grow bat-like wings that at first terrified people because no one knew that he was anything but human, and if the other changes confused and petrified people, his wings did nothing to help it. At current, he was hoping that his wings wouldn't appear because they were not entirely small – but they wouldn't be what he would call large either – and it would cause Shay trouble in trying to carry him seeing as he was too weak to walk.

Yuto kept his eyes closed, trying to keep himself in check as they entered the hideout that Shay had managed to make up for them and instantly deposited the fourteen-year-old onto the sofa that had been dragged in there before the boy shot up as if someone had shocked him. Shay stood back, keeping his distances as his friend tossed his cloak and scarf aside, revealing that his wings had indeed materialized at last. They were black, with deep purple ends that faded from the blackness of the rest of them and if opened would come to about Yuto's elbows before stopping. The sight always unsettled Shay and the others when the saw them, but seeing the other turning strangely white, his eyes snapped shut, and a cold sweat having broken out on him told the elder teenager that something was gravely wrong.

"Yuto? What's happening? Hey! Yuto!" Shay spoke to him, approaching as the other shook his head.

"Don't come over here… I'm not in control of my magic right now… I might hurt you…" Shay paused where he was, understanding the warning clearly.

"Your magic? Is that what's doing this?" he asked.

"I-I think it is…. I'm a half-blood so… if my magic is maturing, I wouldn't be surprised… remember… my dad was the creature, but…. my… mom was…." Shay leveled his gaze upon the other.

"A witch… and that means you're…" he nodded.

"It's settling… but my inhuman blood is not taking it well… I feel like I have a Kaito verses Yuma Duel in my head right now…" Shay chuckled at his friend's sordid attempt to make light of the situation.

"How long are you gonna be like that? if you look like some kind of demon you won't be able to get anything done without freaking the locals out," he stated as Yuto bit his lip at the corner, almost drawing blood.

"I'll have to stay here a few days… until it wears down and I'm able to recover my energy. Sorry, but you'll have to…" the boy hissed, flinching as he felt his wings twitch, snapping shut behind his back as he growled in pain.

"I can handle searching alone for a few days. Don't worry about me, okay?" Shay asked as he kept his distance, but carried on the conversation.

"Okay… I c-can't… "Yuto ceased speaking at this point as he swayed, and Shay rushed over, catching him before he could fall to the floor.

"Yuto? Hey! Are you alright? Yuto! Wake up!" he shook the boy a bit and immediately felt of the other's pulse, sighing in relief only when he felt it beating strong against his fingertips. He'd only lost consciousness due to the physical strain, and knowing that, Shay felt a bit more at ease when he laid the boy down and used the other's cloak to cover him up before leaning against the pillar across from the sofa.

"Sleep well, Nakama."

 **{Sakaki Household: June 21** **st** **, 2014, 9:10am}**

The faint clack of fingers speeding across the keyboard of a computer echoed in the otherwise silent room of one Yuya Sakaki as he typed away and set up parameters on a few databases he was currently hacking into. Recently, there had been an attack on a Leo Duel School lecturer by the name of Marco and said lecturer had gone missing shortly after the flare of Xyz energy had been detected. Scarlet eyes peered over the top of the crimson-oval shaped glasses that Yuya was wearing as he ran his tongue over his lips for a second before he narrowed his gaze just a fraction as he clicked two keys and sighed.

"Done, and done…" he said as he leaned back in his chair, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon raising its head just a fraction before Momoncarpet stretched out like a cat sun bathing in his window before going back to sleep.

"Nice to see someone got some sleep last night," Yuya muttered to his two Duel Spirits as he stretched and yawned himself before looking at the clock. It was a weekend, he had no homework to do, and he had elected to stay home from the Duel School today considering he had a distinct lack of sleep the night before while hacking through the Leo Corp main computer.

Standing with a few cracks as he stretched again, Yuya removed his glasses, setting them down on the desk neatly before leaving the computer to work through the series of set ups he'd done to gather any information on attacks such as the one that he'd been accused of and the one of Professor Marco. Meanwhile, he intended to sleep as long as he could and try to take his mind off of all the strangeness happening around him as of late. Sighing, the fourteen-year-old flopped onto his bed, bouncing Odd-Eyes a bit as it cawed at him before crawling close as it managed to crawl up onto the area where Yuya's alarm clock sat while he buried his face into his pillow.

As he did this a knock came to his door and he ignored it as Yoko entered the room and saw Odd-Eyes curling up to take a nap on the shelf of Yuya's bed while Momoncarpet was sun bathing and her son was lying face first in his pillow while his computer ran randomized series of details through a database stream. She rose an eyebrow, impressed by the work before looking back at her son who was slowly moving to where he could face her, but when he did she realized that he had already dropped off to sleep and had only moved in doing so. Smiling, Yoko walked forward and pulled the blanket over him as he slept peacefully and unaware while the woman smiled and exited the room, knowing that today her son wouldn't be going to the Duel School.

By the time one-o-clock came around, a knock resounded on the downstairs door and Yoko had opened it to see Yuzu and Gongenzaka standing there with a very concerned look on their faces. She knew why and allowed them to come into the house, hoping to keep the two teenagers from asking too many questions or bothering her son who was still sleeping soundly.

"Mrs. Sakaki, where is Yuya?! He wasn't at the Duel School," stated Yuzu.

"Yuya was sleeping in today. He was up all night doing something, so… when he went to sleep at nine this morning, and I haven't gone to wake him up yet." Gongenzaka frowned.

"Is he alright?" he asked.

"Yes, he's fine… just tired. He was up all night working on something." Yoko was making a valiant attempt at discouraging the two other teens from waking her son up, but she knew it would be useless to do so.

"Well, we were supposed to meet up with Sora and the others at the ice cream shop today at two-o-clock, but I didn't see him all day and he wasn't answering his cell phone so I thought it would be a good idea to come and get him if he was home," Yuzu stated as she looked up towards where she knew Yuya's bedroom was.

"Um… as far as I know he was still going to meet you, but I thought a little bit of sleep would do him good. You know how irritable he can get when he doesn't sleep." Gongenzaka nodded, recalling the one time he had somehow triggered Yuya's irate temper due to a lack of sleep and received a swift kick in the shins for his troubles.

" _For as tiny as Yuya is, I doubt anyone would suspect that his kicks feel like steel polls hitting you… then again, he is rather athletic…"_ the giant of a teenager thought as Yuzu started towards the staircase.

"Yuzu?" she looked to Gongenzaka.

"I'm going to get him up, come on Gongenzaka, I might need your help," she stated as Yoko sighed in defeat while the two teenagers disappeared.

"For Ceres sakes… are we supposed to just tell them everything?!" Yoko thought aloud as the door to Yuya's room opened.

Yuzu Hiiragi was not what one would call a patient person by a long shot, but she tried her best: she really, truly did. However, right now, she didn't care of patience was a virtue or the key to success in life or even the fountain of youth she only cared about the fact Yuya was ignoring them and she needed to know why. For several days now, he had been acting as if something was wrong but had been unwilling to say anything, and atop that he had this strange look in his eyes that told her he knew something they didn't. all throughout their lives, Yuzu and Yuya had known one another, and could instantly tell when something was amiss, but right then, Yuzu had no clue as to how she could confront him without making him feel uncomfortable.

While she wanted answers – as did the others – she had no desire to hurt him or make him feel distressed around them. Her mind in its' cruel manner, replayed the events of two weeks before Yuya's birthday and she physically shook herself to rid her mind of the image and the terrible pain it had brought on her and the others. She just wanted to talk to him, and if bringing Gongenzaka along as some extra muscle was required, then so be it. Sighing, the pink-haired girl walked over to the door and pulled it open, instantly looking to the bed where the boy was currently sleeping. Gongenzaka walked quietly – having left his steel sandals at the front door – and Yuzu stepped forward just a fraction and looked towards her longtime friend.

Despite her best efforts to be angry for him sleeping in and not informing them that he wouldn't be at the Duel School today, when she saw him sleeping like he was, she lost all her anger. Periwinkle eyes looked over the form of the boy, clad in plain gray sweat pants and a matching shirt, his hair messy as he laid there under the blankets sound asleep, red-and-green bangs falling into his face which seemed peaceful and worry free at this point. Yuzu remembered the early days of their lives when they would sleep in the same bed because they'd fallen asleep while their parents were visiting one another, or one was over for a playdate, and she also recalled the pictures that had been taken of the two of them curled together while they slept.

" _I almost forgot how cute he was when he's sleeping… he always seems as though every bit of stress and anxiety he's endured is gone… it's strange… to see him so at ease when he's normally so hyper…"_ she smiled before stepping forward and crouching to wake up the boy.

"Yuya! Hey, wake up!" she called as she began to shake him.

"Wake up Yuya! Time to seize the day!" Yuzu shook the boy once more and the boy hummed a bit in his sleep before curling up tighter into a ball, reminding Yuzu greatly of a cat.

"Get up, Yuya! Hey, we're supposed to meet the others today, remember? Yuya!" Gongenzaka looked at his friend.

"Yuzu, we may have to resort to desperate measures for this one," he stated.

"I swear… YUYA SAKAKI! RISE AND SHINE DUMMY!" she whacked the boy over the head with her fan and he shot up with a yelp.

"Ow! What in the…. Yuzu?" he asked, his voice cracking a bit due to the sudden surprise and the sleep he'd been in before she'd woken him up so abruptly.

"Yes, me! Did you forget we're supposed to meet Sora and the others at the ice cream shop today?" she glared at him, folding her arms over her chest as she kept a grasp on her fan.

"N-No! I just needed to sleep a bit before I got up," he said, rubbing the sore spot on his skull where he'd been smacked.

"Mrs. Sakaki told us that you were up all night working on something, what was so important that you forgot to sleep?" Gongenzaka's question caused Yuya to look up.

"I was just…" before Yuya could answer a loud alarm like beeping went off, alerting him to something going on as he shot from the bed and the other two turned.

"Yuya!" Yuzu stated in surprise as he shoved the chair at his desk out and started ticking away at the keypad of his computer.

"Nice try, but I worked to damn hard for you to kick me out now…" Yuya looked at the screen with such an intense focus that the other two were left stunned into silence as he worked upon the series of pop-ups that were appearing in black and electrifying blues.

Yuya would worry about explanations later, right then, he was making a quick attempt to keep his location and information safe from the grabby hands of Leo Corp who had managed to hack him back. It took little effort once he got the system up and running, which instantly blocked them and shut down the signal, jamming it as he smirked just a fraction while pressing in a code before the warning bells went off and the screen began to show a panel with a blue rotating circle on it with a percentage in its center while several files appeared and were scanned before going into a set up for them. Yuzu and Gongenzaka stared in surprise as Yuya hummed in thought before leaning back in his chair with a sigh of relief.

"Jeeze, cut me some slack Leo… I was just looking," he muttered as the pink-haired girl felt realization dawn on her.

" _No… please don't tell me that he's…"_ Gongenzaka looked to him.

"What are you doing?" Yuya winced, flinching as he turned to them and found himself face to face with two confused people.

"W-Well… you see, I was kind of… "Yuzu glared.

"Don't you dare lie to me Yuya! I heard what you said! I also know from rumors going around that someone's been hacking Leo Corp's mainframe for the last few days… someone that uses the system code name _Phantom_. You aren't him… are you?" Yuzu questioned as the boy looked down and Gongenzaka felt his eyes grow wide.

"I…" Yuya's words failed him.

"You're the one hacking the mainframe?!" declared Gongenzaka as Yuya flinched, and dared to glance their way.

"I… am…. I'm Phantom…" Yuzu felt a sudden jolt in her chest, her heart clenching.

"Yuya! Hacking can get you into a lot of trouble! What if Leo Corp finds you?" she asked.

"They aren't going to. My programming has it to where this computer is untraceable. I had to reset the program so that they couldn't hack me back to find me… now their hands are tied." He glanced at the laptop and Yuzu glared.

"Stop doing it! You don't need to do this, are you insane or something? My intuition tells me that you need to stop before something bad happens!" Yuya stood.

"Insane?! Do you know what they're hiding? Do you know that they're keeping things quiet about not one but _two attacks!_ That both were done by an Xyzs user? That the second victim was a _lecturer at the School?!_ How about that he's missing with no leads, but a hell of a lot of damage was done where his belongings were located! Did you know that Reiji Akaba cleared me? I bet you also know that he's banned anyone from attempting to take our school from us! I guess your intuition told you all that information, right?!" he snapped, startling the girl.

"Hold it right there! We're concerned about you Yuya! How come you didn't tell us about this? How do you know how to do it? And why did you keep it a secret?" Gongenzaka met his friend's fiery gaze.

"Why didn't I tell you? Because I knew you'd point fingers at me and tell me how dangerous it is like I'm completely incompetent or something. For your information, I have a damn high I.Q and I am well aware of what I am doing! I'm far from stupid. Secondly, I was taught it by a friend who's also a hacker… not to mention I learned the rest on my own! I happen to be pretty damn good with computers… lastly, I kept it a secret because one of the first rules about being a hacker is that you DON'T ANNOUNCE IT TO EVERYONE!" the boy took in a series of deep breaths, feeling suddenly dizzy as his magic shifted within his aura and became icy and aggressive while the other two stared at him in shock.

All her life, Yuzu had never heard Yuya raise his voice to anyone, and he never became this angry. True, she could admit that they weren't giving him a chance to explain, but right then, she was more concerned with his behavior and why he was keeping secrets when they'd known each other so long. Periwinkle eyes burned a fraction with threatening tears before she looked to Yuya who kept his gaze down as he leaned against his desk and kept taking in a few deep breaths.

"Yuya… I..." he shook his head.

"You weren't supposed to know… I didn't want you to know… I was worried that you'd react this way… now look at this… what a mess…" he put his hands over his eyes, covering his face as he slumped into his desk chair and Yuzu felt an icy chill form in the pit of her stomach.

"Listen, we just… are concerned. There's something… going on with you and it's not right… I don't know what it is, but I do know that you're not ready to tell us… so, we can wait until you are… but just understand something… "Yuya didn't look up and Gongenzaka kept his gaze upon his friend.

"Yuya, are you listening?" he asked, and the boy did nothing to show he was.

"We'll hear you out, I promise. Just like… we're going to hear you out now." The boy flinched, and Yuzu approached as she slowly crouched down and placed the tips of her fingers on his hands.

"…." He winced just a fraction and Yuzu slowly grasped his hands, pulling them away as he looked up to her, tears evident in his eyes.

"Yuya…. It's alright…. I'm sorry for what I said, I shouldn't have cornered you like that. So, will you come with us? and we'll talk more about it with the others, okay?" the boy glanced down again.

"Can you… keep them off my back?" Yuzu smiled, reaching up to brush the tears away from his face, sliding her thumb under the curve of his eye as he looked to her.

"Of course, I can, you know both me and Gongenzaka won't let anyone hurt you. We're your friends, and we love you, so come on and get ready, we'll see you downstairs." She stood, pulling him with her as he slowly nodded, and she left the room with Gongenzaka trailing behind.

"We'll be waiting," the other teenager said as Yuya smiled slowly and the door shut before he sighed.

"Just be thankful you guys hid," Yuya stated as Odd-Eyes and Momoncarpet peered out from under his dresser while he started to get ready.

 **{Downstairs: 1:30pm}**

"Yea we'll be a bit late guys, can you tell them Sora? Okay, see you guys then," Yuzu said as she hung up and pocketed her phone before looking to Yoko who was stirring something fiercely.

"Um? Mrs. Sakaki? Is everything okay?" the woman stopped and sighed.

"Everything's fine, I just… keep my boy out of trouble, will you? I know that he panicked when you found out about him being a hacker, but don't look down on him to much okay?" Gongenzaka nodded.

"It would be the most irresponsible form of improper behavior to abandon a friend for a trivial thing such as being intelligent and using it to find out the truth," he said firmly as Yuzu smiled.

"Mrs. Sakaki? Can I ask you a question?" periwinkle met jade.

"I guess so, is something wrong?" she asked as Yuzu looked down.

"Do you know what's going on with Yuya? Why he's been so secretive? Why he's not telling us anything? Do you know what's really going on with him?" she received a startled look before Yoko's expression relaxed a fraction.

"Yuzu, Gongenzaka, listen to me… Yuya is very young, just like the two of you are. You should know that all of you young people keep secrets, but listen to me, some things are better left untouched for the time being. He's trying to figure out things, and if you push him he's going to feel as though he can't trust you with the truth," she explained.

"So, you do know…" Yoko nodded.

"I do, but you see… just like with Yuya being the hacker known as Phantom was his secret to tell, this is his to. It's not my place to tell you what's going on, but he will in due time. Isn't that right, Yuya?" she stated as Gongenzaka and Yuzu turned to see Yuya standing there in clothing that the two hadn't seen him in before.

He lacked his signature goggles and his red wrist bands were plain black cuffs that seemed to match his choker. He wore black converse sneakers, dark wash jeans, and a plaid button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up a bit. It was white and had deep green running through it and rested upon his chest was the well-known pendulum crystal. Yuzu found herself a bit stunned as did Gongenzaka, seeing him dressed in darker colors felt strange, but seeing as it was oddly cool today for the summer – a grand total of fifty-five degrees – they understood him choosing to wear something that had a sleeve on it.

"Yea, I guess you've got a point there." Yuzu continued to stare as he looked to her in confusion.

"Well, that's different… you're in darker colors." he rose an eyebrow.

"I just didn't feel like wearing what I usually do, it's nothing to look so surprised about," he said as he grabbed an apple off the counter and leaned against it.

" _He looks pretty good this way too… then again, I guess that's because it's him. He's become pretty cute and… what the hell am I thinking?! Yuzu, come on, get your brain out of the gutter!"_ she thought, mentally shaking herself as Yuya eyed her momentarily.

"You okay?" he questioned.

"Fine, are you two ready?! I called Sora and he said they would wait to get anything until we arrived. Come on!" Yuzu grabbed Yuya's hand and he stared in slight questioning before she dragged him over to the door where they got their things and departed with Gongenzaka trailing not far behind. Yoko smiled as she thought about seeing Yuya walked away with Yuzu's hand in his.

"Those two… they remind me of some people I used to know…"

 **{…}**

 _It creeps in like a thief in the night…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Yep, Yuto is having trouble with his magic and heritage, Yuya's been discovered by Yuzu and Gongenzaka, and Yoko seems to be wanting to play matchmaker. Well, that's all for now! Have a good day and let me know what you think!

Trivia:

Yuto's Phantasmal Imp design gets hints from his Phantom Knights monsters & the Ghouls from Tokyo Ghoul.

In the _Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V_ Manga, Yuya Sakaki is codenamed _Phantom_ because _Odd-Eyes Phantom Dragon_ is his ace Monster, not Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon.

Yuya's clothing choice at the end of the chapter is inspired by a friend of mine who wore attire similar to that a few times, and he kind of favors Yuya in the face and in physical build, so I thought it'd be a good look to borrow for him in the story.

Ruri and Shay are witches, but not the same kind as Yuya and Yoko are.

There was a Danny Phantom reference in here.


	14. Chapter 14: Turn About

Chapter 14: Turn About

 **{Leo Corporation: President's Office: June 23** **rd** **, 2014: 8:15am}**

Reiji Akaba sat at his desk with several files scattered about it, all of which held information on one Yuya Sakaki. The boy had become a slight fixation of his due to a series of events and information that he desired to know. Yuya was different from other people, and admittedly Reiji knew the truth now and was intending on discovering how different the boy truly was. Sighing, he heard the door of his office open and looked up to see a certain young woman standing there in her normal attire of jeans, sneakers, and an aqua-tone long-sleeve shirt with her long blonde hair pinned back.

"Hello, Mrs. Sakaki, thank you for joining me today," Reiji stated as the woman gave him a scornful look.

"You've called me here on this fine rainy morning to discuss what exactly?" Yoko asked him this with a snipped tone and he took in a deep breath before beckoning her forward.

"To discuss your son, Yuya of course," he said calmly as Yoko moved closer and looked at all the images and documents scattered about, some of which seemed quite old.

"Why are you watching my son?" the woman sat down in a chair and glared once more before Reiji returned to his seat.

"Because, I find him interesting. Yuya is a truly unique boy, and I was wishing to learn more about him, so I could potentially discuss a means to perhaps have him lecture on the Pendulum method he's created. I thought it would be helpful," he spoke this to her and Yoko frowned.

"Seems you've discovered more than you asked for though." Reiji glanced down at the information.

"Indeed, I have. Forgive me for prying, but, as I said, I merely…" Yoko glared in a menacing fashion.

"Speak the truth Mr. Akaba, in reality, you want something more than just to discuss lectures with my son," she snapped.

"No need for hostility Mrs. Sakaki, I have no intention of crossing any wires here." Yoko eased a fraction.

"Listen, Yuya is only fourteen years old, he needs time to be a normal child. Judging from the information you were able to dig up, I can assume you know most of the story, do you not?" she asked.

"I understand the gist of it. It seems like quite the length to go for it to end up the way it will." Yoko shook her head.

"No, this was how we chose to protect him and many others. Yuya just needs to enjoy his life… and he doesn't need to be dragged into the mess between you and your father," she answered.

"I see Yusho discussed that with you before his departure?" she nodded.

"He did… and I accepted your invitation here to discuss these things with you," she explained.

"As did I. My father has invaded another Dimension, known as the Xyzs Dimension. He intends to use the Arc Reactor to form our world into a singular, whole one once again; however, he does not know the powers he is dabbling with." Yoko tensed.

"I see, so…what do you intend to do about this?" she questioned.

"My intention is to form a group of warriors who can use Dueling to combat his _Academia_ and help round out help from other Duelists in these other Dimensions in order to put a stop to whatever it is he's truly planning other than his unification of the Zones." The last word that Reiji Akaba uttered caused Yoko to look up in surprise.

"You just said… so you know the state of our world…" Reiji nodded.

"It is no mystery to me that we are one of many worlds, and that ours is a frail and segmented one. I also am aware of the connection to a certain war some one-hundred-odd years ago. As I am aware of the Pillars and the significance of all these details," he stated.

"Warriors? Duelist warriors?" Reiji nodded once more at the woman.

"But not mere Duelists, those with exceptional skill and in addition, those who have… certain _capabilities_ ," he explained as he pushed forward a picture of Yuya reading through a rather old looking book at school.

"Capabilities, you want to weaponize magic?" Reiji looked down.

"Not by choice no, but I do wish to place people who are not merely Duelists, but true warriors, and those who have special gifts within the Lancers. In order to do so, I request that Yuya be one of my first warriors," he said.

"Yuya?! He's just a boy!" Reiji rose an eyebrow.

"Is he? I believe even you know the true extent of these details, do you not? One of which being your sister and her husband?" he probed as Yoko placed a hand against the locket she wore.

"You know about Yaya? I see… but why Yuya?" Reiji looked to her.

"He's the founder of the Pendulum method. It is quite powerful, and I wish to use it… in addition, I wish to have him as one of my warriors because he is also a witch, amongst other things," he stated while Yoko swallowed thickly.

"With everything you know, I shouldn't be surprised that you're aware of him being a witch. I thought that the memory charm didn't work on you…" Reiji dipped his head slightly.

"For his age, Yuya is an incredibly powerful witch. His abilities go above and beyond the norm for someone of his youth. Naturally, I am aware that the belief is to harm none, but what if they are seeking to annihilate your entire world? Destroy everything you hold dear, and kill your friends and family? Then what is the belief?" he pondered.

"To not let any surpass you… that when those you desire to protect are threatened, you must find a means to an end regardless of the costs. That is the mind of both the witch and the druid warriors that existed in our beliefs for centuries. We are taught early on to harm none, less they harm us… at which point… we do not allow those who have wronged us to walk away freely." Reiji smirked a fraction.

"That is precisely what I desired to hear Mrs. Sakaki. Now please, I don't wish for Yuya to know, but I will require him to be a member of the Lancers, my warriors who can properly combat my father's actions. With the heritage of both the wizard and the warrior in his blood, I believe Yuya will be perfect for this job," he said.

"Do you even understand his magic? Or what he's endured? You're asking these children to go on a battlefield… I'm sorry, but that is a choice I cannot make for him. Yuya must decide alone." Reiji tipped his head once again.

"I understand, he is to choose, and naturally I will allow him to refuse. I only want my intentions made clear to you," he explained.

"Thank you, but as I said. Ultimately, it will be Yuya's decision."

 **{Unknown…..}**

" _Yuto? Hey! There you are!" called the voice of a pretty girl with extremely long dark purple-black hair and magenta eyes. Gray eyes looked up to the girl as she came to where he was and settled down on the park bench with him._

" _Ruri? I thought you were in class?" the girl giggled a bit._

" _I skipped because they were going over Rank-Up magic. I thought it was boring and excused myself to the bathroom. Don't tell Shay, alright?" Yuto stared at the girl._

" _Ruri! Don't skip your classes, I know it's boring to you, but you need to know how to use those cards. Remember what Yuma always says about knowing your cards, and how hard it was for him when…" Ruri sighed._

" _When Astral and the whole thing started he was such a newbie that he got his tail handed to him almost constantly because he didn't know what he was doing and had to learn on the fly and blah, blah, blah! I know my deck and I know the rules. Plus, Astral went home and the Barrion Onslaught is over, that was before we even became students here," she stated in a matter of fact tone, causing the black-and-lilac-haired fourteen-year-old to sigh in defeat._

" _I know… but, he had a good point there. What if something like that were to happen again?" Ruri sighed in defeat._

" _You know, sometimes you and Yuma sound like a bunch of adults telling us what we can and can't do. Kaito does it to and he doesn't even go to the same branch as us!" Yuto smiled._

" _Well, you're the one dating the adult… at least I'm responsible!" he said as Ruri began to laugh and leaned up against him as she did so._

" _Yuto, I swear… sometimes your too much. Anyways, Sayaka said that…" the scene changed drastically and Yuto stared._

 _The sound of giant machines roared to life around him as the tranquil park where he sat with Ruri was turned into a charred wasteland alongside the rest of the place they called home. Ruri called his name again, but this time the joy had been ripped from it, fear and remorse were the most prominent emotions displayed then as she grasped his hand and they ran, rushing away from the sudden onslaught that took place as a giant monster roared to life near them while people scattered and those who invaded, dressed in military uniforms attacked without consideration, turning people into cards amidst the roaring flames and burning buildings as smoke filled the once blue sky._

" _Ruri, stay with me!" Yuto called as she nodded, and they kept moving further towards their school branch where students and teachers were holding fast against the invaders._

" _Yuto! Get Ruri and the others inside! We'll hold them off, help the others escape!" gray met garnet eyes as a fifteen-year-old Yuma Tsukumo turned his Duel Disk on and played his ace Monster to deflect the attack that was sent their way._

" _Got it!"_

 _It felt as though the world around them had been plunged into the depths of hell itself as they rushed with others to escape the disaster that was once their peaceful home. It was as Yuto and Ruri entered the building that the scene changed once again and Yuto found himself in the center of a half-destroyed building with others staring at him in shock and horror as he felt his wings flinch a bit as the eyes stared at him, one celeste-blue eye glowed in the darkness with his normally warm gray eye, both having turned slated and cold against the fate of so many they had loved._

 _This was the moment that everyone in their little resistance had learned the truth about him, that he wasn't entirely human, and that he was remarkably dangerous. Out of all the people that were terrified of the_ _ **monster**_ _Yuma, Kotori, Kaito, Shay, Ruri, Alan, Sayaka, and Rio weren't. Shark wasn't, and they surrounded him with support and reassurance that he wasn't evil, he wasn't a monster, and that he could use his gifts to their advantage. The moment that could have turned into a nightmare, ended up as a saving grace upon the night as Yuto soon learned how to adapt his powers for better use against the scum of the Fusion Dimension._

 _His Phantasmal Imp heritage made him immune to several types of attacks, his magic made him dangerous to the enemy that would fight not with Duel Disks and their cards, but with weapons, and it made those who did Duel, Fear the_ _ **Master of the Phantom Knights.**_ _The one they called the Phantom King or the Grim Reaper because of the lethal results of going up against him. Yuto became strong, he became revered, and one of the greatest assets of the Resistance; however, despite all his power, his strength, and ability: it wasn't enough when it counted the most._

" _Ruri! Where are you? Ruri?!" Yuto called out for her as he searched high and low for the girl who never once was away from his side. She had left to get water and search for survivors when an explosion went off and storm-gray eyes looked to the location and rushed, darting in near blinding speeds towards the area._

 _It was as he turned a corner that he saw Ruri struggling against a cloaked figure who began to drag her away as a portal appeared near them. Yuto darted forward, rushing for her, reaching out as she screamed his name and pleaded for his help, but when he came to her, he was thrown aside by an invisible force that crashed him into a building, breaking several ribs and his wrist, leaving him with scrapes and bruises as he struggled from the rubble and moved forward, trying desperately to grasp her hand as he was once more thrown aside by what he knew in that instant was magic. The person laughed, smirking as they dragged Ruri through the portal and not a second later, it blinked out of existence._

" _Yuto?! Hey!" Shay's voice had sounded concerned for him but distant as he fell upon the ground, beaten up horribly and loosing blood that caused his vision to become clouded and his mind foggy as he hit the ground, unconscious as he laid there with Shay having to use healing spells he'd learned from Ruri to save him._

 _When he'd finally awoken, Shay had told him that Ruri had been kidnapped, and that he had found him injured and broken in the middle of the city. At that point, Yuto had begun to question how strong he truly was, and if all that power had been nothing more than a figment of his imagination or artifice as he realized that while he had indeed been strong and powerful as a Duelist, his power didn't matter where it counted, and because of that, he'd lost one of the most precious people in his life._

" _ **I'm so sorry Ruri, I should have known not to let you go alone… I should have done better at protecting you…"**_

 **{Harbor Docks: June 23** **rd** **, 2014 5:30pm}**

A lone tear trailed down pale skin as Yuto's senses began to surface and his mind began to return to the waking world. Dim sunlight began to flitter in through a few sparse cracks and holes in the roof of the building while the faint scent of what seemed to be the ocean came to him. Slowly, bleary gray eyes opened, and the Xyzs Duelist started to blink a few times to get his eyes to clear up before he sat up in a steady motion, not sure whether or not he would have trouble due to his earlier spell. As he did this, a faint scuffle caught his attention, and on instinct Yuto's traits showed themselves in a menacing fashion, his mismatched eyes locking on the source of the noise and found only Shay standing there with his hands up, looking a tad nervous.

"Hey, good to see you awake Yuto," he said as the younger teenager's strange appearance faded away and he eased himself fully up to lean against the sofa.

"I don't know if it's good to be awake or not…" he hissed as a throbbing pain spread through his head.

"Well, whether it is or not, you've been out for three days so, I think some nourishment would do you good," Shay said as he held up a bag.

"You didn't steal something did you?" the older teen sighed.

"Actually, I didn't have to. I went in and decided to take a page out of Yuma's acting book. I went to pay and then had to act like I'd forgotten my wallet and that I was getting the food for my older sister who was expecting and wanted these items in particular. A man who said he had a wife who was expecting paid for them…" Yuto eyed him.

"And you feel no guilt?" he pondered aloud as Shay hung his head.

"No, this is the most guilt I've felt since the war started…" Yuto nodded.

"I figured… next time… leave the tricks to the trickster, shall we?" he said as he held a hand over his left eye, the pain in his head seeming to have moved to that side of his skull.

"Yea, I'll do that when you're not comatose for seventy-two-hours." Shay sat down on the dusty floor and picked up two packages that seemed to have a meal premade in it before tossing one to Yuto who caught it with ease.

"Thanks… I'll remember to set an alarm next time," he muttered as he caught the bottle of water that Shay had tossed him next.

"So, I did some investigating while you were off in La La Land…." Yuto glanced his way.

"Did you find something out?" he asked as he opened the bottle of water and took a small sip of it, being thankful for the coolness against his dry throat.

"Actually, I found out something about those places you sent me messages about. Leo Duel School I can understand, but when it comes to You Show Duel School, I'm not sure I follow your thought process." Shay looked at his friend who sighed.

"There's two people there that I'm interested in. I kind of wanted to know more about them… but I also want to continue investigating the LDS. Odds are, they have no connection to Academia, but there could be a few snakes in the grass that need to be weeded out," Yuto stated as he started to eat away at the food he was given, the sudden surge of hunger outweighing his normal manners as Shay watched him before raising an eyebrow.

"I don't need to get you blood again… do I? That wasn't a pleasant experience…" storm-cloud gray glanced up to tawny-yellow.

"Right now, I'm fine… remember, I'm not a vampire Shay! Just a…" the other nodded, rolling his eyes.

"I know I know, a _Phantasmal Imp._ Complete with claws, pointed ears, wings, a weird eye, incredible reflexes, healing capabilities, magic, and least we forget _razor sharp fangs_ ," Shay pointed out as Yuto groaned before gulping down the water.

"Yes, I know… fangs and all… big surprise that I'm not human…. I mean, you and Ruri are witches so… why didn't you figure it out earlier?" the sixteen-year-old sighed in defeat.

"To some degree… we knew what you were… but we decided not to say anything about it…. Our parents understood you weren't human, and that your mom had been married to a creature instead of a mortal being. So…." Yuto shrugged.

"Turns out your best friend since childhood is a half-creature… what do you wanna say about that?" the other looked him over before smiling.

"That I'm grateful you are," he stated as Yuto gawked at him.

"Not what I was expecting. Part of me was almost hoping for a bit of terror and concern seeing as I'm not exactly mortal." Yuto opened another bottle of water, beginning to down it as Shay eyed him once more.

"I think it's kinda cool honestly, some of the younger kids think you're like some kind of Marvel Super Hero or something… "the other tilted his head.

"How do they get that?" he questioned as he continued to drink his water.

"Well, your accelerated healing rate, your stamina, heightened senses, speed, strength, dexterity, all of those things and you using magic makes the kids think your like Deadpool or something…." Yuto nearly choked at the statement.

"O-Okay I know I heal quick! But I don't regenerate like that!" he coughed a few times and Shay laughed.

"I know, that's why I said you weren't like that at all," Shay said.

"Good, the last thing I need is to be compared to some comic book –" the other grinned.

"I told them you were more like Ghost Rider," he explained as Yuto nearly fell off the sofa.

"Really?! _Ghost Rider?!_ I know I'm a Phantasmal Imp and I control Phantom Knights! But I'm not _damned or anything!"_ Yuto sent his friend a furious look, his face flushing as Shay laughed.

"Man, I forgot how flustered you got over stuff like that!" Shay continued laughing as Yuto held his hand up and clenched it, electric blue flames appearing around his fingers and hand as he felt the icy bite of them greet his senses while the other froze.

"Say another word about it and I swear I'll reenact the Salem Witch Trials," he threatened as Shay backed away a bit.

"No fair! I can't conjure the same way you can, no using your half-creature powers to suppress other witches Yuto!" Shay scolded him as the other dispersed the flames with a snap of his fingers before sighing as he flopped back on the sofa.

"I'm just teasing you..." the older teenager leaned against the pillar behind him and looked the boy over.

"Yuto, have we really changed that much?" gray eyes looked up at the sky through the holes in the roof.

"We have… we're not who we once were… back then we believed everything would be fine, that we'd live normal lives and die of old age… but now… I wonder how much longer Heartland can survive this desolation…" Yuto closed his eyes as Shay looked down.

"Ruri wondered that to… all the time. She talked about it when you weren't around…" the other nodded.

"As a witch of her caliber working with a Phantasmal Imp, it's a personal rule not to speak of certain events when seeking the dead… our job is to bring the corpses to a place for proper burial, not to chatter and lose our heads…" Yuto let out a heavy sigh, sounding almost as if he was muttering the name of a randomized deity or entity under his breath as Shay eyed him.

Something that always confounded him was how strange Yuto was when it came to his job as the death marcher in Heartland. His and Ruri's jobs had been to seek out the bodies and souls of the departed and give them a proper burial or memorial to act as their grave, and by doing so, Yuto was fulfilling his task as a Phantasmal Imp, as they often were meant to guide the souls of the dead on to the next life, and it was Ruri's job as an Avian Witch, someone who used healing magic, had powerful incantations for aiding others, and sang elegies for the dead to help Yuto. Shay smiled to himself a fraction, knowing that was why the two had ended up connecting as they did, and why they started dating when they turned fourteen. As he thought on the past, Yuto considered the peaceful sound of Ruri's voice as his mind hazed just a fraction at the peaceful tone as she stood before a grave in ragged white clothes, barefoot while she sung her elegy for the deceased.

" _This is the song sung by those of my praction for hundreds of years… the song for the deceased so they may find peace… it is a song that was written in a language long forgotten and meant to ease the soul…"_

"Do you remember the song that Ruri sang when Yuma and the others died?" Asked Yuto.

"How could I forget? It had even our prisoners in tears… after that… we never saw Kotori again…." Yuto closed his eyes, his mind replaying those moments in clarity.

"I never thought I'd hear such a thing… Ruri's sorrow, her heart, everything she had was poured out into that song… it spoke volumes for the tragedies of war… I only wish I could understand why it hurt to hear it and why even now… it's still ringing in my ears…" Yuto felt his eyes burn, his heart aching at the memories.

"Because it touched the heart and soul, Ruri's elegy did what it was meant to do," Shay told him as Yuto took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, tears sliding down his cheeks as he clutched the pendulum crystal in his hands.

"We have to get her back, no matter what, okay Shay? Even if one of us dies… we're bringing her home alive, promise me that, okay?" Yuto's teary gray eyes looked into his own tawny ones and Shay took in a steady breath.

"I swear, we will bring Ruri home… and then, we'll all go home together." The other smiled.

"Right… together."

 **{…}**

 _Without a sign, without a warning…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Reiji knows! Well, he knows a lot actually, but I can't let him spoil everything for you readers. So, it seems the Lancers are being developed, Yoko is still keeping secrets about… her _sister?!_ Yuto was remembering the past, and Shay and him are able to have a few moments to smile despite the bitterness of some of those memories. In the next chapter, we'll be back with Yuya, Yuzu, and the gang, so hang tight! We're about to have a blast as we kick off the qualifier arc for Yuya on the road to the championships! Anyhow, see you guys next time!

Trivia:

La La Land is the movie, yes, but it was actually a reference to an old saying that when someone was spacing out or dozing they were in _La La Land._

The Deadpool reference was an idea from my friend who uses a Phantom Knights deck.

Ghost Rider reminds me of the Phantom Knights for some reason.

The song that was used as Ruri's elegy mentioned in this chapter is _**Tenkuu ni Mau Tori Yo by Nagi Yanagi**_ from The Heroic Legend of Arslan.

Yuma, Shark, Rio, and a handful of other Zexal characters died prior to this story in the war between Xyz and Fusion. I wanted to bring them up again, because I feel as though it is important to keep that detail fresh in the memories of the readers, just not to fresh.

Yuto used a spell known as Stardust Flare, which yes, is a reference to Stardust Dragon.


	15. Chapter 15: Motion of the Pendulum

Chapter 15: Motion of the Pendulum

 **{Hiiragi Household: June 24** **th** **, 2014, 9:01am}**

"So, they do have them…" Yuzu muttered to herself as she looked on the computer at a few items in a card roster for her archetype.

Ever since her defeat at the hands of Julia Crystal, the pink-haired girl had been determined to become stronger and had decided to begin by researching her deck archetype more thoroughly. There were a few extra deck cards that she noticed were helpful for her archetype, the one she really desired to get her hands on was the Fusion card _Tchaikovska the Melodic Dragon,_ but the card was rare, and not cheap. The next one she set her sights on was Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir, because it's effect was almost as strong as the legendary Egyptian God Cards; however, she was once again shot down due to the cost of such a card.

"Okay, next plan… Mozarta the Melodious Maestra… that could work… but I…" Yuzu nearly slammed her head upon the desk.

"I don't know how to Fusion Summon!" she muttered in frustration before thinking for a moment.

" _I activate the spell card Polymerization to fuse my Fluffal Bear with Edge Imp Scissors! Now come forth! Frightfur Bear!"_

"THAT'S IT!" Yuzu shot up and went over to her door, grabbing her Duel Disk, deck, house key, and wallet before she raced down the stairs, throwing her messenger bag over her shoulders as she went to the door and slid on her shoes, telling her dad that she would be back soon. Before he could even ask where she was gone, Yuzu was gone, racing down the streets towards where she knew a certain someone by the name of Sora Shuinin would be.

All the while as she rushed her mind played through the events that had passed in recent days. Encountering that strange boy who favored Yuya so much, the Duels with the LDS, the strange behavior Yuya was displaying, and the realization that the boy she'd known for so long was not only a hacker, but a well-known one who went by the codename Phantom. It was a lot to consider as she slowed into a steady walk, thinking about the details and the fact that the others had no idea that Yuya could do something like that. Periwinkle eyes looked up at the sky and Yuzu frowned as she recalled the strange aggression in Yuya's tone and the look in his eyes when he'd gone against them, threatening them with a loud shout that seemed to rattle their bones. If she could, Yuzu wished to never see Yuya like that again, because when she did see it, it felt almost as if someone else was there instead of her longtime friend, and that person who'd taken his place was dangerous, and just simply put: _wrong._

Ever since that day when she'd found Yuya in the bathroom at the Duel School, Yuzu had noticed changes in Yuya's behavior that without question spooked her. There were instances where she'd seen his personality go from kind to threatening in the blink of an eye, or his attitude turn from cheery to cruel in the span of a second. Ever since she'd known Yuya Sakaki, Yuzu had known that Yuya could alter his personality or at the very least have some very severe mood swings; however, since he'd turned fourteen, Yuya had become more agitated and easy to annoy. Without much effort, Yuzu could tell that it had nothing to do with just being a moody teenager, but had something to do with his psychological state and whatever it was he was keeping secret.

" _Whatever it is that you're hiding Yuya, I just wish you'd tell me the truth…"_ she thought in dismay as she continued down the street before hearing someone call out her name.

"Yuzu! Hey!" periwinkle eyes turned to see none other than Sora racing towards her, a bright smile on his face.

"Sora, hey! I was looking for you," she said.

"Really? Why? Is something up?" pastel-green looked to periwinkle.

"I kind of… need to ask you a favor, but will you take a walk with me?" she asked as Sora nodded.

"Sure, hey have you seen Yuya today?" the girl shook her head as they started walking down towards the pier.

"No, he seems kind of like he's avoiding me… "Sora frowned as the two of them went further into the town and soon were heading along the shoreline.

While Sora didn't know a great deal about the dynamic between Yuya and Yuzu, he could guess that both of them had feelings for one another on a romantic level. Personally, if he had been in either of their shoes, he would have just admitted how he felt and been done with it regardless of the outcome. However, he suspected the reason neither was willing to outright admit that they had feelings for each other was because they were both afraid of losing the other due to that potentially complicating their friendship. Sighing, Sora stretched, pulling out a small cherry dum-dum pop before putting it in his mouth. As he glanced towards Yuzu he considered what was going on and then shook his head.

"I doubt he's avoiding you… I mean hey, he's head over heels for ya," Sora stated as Yuzu stared.

"W-What?! Why would you think that Yuya likes me?" the blue-haired boy sighed once again.

"It's kinda obvious if ya ask me. Yuya goes out of his way to protect you, sticks up for you, stands by you… not to mention you've known him since you were babies, right?" Yuzu felt warmth come to her face.

"W-Well… yea, we've known each other all our lives, but that doesn't mean he…" Sora rose an eyebrow.

"Do you have the hots for him or somethin'?" Yuzu felt her face grow darker.

"Sora!" she stated in annoyance as the blue-haired boy shook his head.

"Look, I'm not Doctor Phil or whatever it is you teenage girls watch… _Oprah, was it?_ But I know a good match when I see one, that's what Fusions are all about, two opposites coming together to form one thing. I think you and Yuya would be good for each other… plus it's pretty obvious to everyone else _but the two of you it seems_ , that you're both _totally in love with each other!_ " the pink-haired girl stared, dumbstruck by the statement.

She did find herself wondering if Yuya really did have some sort of attraction towards her. Admittedly – though she'd be damned if she said it out loud – ever since Yuya had turned thirteen, she had started to see him differently, and it had gone from just finding some of the things he did cute, to loving his warm laugh, the way his eyes glowed, the jovial lilt in his voice, and the way he smiled with his entire body, as it radiated his light and comfort in a way that no other could. Then, this year, before and after the scare they'd had, she'd noticed something more to him. When he'd been in the hospital, Yuya seemed tired, but his eyes glowed with a silken warmth that drew her in and made her cry all the more at the prospect of losing him. As she thought of the brightly colored boy, his antics, how he lit up any room he walked into, and his glowing smiles, Yuzu found herself coming to a realization.

The boy she'd known her entire life had gone from a playmate, to a best friend, a pillar of support – when they'd both needed it – a classmate, a tried and true person she could always count on, to cute, funny, sweet, comforting, and attractive. Yuzu could admit it, Yuya was attractive in an odd way, and to some degree, he'd always been that way to her. His appearance drew her in and kept her wondering if he was really what he appeared to be, but then he'd smile, and all the questioning and confusion went away in a wash of laughter and warm scarlet eyes. A gasp left her as the notion struck her dead on and Sora hummed.

"Finally put it together did ya?" he asked.

"I-I um…" Yuzu felt her face turn impossibly red.

" _Oh my god… I'm in love with Yuya! What the hell?!"_ she felt silly, almost like a girl from a poorly written romance novel; however, it was reality, and it had taken her this long to figure this tiny detail out.

"Seems like my assumption was right: you've got the hots for him," Sora stated bluntly as Yuzu swallowed thickly.

"W-What am I gonna do?! Yuya's too shy to… what am I saying?! I can't tell him!" the blue-haired boy sighed in defeat.

"Okay, listen you wanted to ask me a question, right? That's why you wanted me to take a walk with you, am I wrong?" he questioned as Yuzu slapped her cheeks for a second.

"Y-Yea, I want you to teach me how to use Fusion monsters…" Sora rose an eyebrow.

"How come?" he probed.

"I need to be stronger. Yuya… he's strong… even though he doesn't think it, he's strong and has been getting stronger… but I'm just… me." The other smiled.

"That's what _he likes_ about you, Yuzu. That you're just _you_ ," Sora admitted as the girl felt her face turn another shade of red that to the blue-haired boy's point of view was beginning to rival the crimson shade of Yuya's hair.

"W-Well, that's fine! But, I need to be stronger. So please, t-teach me how to use Fusion Monsters." Yuzu bowed in respect and Sora groaned thinking of the situation before a smile came to his features.

" _There's one way everyone will be happy…"_

"Okay, fine, I'll teach you Fusions," he told her as she looked up to him, excitement gleaming in her eyes.

"Really?! Thank you, when can we –"Yuzu was cut off by Sora's next statement.

"I'll teach you Fusions on three conditions!" he met her gaze and she nodded.

"Fine, what are they?" she asked as Sora hummed.

"Firstly, you gotta work hard, cause I'm not going to be easy on you…." She nodded.

"I will!" Yuzu stated in determination.

"Second, you gotta enter the Arc League Championships, and do your best to make it to the finals, but you don't gotta win them… just be a finalist." The pink-haired girl rose an eyebrow before nodding again.

"Got it, I'll send in my application tomorrow," she answered, and then Sora looked her over.

"And, finally…." She tensed, knowing this would probably be the most important one of the three conditions.

"Yes?" she inquired as Sora met her gaze.

"When the Championships are over…" Yuzu tensed.

"Uhuh?" her voice became a soft squeak as pastel green kept a steady gaze on her.

"You've gotta tell Yuya that you're in love with him." The finality in Sora's voice caused her eyes to widen.

"W-W-WHAT?!" her face became an embarrassing shade of red as Sora smiled.

"Those are my conditions, take em or leave em, your move," he stated.

Yuzu found herself in a situation she never thought she'd be facing, and all in one fell swoop no less. First, she'd decided she needed Sora to teach her Fusions, then he'd made her realize she was in love with her best friend, from there, he agreed to teach her Fusions, but only if she'd follow three conditions that he'd set. Yuzu had agreed to the first two without questioning, but this third one made her face burn in both embarrassment and frustration as she realized she'd been set up by the blue-haired boy. It was evident that he thought she and Yuya were perfect for one another, and for some reason decided that it was time to make it to where she had no choice but to accept the condition and admit to Yuya that she…

"Are you kidding me! How am I supposed to tell Yuya that I love him after the tournament?!" Yuzu declared in questioning, her bellow seeming to blow Sora back a bit.

"Easy, once it's over, come up to him and tell him _Yuya, I'm in love with you._ It's pretty damn easy if you think about it. I mean, come on… it's what your heart wants, right?" Yuzu paused, and placed a hand to her chest.

"What my heart wants?" she pondered.

"Exactly! You gotta follow your heart! If you love him, then you'll find the words to tell him the truth. Now, are ya gonna accept my conditions or not?" Sora waited, and waited, and waited some more until the pink-haired girl took in a deep breath.

"I… accept your conditions," she said as the other smiled to her.

"Right, now, let's get started… the first lesson will be on Polymerization!" Yuzu nodded.

"Okay, lead the way teach!"

 **{Sakaki Household: 10:20am}**

Though the sun filtered through the windows of the bedroom, Yuya was sound asleep, or at the very least, as sound as he could be. At current, he was tossing and turning, a cold sweat broken out on his forehead as his heartrate skyrocketed while he took in a series of shaky breaths. Odd-Eyes and Momoncarpet watched their master in concern, seeing a fit of panic clear within his vitals and the senses that they carried which told them the boy was terrified of something. The boy rolled a bit, struggling against his blankets as the two Duel Spirits tried desperately to think of a means to wake him without causing more panic to be inflicted. However, they could do nothing as they watched the boy continue to struggle against an unseen force as he took in a series of sharp breaths, his features contorting into ones of discomfort and fear as he continued to endure the nightmare.

It had started off like a normal dream, he was in the park with his friends, it was a clear, sunny day, fun and easy going; however, in the blink of an eye, everything changed into a less than pleasant dream. The sky grew dark, streaking with blood reds, embers, and thick black smoke which choked the sunlight out of the sky as the grass became awash with cinders, blood, and debris while the trees swayed in a broken manner, looking more like charred, spindly hands and fingers than limbs. Scarlet eyes had wandered around the area, searching for his friends, and then, in a heap around him, were their corpses, fear laced through him, and then, in that instant as he looked at his bloodied hands, a dismal, dangerous, and vile voice spoke to him.

" _ **No matter what you do, you cannot save them nor can you change your fate, fragile as you are… hikari."**_

"YUYA!" firm hands ripped him from the dream as he shot up in bed, staring around in a panicked state as he looked around the room he was in before meeting the worried gaze of his mother who pulled him into her arms and began running her fingers through his hair.

"I…" Yuya found his voice failing him as Yoko held him tightly, easing him as he took in shaky breaths, hoping to calm his racing heart.

"It's okay, shush… no need to talk. It was just a nightmare, Yuya… don't worry," she told him soothingly as he realized that he was shaking before a sudden surge hit his stomach.

He moved, wrenching free of her grasp before running from the room and into the bathroom before becoming sick. Yoko was quick to follow him only before she went to his side to slip his bangs away from his sweat-slicked face as he coughed once again before bringing up whatever had been in his stomach from the night before. At first, she was surprised when the boy heaved once more, coughing as he struggled to catch his breath and her mind began to race through what was happening and attempted to find a solution. It was evident that Yuya was sick, but whether it was just a bug or something more serious, she couldn't be certain.

"Yuya…" she rubbed a soothing circle into his back as he coughed a few more times before moving away from where he was half lying upon the floor to completely falling back into her arms, too weak to hold himself up.

"W-What…" a dull ache developed in his throat, causing him to wince as Yoko started to stand, helping the boy to his feet as he swayed a bit, clutching to her clothes.

"Let's get you in the bed, you need to rest," she said as she started easing him towards his room until they finally entered the place and she guided him to his bed where he laid himself down carefully before taking in a shaky breath as she reached over and felt of his forehead.

" _He's burning up… I may need to call the doctor if this fever doesn't go down…"_ she thought as she looked towards Momoncarpet and Odd-Eyes.

"The two of you keep him company, I'm going to get some medicine. Okay?" Yoko asked the two Duel Spirits who nodded and went to Yuya, Momoncarpet spreading across his chest to ease the pain there with her warmth while Odd-Eyes curled into his side.

Yoko was quick to head down the stairs and into the kitchen where she kept the medicine for when they were sick. While she was a witch and did use healing potions and other remedies that her fellow witches had used for centuries, there were times when using the medicine made by normal humans was the best thing. The blonde-haired woman stayed focused on getting the medicine together for Yuya while her mind worked over what was going on with him and what could have caused him to be this ill so quickly. Naturally, she would have assumed the flu, or some kind of virus that had gotten to him – only because witches weren't immune to illnesses – but the nightmare had been the fuel for the fire so to speak, and now Yoko was beginning to question if it was indeed just a virus, or something to do with Yuya's magic and his heritage.

" _Telling him the truth would be the best thing for him, but I just… can't bring myself to put that on him right now…"_

Grabbing the medicine, she needed, Yoko went back up the stairs before going into the room where Yuya was lying on his back, looking less than comfortable at the moment. Green eyes looked the boy over before she crouched down on the floor and filled up a small cup with the medicine, and then helped him sit up a bit. Without question, the bitter taste of the liquid she was having him drink down didn't sit well with him as he seemed to flinch before he settled to accepting it at which point she was thankful that he wasn't fighting her and made sure he took in the entire cup before letting him lay back down. Yoko waited as he swallowed, seeming to not find it that welcoming regardless of how he felt as she reached over and brushed his bangs away from his forehead and felt of his skin.

"You're still burning up… you won't be going to school tomorrow, that's for sure," Yoko stated as Yuya opened his eyes blearily.

"I'm… missing too… much…" the blonde-haired woman sighed.

"Be that as it may, you're too sick Yuya. I'm not letting you go to school with a fever like that… you won't be going to the Duel School either. I'm going to go and call Shuzo right now, you better get some rest," she stated as she stood and watched as the two Duel Spirits curled up with the boy as she headed back downstairs and towards the kitchen.

Seeing Yuya as ill as he was, Yoko was beginning to question some of the greater details she wasn't telling him about. Reiji Akaba knew good and well what those facts were, but she also had good faith in believing that he wouldn't blab them to others unless required. Another sigh left her as she sat the medicine on the counter and looked at the photo on the wall of Yusho and Yuya before she placed her hand upon the locket she wore. There was so much that needed to be explained, but Yoko wasn't sure quite how to do it. Once, when she was younger, and much more naïve, she had made a promise to tell Yuya the truth when he came of age, but at that time, it seemed as though that day was centuries away as she remembered holding a tiny baby in her arms and speaking with her sister, making promises with her and telling her things she would do to help Yuya, being his mother and his best friend whenever he needed it.

Those days seemed to go by so fast though, and suddenly, she realized something when Yuya was only a month shy of turning fourteen: the time had come. All those years had breezed by in the blink of an eye, and now, she was staring down her past promises and how little time it had taken to get to the point they were at now. Her mind wandered to Yuya, her happy, cheerful, and bright little boy that she'd swore to always protect, but now, she was wondering how she would protect him from facts that he needed to know.

The moment when she'd received a call from Shuzo two weeks before Yuya's birthday flared in her mind and she felt tears burn her eyes. The phone call had sounded strange because Shuzo had been rushing to get Yuya to the car with the help of Yuzu and Gongenzaka, but the moment he'd told her that they were taking her son to the hospital, everything seemed to go still. She told them she'd meet them there, and then, when she'd arrived she'd been greeted by a bloodied Yuzu and Gongenzaka who were both pale and looked terrified beyond belief. Yoko had never seen Yuzu cry that much as when she saw her and was instantly being tackled by the pink-haired girl as she sobbed uncontrollably. In that moment, Shuzo had told her the truth, that Yuya had tried to take his own life, and that Yuzu had been the one to find him.

It was a day that she would forever remember because seeing the proof of what had happened on the girl she thought of as a daughter, and her son's best friend's clothes had rocked her to the core. The bright, cheerful, warm boy she had watched grow up and cared for, had felt as though he had no other way out. Yoko felt her eyes burn again as tears started to fall and she took in a few deep breaths, letting it wash over her before she reached for the phone, clearing her throat as she dialed the number and waited for Shuzo to pick up.

 **{Hiiragi Household: 12:02pm}**

Shuzo was sitting at the kitchen table about to eat lunch with his daughter when the phone rang, and Shuzo sighed before standing to pick it up. Yuzu had come home from her morning walk – or run as it was – with a bright smile on her face and a small package that seemed to contain some cards. He suspected that she was fixing her deck up to improve her skills, and was happy to see that she was working hard, but also wanted her to understand that if she needed anything, she could still come to him.

"Hello? Who is… oh, Yoko! How are you today?" Yuzu listened to the only side of the conversation she could hear as she started eating and then heard her father hum.

"Is he okay? That bad huh? Well, if it gets worse, I would take him to the hospital. No, I know he doesn't like them, but with it being that bad…" the pink-haired girl felt her heartrate pick up.

" _What's going on?"_ she thought as her father nodded his head a bit.

"Can he keep anything down? No, I didn't think so… what about the fever? How high is it? A hundred and three?! Yoko, if it gets any higher it'll… yes, I know. Don't worry about it…" Yuzu felt a sharp pain begin to rest in the pit of her stomach, worry eating away at her.

" _Yuya… is he hurt?"_ she began to mull through various thoughts, the worst one coming back from a prior memory of what had started to seem like so long ago.

"No, I understand that he won't be coming today or tomorrow. I would keep him home too if I were you. He's too ill to get around people… no, don't worry about it Yoko, I can explain to the others and they'll probably want to come see him later or…" a sudden crash caught Shuzo's attention as he looked to where Yuzu had once been seated and noticed that the chair was turned over and the door had just slammed.

" _ **What on earth was that noise?"**_ asked Yoko on the other line.

"Yuzu's on her way, just so you know… I guess she overheard the conversation and decided to come see if Yuya was okay. You know, ever since that day, she's been worried about him." The man sighed and heard the blonde-haired woman do the same on the other line.

" _ **I can't blame her, she was the one who found him… I just… I wish it was easier to explain things to children… Yuya… he's never going to be the same because of that. Yuzu just wants to let him know that he's not alone, but…"**_ Shuzo nodded.

"It can't be helped that he's changing Yoko, you know that their both at that age when they start trying to strike out on their own. But both our kids are strong and smart… no matter what comes their way, they'll be okay," he assured her as Yoko took in a deep breath.

" _ **Thank you, Shuzo. I better go and hide the witch stuff before Yuzu arrives… she'll get to suspicious."**_

"Alright, speak with you later," he said as he hung up and went over to the overturned chair before picking it up.

"My hot-blooded daughter… she's too much like you sometimes Sakura…"

Down the street, Yuzu was rushing as fast as her legs would carry her to the Sakaki household. Despite it sounding like it was just your run of the mill cold or flu, Yuzu wanted to make sure Yuya was okay, and she wanted to help him and Yoko because she knew that doing so would be better than just sitting back and waiting. A faint memory of one of the days Yuya was in the hospital came to her mind as she recalled him smiling to her and laughing as best he could, but that it seemed so forced and he sounded so tired. Taking in a deep breath, Yuzu turned the street corner and finally found herself on the street she needed to be on.

The pink-haired girl went down the sidewalk and then raced up the driveway of the white house before going to the door. As she did though, a faint movement caught her attention and she turned to look and see that it seemed like a few of the plants were moving strangely, Yuzu considered it for just a second, and then she shook it off before stepping on the front porch where she knocked on the door and Yoko opened it, looking surprised for reasons she wasn't sure of. Yuzu was let in, taking in deep gulps of air as she tried to get her breath back after rushing a total of three blocks to get there. Yoko lead her to the kitchen and had the girl sit down before giving her a glass of water which she too with some quick thanks.

"Running three blocks wasn't the best idea, was it?" Yoko asked as Yuzu took in another deep breath.

"No, it wasn't… but I just wanted to… make sure Yuya was…" she took in a few deeper breaths as Yoko smiled.

Yuzu hadn't given her enough time to hide the things she'd wanted to, but some part of her felt as though there was no real reason to hide the truth from Yuzu if she were to find out or begin asking questions today. Yuya had spoken about how desperate he was to let the pink-haired girl know the truth, and today, for all Yoko knew, Yuzu would learn the truth. Periwinkle eyes looked to her and Yoko sighed before going over to get some of the tea she'd been brewing before pouring it into a cup and giving it to Yuzu with a little bit of honey and a black-toned spice that she'd sprinkled into it.

"Drink this, it'll help give you some energy," Yoko said as she sat down with her own cup.

"What's the black stuff?" the blonde smiled.

"It's an herb, helps with calming your nerves. Don't worry, it's not bad or anything," she stated as Yuzu took a sip and felt her eyes widen a bit.

"It tastes like peppermint." Yoko sipped her tea and then looked at the girl.

"You wanted to come here and check on Yuya because you overheard the conversation with your father?" she questioned as the pink-haired girl looked down.

"I did… I just… ever since that day… when something happens to him or he acts differently…" the woman smiled as she reached across the table and took the girl's hands.

"Knowing that someone like you is with him, I don't think there's anything to worry about. Yuzu, you're very special to Yuya, even though he doesn't want to admit it… he loves you with all his heart," she told the girl who stared at her in surprise.

"W-Why are you telling me this?" Yoko gave her a long look.

"Because I know you feel the same way, but can't find the resolve to tell him how you feel. That's fine, but I want to tell you that you shouldn't waste the time you have together… surely what happened made you realize how short and precious life is." Yuzu looked down, a pained expression coming to her features.

"It did, but I… don't want to lose him because he doesn't feel the same or can't admit it… I came to close to losing him once already, I don't want to take that chance again," she told the blonde-haired woman who looked her over.

"Yuzu, listen to me. If you don't tell him how you really feel, then you _are definitely going to lose him._ Eventually, someone else will come along and catch his interest if you continue to think that he'll always be there when in reality… he'll move on, knowing that trying to get you to love him will never happen." The girl bit her lip.

" _I came here to make sure Yuya was okay… and now instead… I'm getting a therapy session from his mom… not to mention life advice… why does this always happen?"_

"Should I tell him the truth?" Yoko smiled.

"When you're ready, but I wouldn't take too long if I were you," she told her. Yuzu thought back to Sora's conditions and took in a deep breath.

"When the Arc League Tournament is over… I'll tell him how I feel… I promise." Yoko smiled.

"I guess that's a good ambition to get you to work harder, huh? Alright, now, why don't we go check on Yuya?" Yuzu nodded and stood to follow Yoko, knowing that the words of both Yoko and Sora were right: life was too short to not try everything you could just because you were scared of the answer.

 **{…}**

 _But we are ready and prepared to fight…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** So, this chapter is almost one-hundred percent Yuzu being told that everyone else knows that she and Yuya like each other - but they seem to not be willing to say so to each other. However, it also shows that Yuya is beginning to have some very serious things happen with him. Well, see you in the next chapter.

Trivia:

Tchaikovska the Melodic Dragon is a Fusion Monster that I created because I always thought it'd be cool of the Melodious Archetype had a Dragon named after Tchaikovsky, the Russian composer. That and my roommate runs a Melodious Deck and is a violinist.

Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects, has 1000 ATK but is basically immortal. I have dueled against that card hundreds of times, and I personally run an Odd-Eyes Magician deck with about four Performapals in it and I only recently managed to find a way to get rid of that blasted thing! (My roommate adores her though.)

My Dueling group calls Bloom Diva the Fairy God Card, I kid you not.

Mozarta is the first Fusion Monster you see Yuzu use, therefore, I decided she would be the one she has right now, but don't worry, the others she uses as well as a few special cards will appear later.


	16. Chapter 16: Way to the Championships

Chapter 16: Way to the Championships

 **{Road to You Show Duel School: June 27** **th** **, 2014, 3:45pm}**

"Yuya? Are you sure you're okay with coming to the Duel School today?" Sora asked as he looked at the boy who stretched a bit.

A few days ago, Shuzo had told the others at the school that Yuya was sick and wouldn't be coming for the next few days until his fever broke. Due to this, the others had not expected to see Yuya any time soon, and yet he had come to school today and went to classes as though nothing was wrong; however, that didn't mean he was completely well. He looked tired still, pale-skinned, and bleary eyed as he walked along with them and they spoke about the entirety of the situation for the day ahead of them still. Slightly weary scarlet eyes looked towards Sora who frowned as he watched the other.

"Yea, I'll be fine. My fever's gone, and I'm not sick to my stomach anymore… why do you ask?" Sora shrugged as Yuzu walked with them.

"Just don't need the nurse busting a gasket today is all," he stated as he pointed his thumb towards the pink-haired girl.

"N-Nurse?! Excuse me?! I just was helping him when he was sick! Sora, you brat!" Yuzu whipped her fan out and whacked the blue-haired boy hard over the head before stomping ahead of the two teenagers while Yuya checked on Sora.

"Are you okay? Speak to me Sora!" Yuya stated as he kept a firm grip upon the candy addict.

"I see butterflies…" Yuya shook his head.

"Well, just don't follow them, okay?" Sora shook his head before nodding slowly.

"It's follow the spiders, remember?" the boy sighed before grabbing Sora's hand.

"Right, now come on Sora, we gotta follow the pink-haired demon la – I mean Yuzu…" Yuya started leading his now loopy friend towards the Duel School while said pink-haired demon lady continued to march ahead of them until finally Yuya rolled his eyes.

"Can't I follow the butterscotch into the peppermint forest?" Yuya groaned in defeat as he stormed up to Yuzu who looked to him.

"You've knocked him completely loopy! I hope you know!" he snapped, startling the girl.

"W-What? I did not hit him that hard!" she defended as Yuya locked his blazing eyes on her own periwinkle ones.

"Yea, well tell that to the kid who wants to follow the butterflies and spiders down the butterscotch trail that leads into the peppermint forest!" he scowled, a less-than-pleased look on his normally sweet features.

"Well, he shouldn't just throw out stuff like that!" Yuya gave her a long look.

"And you shouldn't whack people over the head just because you don't like what they said! Honestly, Yuzu! Doing that doesn't do anyone any good! I know that sometimes people deserve – myself included – but did he really deserve to get knocked that far off his rocker?" the red-green-haired boy growled.

Yuzu had seen Yuya irritated before, but the expression he gave her sent an unnatural chill down her spine, almost as if she was staring a predator of some kind in the eyes and knew it was going to attack her when she looked away. Her inner voice shouted the absurdity of the thought because this wasn't some wild animal, but her best friend since infancy, and she had no need to be scared of him. Scarlet bored into periwinkle for a moment longer before Yuya tisked, huffing as he turned on his heels and looked to Sora who seemed to be attempting to come out of his stupor before Yuya thought of a means to make him snap out of it.

" _An enlightenment or clarity spell should help him get his senses back… otherwise he'll be going to the hospital for a concussion…"_ Yuya sighed before focusing the spell into his fingertips before doing a simple motion of flicking Sora in the forehead to hide the casting before the boy's slightly hazy pastel-green eyes cleared and he looked up at him.

"Ouch! Why'd you flick me Yuya?!" he asked in a pouty tone as Yuya sighed in relief.

"I was hoping you'd be knocked back to your senses seeing as Yuzu sent you off with the faeries." Sora looked to Yuzu.

"That fan hurts," he muttered as she gave him a nervous look.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to hit you that hard!" she apologized, and he shrugged.

"I'm fine… but… "

"Well, well… what do we have here?" interjected a familiar voice. Yuya wheeled around to face none other than one Sylvio Sawatari who gave him a kind smile as he glowered at him.

"Sawatari…" Sora glowered at him with equal annoyance as did Yuzu as he gave them a passing glance then looked to Yuya.

"Nice to see you again Yuya, how are you today?" he asked.

"Piss off you sorry bastard!" Sawatari gawked at him.

"My such vulgar language before a lady. Surely you have more manners than that," he stated.

"I don't see the reason to show any formal manners around a scum-sucker like you." Yuzu's statement had Sylvio nearly drooping in dismay.

"Now, now! No need to be so crass. I was merely wondering how Yuya was doing," he said as he looked into the boy's scarlet eyes.

"Last time I checked, you and I weren't on friendly terms." Sawatari nodded at the statement.

"Yes, I normally would not associate with a carnival reject such as yourself; however, I gave it some thought, and I decided that I wanted to challenge you personally, fair and square, to a Duel," Sawatari told the boy who gave him a long look, crossing his arms over his slim chest as he did so.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't think a _fair and square Duel_ could be possible with the likes of you." The two watching the interaction winced at the obvious roasting Yuya was giving Sawatari.

"That was brutal man," muttered Sora.

"See here Yuya, I only wanted to extend an offer to you for a tried and true Duel against two entertainers, would you accept my offer?" Yuya rose an eyebrow, looking decidedly miffed by the other teenager.

"You? An entertainer? Right… and I'm the Genie of the Lamp… listen, Sawatari, I am not going to Duel you! You cheated, stole my Stargazer and Timegazer Magician, and not to mention you have z _ero respect_ for lower ranking cards," he stated.

"Actually, I found the Genie in Aladdin quite entertaining… but, regardless… I wish to atone for my misgivings by challenging you to a real duel with a real audience, no tricks, no gimmicks, and zero mistreatment of lower… _ranking cards_." Yuya realized what he was implying and glared.

"I _am not an Xyzs user_ Sawatari! So, drop the suspicions before _I drop you!_ " he warned while Sawatari sighed.

"Fine, fine… now, can you accept my challenge or not? Perhaps you still are just a cowardly lion?" Yuya ground his teeth together.

" _If he calls me a cowardly lion one more time, I am going to go wicked witch of the west on his ass… "_ he thought while keeping eye contact with Sawatari.

"You still haven't told us the details of this challenge, Sawatari," stated Yuzu.

"Ah! My apologies. I wish to attempt to face you at some point during the Arc League Championships, then we can have a true Duel. Besides, I also wanted to tell you something rather impressive I've heard recently." Yuya rose an eyebrow again.

"The Arc League Championships? What are the odds of us facing each other?" he asked.

"They'll be doing a Battle Royale style finale this year, so even if we do not face off during the match-ups, we'll face one another during the finals, so how about it? If you tell me the answer, then I'll give you the details on the big secret Leo Corp has." Yuya thought for a moment.

"Fine, I accept your challenge. Just don't get bounced until the finals so I can kick your ass," he said with a calm look upon his face as Sawatari smiled.

"Bravo! I cannot wait! Now, as for the information, I think that you'd like to know that Leo Corp is gonna be releasing some of their own _Pendulum Cards_ very soon. When they come out, I'll be first in line to pick 'em up… but I found it funny that you're not endorsing them, seeing as you were the creator of them and all." Yuya felt his eyes grow wide.

"They're doing… what now?" he questioned.

"Making their own Pendulum Cards. Seems that you'll not be the only one with them now after all, huh? Well, I cannot wait to see what they make… supposedly, they'll be making some for every archetype out there… including Miss Hiiragi's Melodious monsters, and whatever that blue-haired Narnian reject uses I'm sure they'll have some for him too." Yuya growled low in his chest, the noise sounding far to animalistic and feral to be human, and sufficiently spooking the three with him, and when he realized he was doing it – the sound began to startle him as well.

" _Maybe I can get someone to loan me some flying monkeys to send to Leo Corp…"_ he thought before focusing on the conversation again.

"First of all, those Pendulum Cards will never be anything like my own! Second, while I don't mind others having them, I believe they should have gotten my consent as it is not an officially viewed system mechanic that was created by Kaiba Corp or Industrial Illusions… third… the next time you wanna come up to me and challenge me to a Duel, do so! But don't you dare insult my friends, got it? You Dueltaining wannabe!" Yuya's growling tone caused Sawatari to step back, noticing for the first time that the boy's pupils were feline-like slits.

"F-Fine! However, if you don't have the sixty-percent required to enter, you won't be facing me period! I'll wait for you in the Arc League Championships, Yuya Sakaki," with that Sawatari walked off and Yuya felt his entire form shake as Yuzu and Sora watched him.

"Yuya?" the boy shook his head, glaring as he stormed off.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" called Sora.

"Home! I don't want to be at the Duel School today." With that the boy started to leave their field of vision and Sora looked to Yuzu.

"Has he ever acted that way?" he questioned as Yuzu shook her head.

"N-No… Yuya's never violent or even remotely like that… he's never acted so vicious before…" Sora hummed, pulling a sucker out of his jacket pocket.

"Maybe its hormones…" Yuzu wanted to scold him for being so blunt, but found herself honestly hoping that he was right.

 **{Sakaki Household: 4:20pm}**

Thunder began to roll through the clouds above as Yoko stood in her garden, picking a few herbs as the sky started to turn a sharp gun-metal gray while she frowned. It was supposed to be a clear day, but they were in summer, and the area they were in tended to get rather harsh rainfall during the summer months. Sighing, she hurried with gathering up her herbs before placing them into the basket next to her as a small garden gnome aided in pulling up weeds to eat. The gnome was named Niknak – where the name came from, none of them had ever figured out – but he was helpful, and tended to the gardens on the days where Yoko and Yuya couldn't. he also had proven to be a big help in keeping different pests out of the garden that ranged from snakes, to rabbits thinking of digging holes.

"Storms, storms, and more storms! Any more rainfall and the tulips will drown!" cried Niknak as he pulled up another dandelion.

"Now, now, just because we get rain doesn't mean nothing will bloom. Have a positive outlook why don't you?" Yoko heard the gnome gaff at her statement.

"You try being positive when you have to act as a lawn ornament most of the time! As I am sure you know, your son isn't the best company either… especially with that Dragon of his," Niknak stated as he shook a dandelion at Yoko.

"What about Florence? I thought the two of you got along?" the gnome huffed.

"Florence and I get along like the Queen of Hearts gets along with Alice…" just as he said this a white rabbit began hopping through the yard, adorned with a pair of silver, wireframe glasses.

"Oh, hello Florence," Yoko stated.

"OUT! GET OUT OF MY YARD YOU LITTLE WONDERLANDIAN PEST!" howled Niknak as it began to chase the white rabbit around the yard while it began to fuss at him.

"Really! Is there such a need for this Niknak? I am just a guest! Nothing more! I was wondering how Master Yuya is doing as of late, that much I swear to you!" the commotion continued as Yoko watched and finished with her task when a sudden flush of magic ripped through the air, startling the three inhabitants as they turned to the location of it and saw Yuya walking down the street towards the house, looking as though he had just gone through a less than pleasant day and had no desire to deal with the situation or speak of it as he walked past the garden and into the house without even a glance in their direction before slamming the door shut, a sharp wave of his magic lashing out and leaving a faint burn on the patio surface from where he'd been.

"My word… what was the meaning of that?" asked Florence, fixing his glasses as he sat up on his haunches.

"Yuya's been having some trouble with certain Duelists lately… I just wish I knew why all this is happening… not to mention he's still not sure how to control his magic." Niknak tisked.

"Waking Magic is dangerous… why would it be granted to a child? Only the ancient great ones wielded such power in my day!" he said, sounding ever the old, little man that he was while Florence sighed.

"They too were children once, need I remind you. And your day was what? During the time of the Pharaoh?" Niknak wailed.

"I AM NOT OLD! YOU HEAR ME COTTONTAIL?! I AM NOT OLD! I AM MERELY REFINED WITH AGE!" Yoko stood up causing the rabbit and the gnome to look to her.

"The two of you need to get along, honestly… besides, it's up to the two of you to watch over our garden… now, I left plenty of dandelions for you Niknak, and there are carrots just by the garden shed for you Florence, will the two of you not argue today? I don't think Yuya needs a reason to attempt spell target practice if you manage to make him angry enough," she said as she went into the house and the two looked at one another.

"You know, I get the feeling we're being dismissed…" Niknak's statement had Florence fixing his glasses again.

"Indeed, I feel the same… shall we?" the rabbit and the gnome walked away towards the back yard while Yoko sighed and sat her herbs down before walking to the staircase as she decided to see what was happening with her son.

The boy had honestly startled her when he came home, but right then, she was more concerned with what was happening to him. Sighing once more, she went up the staircase and into the hallway before approaching the door to her son's room. His magical aura was pulsing angrily, almost like a cat would flick its tail in agitation, and for a moment, Yoko thought about leaving him be; however, she had no intention of leaving him to stoop in his irritability and because of that, she pushed open the door and looked to where Yuya was lying face first in his pillow, ignoring the world around him it seemed.

Being careful not to cause him any surprises at this point, Yoko entered the room and moved to sit beside him on the bed, staying in the silence as she heard the boy sigh in what was obvious frustration while Odd-Eyes and Momoncarpet kept their distance, not wanting to upset or irritate their Master as Yoko gave them a smile and nodded to them to let them know that they were fine where they were as she reached out and touched his shoulder, causing the boy to wriggle a bit before huffing again. Yoko knew then that she would have to coax him into talking, and had begun to think of a plan when he did something unexpected.

"Leo Corp is going to make pendulum cards…" she stared in surprise.

"What?! They can't do that!" she stated as the boy huffed once again.

"You wanna bet? I can't stop them… and I really don't care… no one was going to acknowledge me for that anyways… remember… _Reiji Akaba can Pendulum Summon, so Yuya Sakaki is second rate…_ that's literally how the pendulum swings this time around…" he refused to look at her, and Yoko understood why: he was hurt. Not physically, but his emotional state was a bit shaken up and his mental being wasn't very stable at that point and he didn't feel like being coddled, at least, not right then.

"I guess you've got a point. But, that doesn't mean you should let it get you down," she told him.

"Yea, sure… not only was that thrown in my face… but Sawatari challenged me to a Duel and now I have no way of entering the Arc League Championships because guess what? _I don't have thirty straight wins!_ I'm not at sixty percent… so I'm once again… second rate…" Yoko frowned.

"Enough feeling sorry for yourself! Get up and help me fix dinner," she said as she reached out for him and he moved away from her, sitting up and curling up in the corner of his bed against the wall where he pulled his knees to his chest and rested his head on them.

"I'm not hungry, and I don't really want to talk right now…" Yoko sighed at the boy.

" _I swear! He's too much like you Yaya!"_ she thought before moving a bit closer to him.

"Yuya, listen to me… you are _anything but second rate!_ You're an incredible person, you're full of life and warmth, and light! You have a great thirst for life, and you're strong! You love what you do and put everything you have into it, plus, _you are the creator of Pendulum Summoning_ that is you and no one else! No matter who makes the cards for others to use, the method's origins are always going to lead back to you! That is the way the pendulum swings for you," Yoko told him as he shrugged.

"They'll just erase me… not too much longer from now… everyone will forget that I did it first and soon it'll be _Leo Corp this, Reiji Akaba that…_ who's Yuya Sakaki? Oh, he's the kid of that coward of a Duelist Yusho Sakaki… the one who ran off and never returned _… that_ is what people will know me as… nothing else… I was just too stupid to see it was going to go this way…" Yoko frowned.

"I'll be having a talk with Mr. Akaba tomorrow morning, now as for you, get your sorry tail up and come help me before I turn you into a mouse," she said as Yuya glanced her way, his eyes dull and tired looking.

"Fine…"

 **{Downstairs: 5:30pm}**

Yoko worked alongside Yuya to prepare dinner for the night in silence while she cut a few vegetables up and Yuya stirred ingredients together, being mindful not to make a big mess as he did so. They hadn't spoken once since they'd gotten downstairs, and if Yoko were to be honest: that was fine. She didn't mind if Yuya elected not to speak, she just didn't want him to be alone. As they continued prepping their items for cooking the doorbell rang and Niknak poked his head in through the patio door as strong winds began to pick up.

"There's some weirdo in a yellow and black stripped suit with weird hair and these big old glasses standing at the door," he said as Yoko rose an eyebrow and sat the items aside, rinsing her hands before going to the door.

"Hello ma'am, is this the Sakaki residence?" a nasally voice asked Yoko this and she nodded as Yuya kept focused on his task.

"Yes, it is, oh, why don't you come in? the weather is starting to look bad," she said as the person thanked her and entered the house, removing their shoes before looking towards the kitchen where Yuya was standing, having finished with his mixing as he prepared to batter the fish for the fryer – his mom had elected fish and chips with a side salad for dinner tonight – when he heard someone come up behind him.

"Yuya Sakaki!" the boy turned on his heels and came face to face with none other than the one person who had sent his life into a very strange spiral.

"N-Nico Smiley?!" he questioned as Yoko set to working on the food prep.

"Yes, my boy! How are you?" Yuya swallowed nervously.

"I'm fine… but… what are you doing here?" he asked as Nico smiled brightly.

"Just coming for a chat and to deliver some news, if you're willing to hear it that is? but first, look at you! Still such a handsome boy, tell me Mrs. Sakaki, does the young lad have any proposals yet? Someone so handsome surely has had some marriage offers already!" Yuya felt his head begin to spin.

" _Can someone please get this weirdly colored flying monkey off my back?! I'm supposed to be tormenting people with them, not the other way around… then again… what goes around comes around…"_ he thought asYoko laughed at the man's question.

"Oh no, I'm not one for arranged marriages. Besides, he's rather smitten with a pretty girl he's known his whole life," she said as Yuya gave her a long look.

"I-I… what?!" Nico smiled once again.

"Well, I'm sure the two of you will work out fine. Now, enough of that silliness, I'm here on official business. Yuya, my dear boy, you've been officially invited to enter the Arc League Championship this year," he stated as Yuya gawked at him.

"I… wait? Seriously?!" Yoko paused.

"That's incredible!" she said.

"Indeed, it is… the city's Duel Association took notice of your valiant victory against Strong Ishijima and after some meetings and deliberations, negotiated by yours truly, they have decided to offer you a spot in the championship." Yuya paused, thinking of what had just been said.

It cleared up almost every single problem he had when it came to the Duel against Sawatari – and perhaps a side ambition to make to the major leagues as a pro – which eased some of his earlier depression; however, the details also made him uncomfortable because he had also considered what others in his school had been saying about him getting a free pass for beating Strong Ishijima, for creating a new summoning method, and the _assumption that he'd become a professional by defeating Strong Ishijima._ The last one got on his nerves the most because no matter how many times he told them, no one seemed to understand that he hadn't been Dueling for the other's title, just to prove a point and to stand his ground as a part of the Entertainment Duelists.

"Oh…." His expression became somber.

"What's wrong? Yuya?" asked Yoko.

"Well… it's a very nice offer and all, but… tell them thanks, but I'm gonna say no." the two looked at him in shock and just behind her, Yoko could hear Niknak and Florence shushing one another.

"But, my boy, why?" questioned Nico as Yuya gave him a slightly sheepish look.

"Cause it kind of seems like cheating or something… and I don't need any more people assuming that of me…" Yoko sighed, and Nico shook his head.

"No, it's favoritism…" Nico stated as Yuya gave him a concerned expression.

"Well, still I'm not one for that personally, I just…" Nico winked.

"Okay, that might have come out wrong. But the point is, you are in!" he said as Yuya looked down.

"It also feels wrong towards Strong Ishijima… speaking of which, how is the champ? I haven't seen him in a while." A grim look fell upon Nico's face.

"I am afraid, he is no longer the champion. He left with just a sad little note telling me he was renouncing his title and going to head overseas to find himself!" Yuya gaped.

"What?!" Yoko stared while Nico sighed.

"I am without a Duelist, and what is a Duel manager without a Duelist to manage, but an empty shell?! _Buuuuut!"_ Yuya internally groaned.

" _Yep, here's the real plot point, the coup-de-grace… the entire reason for this fiasco… and it came in a drawn-out word… I knew something like that would be the death of me one of these days,_ " he thought morbidly as Nico rounded only him fully.

"If you sign with me, we can start at the bottom together, and work our way to the top!" Nico said as Yuya sighed and bowed a bit.

"Bowing out…" Nico nearly hit the floor.

"You want Yuya to be your client?" asked Yoko as Yuya sighed, a faint ache developing in his throat and the pit of his stomach. He shrugged it off, thinking it was nothing more than a simplistic physical reaction to the weather and stress.

"Indeed!" Yuya found his hand being grasped by Nico who stared at him directly.

"U-Um…." Nico continued.

"I adore your talent Yuya, I thoroughly believe in you. What I witnessed on the day of your match against Strong Ishijima, was one of the most incredible moments in Dueling History! Even though I do not Duel myself, I am well aware of the belief in the Heart of the Cards, and I knew, that you were special because you, somehow tapped into that power, just as many other great Duelists have before you. That is why I want to manage you!" Nico told him and as Yuya stared into his eyes, he found no trace of a lie there.

"If that's really true, I need you to do something…" Nico looked to him.

"Anything, what do you want?" he questioned as Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Set up four Duels for me to try my luck at. If I'm going to compete in the Arc League Championships, then I want to enter just like everyone else…" Yoko smiled to her son and Nico felt tears come to his eyes.

"Oh! You've got it my boy! You're compassion and willingness to be treated as an equal is without equal all on its own! You are one in a million, a diamond in the rough! An absolutely stunning shining star! I'll get on it right away!" Nico thanked them and bade them goodbye as he departed and began making phone calls while Yuya stared after him while he heard his mother laughing a bit.

"What's so funny?" Yoko smiled.

"Just the way you affect people… something about you makes people see things differently… you change them just by being beside them… it's an incredible power," she said as Yuya sighed.

"If you say so…" he went to helping her finish with dinner and a few minutes later, Sora showed up, asking if he could join them for dinner.

As the evening progressed, a horrible storm came in, but the three of them were safe – as were Niknak and Florence who had taken shelter in the garden shed – and before too long, Sora had set in his mind that he too would be joining the Arc League Championships, but he would require Nico's help. Sighing, Yuya elected to inform the man in the morning, and apologize for the inconveniences until Sora stated that he would take care of the explanations for him. Without question, Yuya was certain the road ahead of him was about to become twice as chaotic as it already was, but he supposed it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

 **{….}**

 _Raise up your swords, don't be afraid…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Well, that was fun. I think we can officially say this is the end of the first arc, and the beginning of the second one! Congratulations! You made it to the start of Arc II of this horrendously long story! Keep going, it's gonna get a lot more intense, I promise you. Let me know what you guys think! Bye-bye!

Trivia:

Sora's loopy moment was inspired by Ronald Weasley's line of: "Why is it always follow the spiders? Why can't it be follow the butterflies?" from _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets._

There was a reference to the Candy Land board game here.

Genie from Aladdin was indeed mentioned in this chapter.

Yuya had a Wizard of Oz reference three times in this chapter, most of which were related to well, the wicked witch of the west.

Arranged marriages are still in existences in some parts of the world: Japan is one of them.

The song _In the End by Linkin Park_ was referenced in this chapter twice.

Niknak and Florence are inspired by two people I actually know that fight like that all the time, and yes, Niknak's sarcastic behavior is inspired by them as well.

Florence is a White Rabbit, part of the family of Wyde who are the escort white rabbits from Wonderland, they are first mentioned in _Kingdom Hearts: Genesis_ and reappear in _Kingdom Hearts: Trance Step_

Yuya's burns towards Sawatari, are inspired by the burns one of my friends dished out to the character when watching Arc-V for the first time.


	17. Chapter 17: Unfriendly Service

Chapter 17: Unfriendly Service

 **{Sakaki Household: June 29** **th** **, 2014 8:30am}**

Yoko sighed as she excused herself from the kitchen – she had been in the process of making a new meal item – and told Sora that she'd return momentarily with her son who she knew had been staying up a bit late last night and now was going to over sleep and miss his first official match of the tournament qualifiers. At first, Yoko assumed Yuya was getting himself ready, but when he kept not showing up, she decided that it was time to step in and see what the hold-up was. Right at that moment, she was hoping he didn't give himself cat ears and a tail again, or turn himself into something, or by some chance use his summoning magic to bring Performapal Elephammer into the house a _gain._

"I swear… Yuya! Come on you need to… Yuya?" she looked around the room and noticed that the boy wasn't in the room, and for a moment she panicked, wondering if he'd left early and then, she heard a faint curse from the bathroom next door and sighed before going over to it.

She knocked once and before she knew it, the door had swung open and Yuya had stormed out, dressed in his usual pants and shoes, but wearing a black t-shirt as he rubbed his face with a wash cloth right quick before growling in frustration while she followed him. He was acting rather strange, and she wondered what it was that made him so nervous and she was about to ask him when he stopped moving, standing oddly still as he tried to fathom how to speak with her about this ordeal that had suddenly arisen. Yoko sighed, putting her hands on her hips as she looked at the boy.

"Okay, what's going on young man?" she asked.

"I don't know! You tell me! What is this?!" he turned to face his mother and the moment he did, Yoko felt her jaw drop open.

Nothing about Yuya's features really looked that different to her when it came to his facial features, nor his messy red-green hair, but his eyes were a different story entirely. While his right eye was the same distinct shade of scarlet it had been since he was born, his left eye was now a vivid and intense emerald green. At first, Yoko wanted to give a startled yelp, but her instincts took over long before shock settled into her system as she came towards the boy who seemed incredibly anxious about what she would do now that he'd revealed this to her. The blonde-haired woman took in a deep breath and placed a gentle hand atop his head.

"Seems this finally happened," she said as Yuya gave her a long look.

"What are you talking about?" Yoko brushed her thumb under his left eye.

"This is from your magic. I told you that it was stronger than mine or your father's… the type of magic you have is very unique… and quite rare… this is what it does to people with it," she explained as he gawked at her.

"W-what?! But if anyone sees this…" she smiled.

"Relax, Yuya… it's not permanent. This is a temporary change that happens as your magic continues to mature… it'll go away in a week or so," she told him.

"A week _or so?!_ Mom! I'm enough of a freak as it is! I don't need… actually, I take that back… now instead of being called a freak, I'll be called _Odd-Eyes."_ Yoko laughed.

"It's a cute nickname I think. Plus, your hair and eyes match now," she said as he groaned.

"There's this thing… it's called _sarcasm_ … you should try it some time." Yoko sighed.

"Well, I guess if you don't want to be called that other than the fact that you and your dragon share something in common, then we'll have to do something about it," she told him.

"Okay… how do we get rid of it?" Yoko smiled.

"It's very simple… all we have to do is…"

 **{Streets: 9:20am}**

Yuya groaned a bit as he shuffled along, the lack of a decent breakfast in his system causing his stomach to grumble while he blinked a few times to get the slight irritation out of his left eye. The entire fiasco had taken fifteen minutes, but by the time it was over, Yuya had grabbed an apple and raced out the door, only getting in a few bites before he had to ditch it due to him having to hop on a bus where no food – other than groceries – would be allowed. Sighing, he rubbed his left eye again, hating the stinging of the magical colored contact lens that resided there now. The fiasco, as he now dubbed it, had been him having to put the accursed thing in his eye and flushing it with a solution so that he could avoid any irritation once it settled, which it was doing now and driving him insane.

"Okay, note to self… if magical powers decide they want to give you and your favorite card a very _distinct similarity_ getting up extra early is the best course of action… or wearing an eye patch… that could work too… but not a stupid magical contact lens that is annoying as hell and then you skip breakfast! Dammit!" Yuya snapped as he turned a corner and a scent caught his attention.

" _That smells good…"_

Ever since he had been a small child, Yuya had quite the keen sense of smell and hearing; however, that could at times get him in trouble seeing as he tended to over hear things he wasn't supposed to. Sighing, the boy followed his nose like a dog would when tracking and found himself standing in front of a school, but not just any school: _a_ _cooking school._ Frowning slightly, Yuya pulled out his Duel Disk and brought up the address he'd been given by Nico before looking at the one on the building with a sudden realization.

"This is the address… where the Duels supposed to be, I wonder where…AHHH!" Yuya had been thinking out loud and looking around when he'd been greeted with the face of a certain, promoter.

"Good morning Yuya! I see you've found the right place," Nico stated with his usual grin.

"Okay, you have gotta stop popping up outta nowhere, seriously!" the man continued to smile.

"Very well, but go ahead, step right in," Nico said as he showed him the entrance of the school.

"This is a… cooking school, what am I doing here?" the promoter laughed.

"Come on! Here we go!" he said as he got behind Yuya, pushing his shoulders as he made the boy enter the room.

"Ah I-I okay! No need to push!"

The interior of the cooking school was a pallet of warm, inviting colors that were equally bright, floral designs marked the floor in large prints of pink, green, purple, red, and yellow while the upper half lead to a series of large stairs with a grand castle-like feel. The place was rather nice, but to Yuya, his keen sense of smell picked up the medley of different scents and flavors wafting about in a lazy haze. His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten, and without question, Yuya knew his body would pay for it during the Duel; however, his attention was suddenly turned towards the stairs where smoke and lights had appeared, and Nico Smiley had suddenly vanished from his side.

"Allow me to introduce your celebrity opponent for today! The king of the kitchen, Reid Pepper!" Nico announced as people around them cheered and Yuya looked at the other boy.

The young man before him was quite a bit taller than him, and larger in build, but looked well put together. He had orangish-red hair with deep magenta bangs, ash mauve eyes, freckles upon his cheeks, and was adorned in black dress shoes, white pants with yellow designs on them, and what appeared to be two shirts – a blue one under neither a purple one – a dark navy colored vest, and a red sash tie about the collar of the shirts. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, attesting to his job as a chef – to which Yuya recalled someone once saying that the mark of a good chef was a messy apron and clean sleeves – but the red-green-haired boy also got the feeling that Reid wouldn't be an easy opponent.

"Great… I'm on Iron Chef… can I clock out and have Bobby Flay take my place?" Yuya grumbled, his lack of eating something making him particularly sarcastic. As the words left him, Reid walked over to him.

"So, you're Yuya Sakaki? Nice to meet you," Reid said as he watched him in confusion to a degree.

"Is something wrong Mister Iron Chef?" the older teenager laughed.

"Wow, you are quite sarcastic… I was just surprised by how you look. I mean no offense, but your hair color reminds me of a tomato," he said as Yuya nearly fell over at that one.

" _Well… that was a new one… I guess…."_

"Y-You don't say?" Reid hummed.

"It's not meant to be an insult, I think the pallet of your appearance is esthetically pleasing… but that is just my personal opinion… do you mind me ask if the color of your hair and eyes are natural?" he pondered as Chairman Fava – or whatever type of bean Yuya decided to associate him with – and Nico Smiley began to speak to one another to gear up for the Duel.

"Yes, it's natural… "Yuya stated.

" _Well, as of current at least one of my eyes is naturally red… the other is still… undecided…"_ he thought as the other teenager eyed him.

"Really? That's fascinating, I know gabbing about appearances is a bit of a dull topic, but I just find you rather… unique… did the coloration come later in life or…" Yuya interjected, wishing to let the topic end.

"I was born with my hair and eyes like this…" Reid frowned.

"I've seen your mother and father's pictures before, and I have to say… you don't precisely favor them… but, I suppose the coloring comes from somewhere else in the family?" Yuya nodded, feeling a bit clammy at the statement.

"Y-Yea, my mom said that my great grandmother was like this… so…" Reid nodded.

"Well, all the same, it is so nice to finally meet you. I suppose that thanks to your manger, I shouldn't waste my breath introducing myself, but it's sort of a policy of my own… so, my name is Reid Pepper, it's nice to meet you face to face," he said as he held out his hand and Yuya took it slowly.

"Nice to meet you as well, I'm Yuya Sakaki… but you already knew that as well, but who cares right?" Reid nodded.

" _Win or lose… I think I'm going to like this kid,"_ Reid thought as Nico and Chairman Fava began to set up the field.

"Well, it seems the two of you are going to get along well, let's hope a friendship can be formed out of this regardless of the – "Nico's statement was cut off as Yuya's stomach growled.

" _Great… another whale call imitation… why can't my body just accept that I'm Dueling with or without food?"_ an evident blush came to his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment while Nico gave him a long look and Reid smiled.

"Seems like you're pretty hungry Yuya," Reid stated.

"W-Well… I um… kinda skipped breakfast this morning…" Nico sighed.

"That won't do my boy, you must take care of your body," he scolded as Reid laughed a fraction.

"Well, if you've got a taste for competition, I'll just have to whip up a cooking Duel based upon some of my fans all-time favorite recipes." Scarlet eyes met Reid's ash-mauve ones and Yuya sighed.

"O-Okay… I guess we'll…"

"Chairman Fava! Why are you treating my son this way? My Reid has already fulfilled all the requirements to enter the Arc League Championships! Why does he have to have another match?!" the dark-haired woman demanded as Reid sighed in defeat and Yuya glanced towards him.

"Your mother?" Reid nodded.

"She's a bit… over bearing…" Yuya rolled his eyes.

"Hmm, could of fooled me…"

"Madame, I've explained all this to you before!" as Mrs. Pepper prepared to lash into Chairman Fava, Reid stepped forward.

"Mom, it's fine! I'm going to be up against Yuya Sakaki! He's known for beating Strong Ishijima, and he's the inventor of Pendulum Summoning! He's worth fighting against if you ask me." Yuya felt a well-know – and somewhat frustrating – blush come to his cheeks at the compliment.

"Reid…" the boy smiled to his mother.

"But, it's no big deal, I'll have him for breakfast," Reid told her as Yuya glowered.

" _I would insert a line about fava beans and something else… but it's just not worth my time…"_ Yuya thought in dismay as Mrs. Pepper came towards her son.

"Of course, you will, my Reid! For you, this should be a piece of cake. Get out there and show everyone that you're just as good of a Duelist as any that those buffoons that the LDS turned out," she stated.

"Leave it to me!" Reid walked off and Yuya followed, decidedly not in the mood to be compared to an LDS Duelist.

"Babbling, bumbling, band of baboons…" Yuya muttered, finding himself doing something like that for reasons that even he was beginning to question as he folded his arms across his chest and tapped his foot in a manner that would have almost made a rabbit jealous.

"Yuya!" scarlet eyes turned to where the voice had called his name and saw Frederic, Tate, Alley, Yuzu, and Sora standing there with smiles upon their faces.

"W-What are you guys doing here?" he asked.

"We're here to cheer you on, of course!" scarlet met pastel green.

"But, what about your Duel?" Yuya questioned as Sora laughed.

"Roasted him…" the other gawked.

"B-B-But you left the house five minutes before I did, don't tell me you beat your opponent in fifteen minutes!" Yuya exclaimed as Sora rolled his eyes.

"Of course, I didn't!" the boy sighed in relief as the others sent Sora a long look.

"Good, for a second there I was – " the blue-haired teen cut him off.

"I beat him in ten minutes, without a Fusion Summon!" Yuya fell over at that one.

"T-Ten minutes?! What did you do? Kill him with cuteness or something?!" Sora hummed in thought.

"Defeat your opponents with cuteness? I haven't tried that before… anyways… Fluffal Leo did him in. so now, we're gonna watch your Duel and cheer you on, right Yuzu?" Sora asked as the pink-haired girl smiled.

"Right, go get' em Yuya!" the boy smiled.

"I will, don't worry… "the others went to sit down in the lowest bleacher seat while Yuya stood in the center of the area with Reid across from him.

" _Here we go…"_

The people around them began to cheer as everyone was preparing for the Duel to begin. Yuya took in a deep breath, shaking the lack of proper nourishment out of his mind as he steadied himself and got ready to face off against Reid Pepper, the person who it seemed everyone favorited in the area around him. It wasn't the first time he'd been in situations like this one, and he was positive it wouldn't be his last; however, as he stood there, he heard his friends cheering for him and glanced their way, his gaze momentarily meeting theirs as the group gave him a nod while Nico got things underway.

"And now! May I present! Chairman Fava!" Nico called as he held an arm out towards where the man now stood.

"Thank, Mr. Smiley for the introduction. Now, cooking is a quest, a journey to discover the ultimate! It is the same with Dueling, these two opponents are on a quest, for this reason it is fitting that they battle on a field designed, for a phenomenal food fight!" Yuya stared at the man.

" _O-kay… so, we're going this route… just to let you know gramps, the art of Alchemy started in the kitchen too…"_ the red-green-haired teenager thought in dismay as Chairman Fava prepared the stage.

"I activate the Action Field Spell Chaos Kitchen!" the system roared to life underneath them and Yuya watched as a gigantic kitchen formed around them.

It had red and off-white checkered tile floors, blue and yellow tiles on the walls, giant sized cook wear, plates, fruits, vegetables, and utensils, and if Yuya wasn't mistaken: this was Reid Pepper's favorite field.

"This is… freaky," Yuya admitted aloud, looking at the giant-sized area.

"Let's you know how a mouse or bug feels in your house, huh?" muttered Sora as Yuzu nodded.

"I just hope it doesn't get to him…" Reid eyed the boy across from him as Yuya stared at the sight of the Action Field.

"It's perfect! Because this is where you're going to get served!" Reid exclaimed as Yuya stared onward in confusion.

"Great, you do cooking puns… but honestly, I couldn't care less where we battle!" the other smirked.

"Really now?" he questioned as Yuya nodded, pointing towards him.

"Exactly! Cause you winning isn't going to be on the menu today!" the other laughed.

"If you say so Yuya, if you say so. Now, let's begin!" the crowds grew quiet.

"Duel!" the two said at once as Reid leapt back, taking the first move.

"Freshness always rules in the kitchen and in Duels! And that is why, I only go with the very freshest ingredients available! And the first thing I'm serving up, is one of my tastiest handpicked recipe cards, Cookpal Cluckwheat!" Reid stated as he plaid his first monster, a creature favoring a boggly-eyed chick with a wheat sprout on its head appeared out of a wheat sack and Yuya almost groaned in defeat.

" _Cookpals verses Performapals… can someone be a pal to me and get me out of this kitchen nightmare?!"_

"Let's get cooking!" Reid hopped onto Cluckwheat and it took off while Yuya contemplated the importance of restraining his urge to throw the plates hovering around him at the running chicken.

In the timespan of Yuya watching the chaos unfold, Cluckwheat had made it to where Reid could jump on top of a rice cooker and open it to snag an action card, causing Yuya to nearly let out a groan of disdain while Reid held it up and Yuya considered the possibility of dealing with the next dish of insanity this cook could conjure up.

"Whoa, this one's hot! Maybe too hot for you to handle Yuya! I activate the Action Spell Monster Microwave!" Reid stated as a giant orange microwave appeared next to him.

"Great… cooking puns again…" Reid smiled.

"With Monster Microwave, I get to send one monster on my field to my hand, so I can summon one level four or below monster from my hand. I'll choose my little Cluckwheat of course!" the currently dizzied Cluckwheat disappeared in a flash of light while Yuya shot him a long look.

"Oh boy…" Reid's microwave door opened.

"So, by sending Cluckwheat packing, I can summon out Cookpal Eggong!" just as Cluckwheat vanished, in a ball of light another monster appeared. It was a little creature of low level with no attack and appeared to be a half-cracked egg with a gong circle around it, blue eyes peeking out from the crack and pink, fluffy feet.

"Apparently the chicken did come before the egg," Yuya muttered.

"And now, Cluckwheat's special ability activates! Letting me hatch it again!" Reid played Cluckwheat and soon the chicken and the egg were on the field together.

"And now the riddles been redone… dear Osiris is there anything that's supposed to surprise me?" Yuya's muttering didn't go unnoticed by his friends, Reid, Chairman Fava, or Nico Smiley who all gave him confusion looks.

"Osiris? Oh, that's the Egyptian god correct?" Yuya gave him a long stare.

"Yes, the Lord of the Underworld… now get back to the Duel," Yuya answered.

"As you wish, now, as long as I have two Cookpals on my field, I can whip out a pretty wicked Cookpal Puma Potato!" a small brownish toned blob that reminded Yuya of a mudball appeared on the field with a jack-o-lantern-like mouth and red eyes.

"That's just wrong…" Sora mumbled as Reid used Eggong to take a flying leap at a blender which spat out another Action Card that the cook grabbed.

Yuya was sensing a pattern in the mix of the summoning method and realized quickly that Reid's Cookpals were similar to another deck archetype he'd seen played before: Madolche. The dessert themed cards were cute, and not very strong, but their effects were dangerous when played right as well as the nasty habit they had of never going to the graveyard, but instead recycling themselves into the deck. Reid's Cookpals seemed to do the same thing, and while it didn't help him entirely know what Reid was up to, Yuya knew the pattern could cause him trouble seeing as Duels with recycling decks could take forever, and eventually one of the players would deck out.

"And now I'll mix in another action card! But, I'll be saving it for later. I place two cards face down and end my turn!" Reid declared as Yuya took in a deep breath while over in the audience Nico and Fava were having a conversation.

"Your young chef is certainly off to a finger licking start." Chairman Fava nodded.

"That's because he's following his proven recipe for success. First, he prepares his menu for the battle, and then – "Mrs. Pepper cut the man off.

"That's right! And believe me, this is just the appetizer!" she exclaimed as Yuya took in the situation.

" _I'm an entertainer, so whether this is a cooking battle or a regular old Duel, I'm going to have to try my best and hope the crowd likes me…"_ Yuya took in a deep breath, preparing to take his turn.

"Okay, my turn I dra –"Yuya's stomach let out a growl as he drew a card and he felt a blush come to his features while the others nearly fell over in their seats as Yuzu glanced to Sora.

"He skipped breakfast this morning, didn't he?" she asked.

"Yep…" Yuya laughed a bit, trying to pass it off as Allie began to yell at him.

"HEY! PUT SOME FIRE IN YOUR BELLY!" Yuzu patted the girl as Reid laughed a bit.

"Sounds like your stomach wants something to eat. Too bad you have to lose on an empty stomach," Reid stated as Yuya shot him a glare.

"What makes you so sure I'm gonna be the loser?" the other shrugged.

"I guess I'd have to say it's just a gut feeling. But you shouldn't feel too badly about it Yuya, I'm the King in this kitchen," Reid said as Yuya glared.

"Fine then! Let's see what happens when I turn up the heat! I summon Performapal Whip Viper!" the bright purple cobra with a top hat, bow-tie, and stars on its cheeks appeared and coiled around Yuya's hand as he gripped the handle at the end of its tail.

"Time to get into the swing of things," Yuya said as he spun Whip Viper around and the snake extended out and wrapped around the top of the fossette nearby.

The boy went soaring through the air and then landed atop the fossette only to end up slipping on the slick surface, causing his friends to cover their eyes as he fell. Just as they were certain he would hit the ground with a harsh smack, they found themselves looking and were surprised to see that Yuya had somehow managed to wrap his legs around the fossette, Whip Viper curled around his arm, looking at his Master in concern as the boy took in a deep breath, thankful that he managed to catch himself in time.

"What in the…" started Mrs. Pepper as Sora laughed.

"Wow! He managed to catch himself like that?! What a riot!" Yuya sighed in relief as Yuzu shook her head.

"At least his acrobatic skills come in handy," she said as Reid whistled.

"Impressive…" meanwhile, Yuya opened his eyes and looked to where the end of the fossette was.

"Hey, that action card can turn this Duel upside down… if _I can get down_ that is…" Whip Viper hissed and sprang forward, allowing Yuya to swing a bit before he grabbed the card and came to stand on the counter.

"Well, you certainly managed to impress me with that little feat. I guess you've got quite a bit of skill all on your own, huh?" Reid said as Yuya spun the Performapal over his head.

"Yep, like this! Whip Viper! Attack Eggong!" the colorful Duel Monster sailed through the air, a gleeful expression on its serpentine face as it drew close.

"Haha! I activate the Action Spell Freeze Freezer! It puts all your monster's attacks on ice this turn!" Reid said as a pink fridge appeared and opened its door to reveal what seemed to be a slightly icy cavern as it belched out a wave of ice and hit Whip Viper who froze mid-air.

"That's just cold…" Yuya rolled his eyes.

"I'll fix that! I activate my own Action Spell! Battle Burner! It defrosts one of my monsters, so it can attack again!" a small burner appeared and blew flames out towards Whip Viper who blinked a few times before continuing its attack and destroyed Eggong and soon returning to Yuya's side as Reid's Life Points went from four-thousand to twenty-three hundred.

"Yes! He got some damage in!" cheered Tate.

"And Battle Burner does even more damage! It destroys all your other Monsters!" Yuya exclaimed as the small burner split apart into two balls of fire and attacked Cluckwheat and Puma Potato, destroying them as Reid shielded his eyes.

"That chef doesn't even have left overs now! Wait to go Yuya!" the red-green-haired boy smiled.

"Tough luck Reid! You can't cook without ingredients, can you?" Yuya stated as the other teenager began laughing.

"You're right Yuya! But don't worry, you just did me a favor! I activate the trap card Food Cemetery! So now, all my destroyed monsters are placed in Food Cemetery instead of the graveyard." The boy frowned as a giant elephant like thing rose out of a dark abyss and opened up, allowing three cards inside it before Yuya looked at object, knowing that it would cause him massive trouble.

"Where's Mystical Space Typhoon when you need it," he mumbled.

"Since I put three cards into that culinary contraption, I get to draw three Cookpals from my deck. So, thanks for destroying my Monsters Yuya, you just saved me a lot of work! You know, I could use an assistant like you in the kitchen." Yuya sent him a vicious looking glare, a growl leaving him despite his efforts which caused both Sora and Yuzu to jolt in surprise as the children gaped in confusion.

"Big Bro Yuya looks kind of…" Frederic started.

"Scary…" Tate looked to the older two with them.

"Big Sis Yuzu? Why is he looking at Reid like that?" Allie asked as Tate sighed.

"It's probably because he just went through all that trouble to get rid of his monsters, and now there are going to be three more on the field, and they're probably stronger than the last ones." The other two children looked at him and then towards Yuya.

"But he's got a scary look in his eyes… big bro Yuya never looks at people like that," Frederic said as Sora frowned, and Yuzu bit her lip, concern flooding her again as Yuya continued to shoot the other Duelist a seething glare.

" _I have a feeling that whatever this guy's cooking is going to be hard to swallow…"_ Yuya thought as Reid prepared his move.

"You still hungry Yuya? Well believe me, you won't be for long…"

In that instant, Yuya found himself face to face with three Royal Cookpals, Knight Pasta, Princess Pudding, and Prince Curry. While his mind and body said that the monsters looked appetizing and it reminded him of his lack of food when his stomach growled once again, his instincts told him that the duel was about to take a harsh turn, and it did. Due to Regal Recipes, Reid had summoned the three monsters without tributes, and now he was facing a less than pleasant service.

Without question, Reid had a very good combo; however, as he moved about and got another Action Card, and activated Regal Recipes second effect, which resulted in him getting three hundred points of damage for every one of the Royal Cookpals. Three golden toned blasts came his way just as Yuya touched down upon a plate and promptly zapped him, dropping his four-thousand life points down to thirty-one-hundred. The sudden onslaught caused him to shout in surprise and pain as he crouched, feeling a less than pleasant buzzing through his body as it reeled from the shock it'd just received.

Growing up around Action Duels, and having taken part in them since he was very young, Yuya was accustom to the aches and pains of doing Action Duels; however, when he had very little energy to begin with, and then was zapped like he was, it made the pain almost unbearable. He remained kneeling, hissing as he finally felt the ache subside while Performapal Whip Viper came to hover near him, hissing in evident concern for his well-being while Yuya gritted his teeth and looked towards Reid.

"I'll admit they can dish it out… but your monsters only have three hundred attack points each… they'll need more than that to take down my Whip Viper," Yuya stated, trembling a bit still, his voice sounding strained as he settled there.

"Huh… that's true for now, but I have a simple technique for making my Cookpals much stronger. So, they yield a double batch of attack points!" a look of realization came to his face.

" _Madolche monsters have similar effects… the Butlerusk and Cruffsant do these kinds of things… dammit, why couldn't he have run Madolches?! I know how to fight those things!"_

"The proof is in the Princess Pudding! Her effect allows me to raise one Royal Cookpal's attack points by double of what they originally were!" Reid informed him as Prince Curry's attack went from three hundred to six hundred. Yuya frowned.

"That's still not enough!" Reid smiled.

"Knight Pasta's effect allows me to double Prince Curry's attack points again. Unfortunately, neither of these monsters when their effects are used can attack this turn," Reid told him as Yuya growled a bit.

" _Twelve hundred… okay, not horrible, but not good either… if he finds a way to boost the attack one more time… I'm in serious trouble…"_

Unfortunately for Yuya, the other duelist did have his Action Card, which meant that to the gravest unfortance, boosted Prince Curry's attack points up again to where it had twenty-two-hundred and attacked him, killing off Whip Viper who shouted at how spicy the attack must have tasted to it as Yuya groaned a bit in pain as he went to his knees again, feeling a bit dizzy as his life points dropped to twenty-six hundred. The Duel continued in this fashion even after Yuya had sent a Pendulum Scale with Stargazer and Timegazer, Reid would destroy his monsters by force feeding them, then returning his Royal Cookpals back to his hand, only to summon them again with Food Cemetery.

Every time this happened, Yuya as pelted with balls of energy that deducted nine hundred points off of his life points, resulting in him being widdled down to a mere seventeen-hundred. Due to the lack of nourishment in his system, Yuya lacked the proper energy to make the leaps and jumps he normally could have done, and then he considered the strange haze coming over his mind as he laid there, having taken yet another hit while his vision blurred a fraction from a deficiency of energy, and the sudden pain that rushed from being smacked around for so long. Though he'd never done it, Yuya was considering forfeiting the match, but the second the idea came to mind, his pride as a Duelist got in his way and he shook his head, wondering how he'd manage as Reid played the Action Spell Victory topping and was about to attack him with eighteen-hundred points when he played the card Performapal Call which allowed him to freeze the attack and add Performapal Cheer Mole and Performapal Turn Toad to his hand. However, it only did so much for him when Reid discarded Cookpals Lionion and Rabbit Tomato to the graveyard, which sent them to the Food Cemetery and then allowed Reid to add Royal Cookpals Queen Omelet and King Hamburg to his hand. Yuya took in a deep breath, thinking long and hard on what he could do.

" _I'm safe for now, but nothing I do is going to help me… how do I get out of this mess?!"_ Yuya made an attempt for an action card at that point, but his normally good jumping skills were gone due to his lack of energy and he fell short, crashing back down with a painful smack before he took in a shaky breath, sitting up as he did so.

"It's no good, I don't have the energy for this…" he bemoaned as he sat upon the floor.

"No wonder! It's like I tell you all the time Yuya! You can't Duel a Duel if you don't have the fuel! Now catch!" Yoko called as she tossed a sack towards the boy who reached up and caught it, feeling unsure of what his mother was doing.

"Mom?" the woman smiled.

"Just put some food into you so you can win this Duel!" she said as Yuya opened the sack to see two pancakes that were swollen up present there.

"You made your pancakes!" he was quick to pick them up, being thankful that no one seemed to really care – it was kind of hard to watch the poor kid struggle on an empty stomach – and took a bite, chewing before pausing, realizing that it wasn't a normal pancake.

"Don't choke," Yuzu muttered as he looked at the food in his hand.

"Hey… what did you stuff this with mom?" Yoko smiled.

"I combined the sunrise pork loaf surprise with a pancake, and made it a sandwich," she explained as Yuya smiled and took another bite.

"It's perfect…" he continued to eat quickly while Yoko watched him.

"The pork is perfect because I followed Reid's recipe, but when I came up with the idea of putting it inside a pancake and making it a sandwich, I made it even better by adding a twist," she stated as Reid looked to her.

"A Reid Pepper recipe can't be made any better!" Yuya eyed the sandwich in his hand and thought of what was said.

"A perfect recipe… made even better… by adding a twist… that's it!" Yuya scarfed down the last of the sandwich and pocketed the fabric that was used for it before standing as he prepared to make his move.

" _Okay Yuya, now show him what you've got!"_ Yoko thought as her son activated his Pendulum Scale, summoning Performapals Cheer Mole and Turn Toad.

However, the plan to have him fight back ended up backfiring severally as Reid activated the effects of his monsters, destroying the monsters and allowing Yuya to send them to the extra deck as he sat a card down and Reid used Regal Recipes to play more of his Royal Cookpals, bringing back Princess Pudding, and Knight Pasta, but bringing out for the first time, Queen Omelet and King Hamburg. Due to this, Yuya took twelve-hundred points of damage, resulting in him being left with only five-hundred life points left. Reid then set to boosting up Prince Curry with the effects of the other Royal Cookpals, bringing his monster's attack points to forty-eight-hundred, and then Yuya started moving as Prince Curry prepared to attack, the Golden version of Prince Curry's attack was cut down to eight-hundred, which Reid has summarized to still be enough to destroy Yuya who had continued to move as he jumped, and the attack landed, knocking over the blender and leaving a cloud of smoke in its wake.

"Yuya!" Yoko called out to him as Yuzu stood up, fear going through her as she thought of what had just happened.

Though it wasn't as common as it had been during the early days of Action Duels, people did still end up with severe injuries, and had even been killed during these sorts of events. Yuzu felt a shudder go down her spine as people began muttering, believing that Yuya had been defeated as the smoke began to clear; however, they were all left speechless as Yuya stood there, crouched a bit, his goggles down as he stood there with a smirk upon his face.

"The kid's still standing?! Great cheese and crackers!" Chairman Fava exclaimed as Nico laughed and the others, including Yoko, Yuzu, and the other children felt relief wash over them as the point reader showed a total of two hundred life points remaining.

"No way! How can… I wiped out all of your life points!" Reid seemed confused as Yuya stood straight and smirked, one hand on his hip as he pulled his goggles back up.

"Luckily, I was able to use an Action Card, the one that I missed earlier that turned out to be the Action Spell Energy Biscuits, which boosted my life points up to one-thousand, just enough to survive," Yuya explained as Reid gawked.

"That was quite a fall for someone as fragile as yourself… are you alright?" Yuya laughed.

"I'm far sturdier than I look… besides, being an entertainer and being in action duels since I was a little kid, I know how to recover from a fall and land without being hurt… sure, I gotta few bruises, but other than that, I'm fine," Yuya told him with a smile.

"Well, that's good… and due to your survival, I have to end my turn… but, what are you going to do? You have no cards in your hand, so how do you expect to beat _five Royal Cookpals?"_ Yuya smirked just a fraction.

"Watch and learn Reid!" he stated as he reached for his deck.

" _Okay… I'm betting this duel on this one draw, so please… grant me some leeway heart of the cards… I know you can help!"_ Yuya thought as he drew his card and took in a shaky breath as he checked it as a smile came to his features.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! It's my pleasure to present to you, the grand finale of our exciting duel!" Yuya announced, bowing just a fraction as Reid gaped.

"He's… taken over my kitchen!" the red-green-haired boy smiled brightly as he turned his attention to the audience.

"Because of our earlier turns during our splendid performance, Scale One Stargazer Magician, and Scale Eight Timegazer Magician are already on stage and prepared to assist me in our next act! Their ability allows me to summon Monsters from levels two through seven at the same time…" Reid continued to stare with the others.

"What monsters?" asked a woman in the audience.

"Yea, there's only one card in his hand!" Yuya smiled.

" _Swing Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light upon the sky!_ Now, be reborn from the extra deck! _Come forth, my faithful monsters!_ " Yuya's chant elicited a series of glowing lights to appear from his Duel Disk as the glowing, stardust web of the pendulum crystal opened into a portal of purple-hued crystal. Within this, a series of lights shot out, revealing Performapal Turn Toad, Performapal Trampolinx, Performapal Partnaga, Performapal Cheer Mole, and finally Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon appeared, roaring as it did while Yuya stood amidst his faithful beasts.

"He brought them from the extra deck?! How?!" Reid questioned as Yuya smirked.

"That is the effect of my Pendulum Monsters, they go to the extra deck and just like your Cookpals, can be revived again and again."

"Fine! It won't matter! Do whatever you want because I'll destroy them! I activate the special abilities of my Royal Cookpals and destroy your monsters!" Reid stated sharply as the five monsters were force fed once again, but Yuya remained calm amidst the chaos until they disappeared.

"Oh no! they're gone again!" Reid gave Yuya a smug smile.

"Well, looks like all your monsters bit the dust," he said.

"That's just what I was waiting for!" the young chef jolted.

"Just what you were what?!" Yuya held up his card.

"I activate the Quick-Play spell card Illusion Balloons! I can take the same number of cards from my deck up to the same number of cards that were destroyed. That means, I can choose five cards…" the monster's silhouettes vanished, leaving pancake sandwiches in their places.

"Okay… that's freaky…" Yuya smiled.

"May I direct your attention, my dear viewers, to these five-floating pork-pancake sandwiches! Thanks to Illusion Balloons, these delicious sandwiches have been stuffed with the top five cards from my deck! Now, for the basics of the trick, I get to look at each one and summon the Performapal with the highest level! So, are we ready to start?!" Yuya looked to everyone who nodded, cheering as Reid stared onward in questioning.

"What good will this do?" he questioned as Yuya winked.

"Watch and find out… now! Shall we begin?" the lights dimmed suddenly, the area granting a spot light upon Yuya who reached for the first of the sandwiches.

"Rely on luck if you want! You're still going to lose and that's because you rely on it so heavily! I depend upon perfection and skill!" Yuya shrugged.

"Joey Wheeler is known as the Lucky Duelist, so I wouldn't judge a Duelist's luck if I were you… now, the first card is!" Yuya drew and one of the pancakes opened up to reveal a spell card: Hippo Carnival. A buzzer seemed to sound from somewhere, surprising the audience as Yuya shrugged, looking a little put out.

"Awh, not what I was hoping for, a spell card doesn't do me any good right now," he said.

"This is making my heart race like crazy…" Frederic nodded at Sora's statement.

"No kidding! I've got the goose pimples!" he stated as Yuya went for the next card.

"Here comes the second one! And it's…" the audience leaned forward a fraction.

"It's a monster card!" said a girl.

"This is Performapal Hip Hippo! Unfortunately, he's not strong enough, so… on to number three!" Yuya drew his third card, his mother and the others watching only for the buzzer to sound off again as a trap card showed.

"It's not a monster!"

"He's only got two left!" Yoko found her hands clutched together at her chest while Yuzu was very much the same.

"Come on number four!" Yuya stated as he drew the fourth card and the audience cheered at the sight of a monster.

"Yes! A monster…" Yuya sighed in defeat.

"Oh… even though it's a Performapal, it's a donkey… and to weak, sorry buddy…" Nico found himself nervous as Mrs. Pepper smiled.

"Obviously Yuya just missed by a mule! It's awful," Nico said.

"It's awful?! You sure do seem to be showing him favoritism!" the man laughed.

"Well, I am his manager," he stated as Yuya took in a deep breath.

"There's one more…. Yuya has one card left, and that will decide the end of the Duel." Yuya placed his hand atop his deck, fingers touching the card slightly.

"I came to see Reid Pepper cook but this is even more exciting!" stated a woman in the audience.

"I can't wait to see what it'll be!"

"Go Yuya! Come on!" Reid looked around, confused and yet somewhat surprised at the elation of the crowd.

"Ladies, the time has come to flip the final pancake! It's make or break time for me, feast or famine! Now, what'll it be! Number five!" everyone held their breath as Yuya tilted the card up and a ringing appeared in the area.

"Is it a monster?!" asked Allie.

"Oh, please let it be a good one!" Yuzu found herself relaxing as Yuya smiled.

"Alright! Everyone welcome the leader of the Performapal's Circus Troop! The level six Performapal Elephammer!" a giant blue elephant appeared with red and yellow bands on its front and back legs decorated in stars, a red and orange bow on its curly tail, a matching bow-tie, a yellow shirt with a white bib, pink and red stars on its cheeks, a top hat, and a giant star-patterned, multi-colored hammer at the end of its trunk. The gigantic Duel monster roared, and Yuya smiled while Reid stared in realization that this was the end.

"Twenty-six hundred attack points?! T-That means I'm done! And… my recipe! My perfect recipe is ruined!" Yuya gave him a pointed look.

"There's no such thing as a perfect recipe!" he stated as Reid's eyes widened.

" _Every great chef learns a hard truth, my boy, there is no such thing as a perfect recipe. A recipe cannot be set in stone and never changed, you must constantly work to make it better."_ He stared at the giant Performapal as the words of his father finally sunk in.

"Why didn't I listen to my dad?" he asked aloud as Yuya looked at his monster.

"Okay! Performapal Elephammer! Time for the curtain call! Attack Reid directly and end this Duel!" Reid smiled as he closed his eyes.

" _It's time… check please…"_ the hammer came down, smashing him like an ant, but not doing any physical harm other than knocking him a bit loopy as his life points dropped to zero and Yuya took a bow.

"Thank you for attending the circus today, we look forward to seeing you again," Yuya stated as Reid slowly got him, and Nico dashed to his client.

The next series of events that unfolded left Yuya a bit dazed and happy as he and his friends were treated to a meal by Reid Pepper who wanted to get to know Yuya better now that the battle was done. Yoko was cheering about it for a while and soon got tips and pointers from Reid who accepted his defeat graciously while starting to form a friendship with the victor of the first round of the qualification Duels Yuya would have to face in order to compete.

"Well… that's one down… three more to go… now if I can just get this stupid contact lens to stop irritating me that'd be great!"

 **{…}**

 _Is it true what they say, that words are weapons?_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Phew, I mean to tell you, these qualifying Duels are gonna kill me. While Duels are a blast to watch, writing them is a complete nightmare, I'm not gonna lie. It kind of makes you appreciate Kazuki Takahashi and the others who do Duel coordination for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Mangas and Animes, huh? Well, let me know what you guys think, Yuya was pretty damn punny in this chapter huh?

Trivia:

Yuya's heterochromia does play a part in the story, and you'll learn more later.

Nico seems to have a habit of popping up out of nowhere, am I the only one whose noticed that?

The Disney-Pixar movie _Ratatouille_ was referenced in this chapter, I give a question point to anyone who can find it and tell me which character said it.

Yuya's Iron Chef American reference and his hats off to the chef Bobby Flay. Ironically, Iron Chef first started because Bobby Flay went to Japan to compete in their own version of Iron Chef which inspired the one on Food Network today.

Reid's tomato hair comment, that is actually a very common joke with Yuya, either that or that he's very… festive when it comes to the Christmas holiday.

Fava is a type of bean, I just about choked on what I was eating when I heard the name the Chairman of the cooking school had been given in the English dub.

The whale call bit was based on something I heard in college once.

The thought line of the Fava beans is from Silence of the Lambs or Hannibal Lector.

Putting Fire in your Belly – FairyTail reference that was actually used in the English dub of the anime. The reference is to Natsu Dragneel's well known line of: _"Now I've got a fire in my belly."_

In the Japanese version of the anime, Reid's Cookpals are called Cookmates, but surprisingly enough their Japanese to English names didn't really change.

Cookpals are an anime only archetype, but their closest relation is the Madolche deck which I use for fun, and thought it would be interesting if Yuya had encountered them once or twice as they recycle in a manner similar to the Cookpals.

Chef Gordon Ramsay was mentioned in this chapter via the reference of his show _Kitchen Nightmares._


	18. Chapter 18: Pop Quiz!

Chapter 18: Pop Quiz!

 **{Sakaki Household: June 30** **th** **, 2014, 11:50am}**

"Haha! Take that!" Sora exclaimed as he watched what seemed to be some sort of video on his Duel Disk's screen while Yuya sat next to him, watching in questioning.

"What are you cheering about?" the blue-haired boy smiled.

"This!" he said as he showed Yuya the screen.

On it was a young man with wild hair in a dark green and black body suit with yellow lines on it. His hair color was mainly orange toned, but had yellow bangs with pale pink highlights, and glowing green eyes. He was riding on what seemed to be a hoverboard with a giant monster out next to him that seemed to be a warrior type monster with dark blue armor with gold trim and purple hues here and there. The boy had just won a duel of some sorts against a man who was known as one of the great Duelists of a system for Dueling that was set up, but mostly available to those who were of a certain age.

"Hey… isn't that Link Vrains?" Sora nodded, laughing.

"Yep! They use the Link Summoning method, but a lot of the others Synchro Summon, Fusion, Xyzs, all of those! The guy there that just lost is Go Onizkua! He's one of the top Charisma Duelists of Link Vrains next to of course, Blue Angel," he explained as Yuya frowned.

"Wait a second, isn't Link Vrains only available to people who are ages fifteen and up due to the physical risks in those Duels?" Sora nodded.

"Yea, and the Action Duels there are supposed to be intense… anyways, I was logging into the Duel Link system they set up for viewers, so I could see if Blue Angel was on today, she runs a burn deck with the Trickstar Archetype, so watching her duel is always fun, and then I saw this Duel going on and I just had to watch it!" Sora stated with a bright grin as Yoko sat down some plates for when lunch was ready.

"Duel Link? That's the system we use to simulate a duel for extra practice…" Yuya frowned as he looked at the playback footage, gaping a bit as he saw the winning Duelist's combo.

"Yea, and they use that too, but the Duel link system is also to watch Duels in Link Vrains. Neat huh?" Sora informed him as Yuya shrugged.

"I guess so…" the blue-haired boy hummed.

"Maybe you should try it out sometime when you turn fifteen… an entertainment Duelist would do well there," he mentioned as Yuya sighed.

"Yea, maybe… but wait… who's the guy who won the Duel?" Sora looked at the name.

"He's the biggest thing in Link Vrains, even though he only shows up with these really weird hackers called the Knights of Hanoi pop up… his Duel was staged because Go Onizkua wanted to Duel him… but this guy knocked him out like it was nothing…" Yuya sighed.

"Okay, but what's he called?" Sora grinned.

"Playmaker. He uses a really rare archetype known as Cyberse," he explained as Yuya eyed the video.

"Playmaker huh? He kinda looks familiar…" Sora smiled.

"He's famous as both an incredible Duelist and the Hero of Link Vrains, and that's because he's the one who stops those stupid hacker guys… kinda like how you check in on things as Phantom… that should be your user name when you start using it Yuya… see if you can thrill the crowds like Blue Angel and Go Onizkua can," he said as Yoko laughed.

"Well, first, perfect that pendulum method of yours, and when your fifteen you can get an account and give it a shot, but until then, focus on getting to the Arc League Championship," she interjected as Yuya sighed once more.

"Right…" with that he took a bite of the toast that was in front of him, wanting to redirect his mind as he watched the playback of the Duel over Sora's shoulder.

"By the way, Yuya, don't forget your lessons when we get back," Yoko stated as the boy gave her a glum look.

"Awh, come on! Can't I have a break?" she shook her head.

"No, absolutely not! Sora is about to leave, and you have to meet Mr. Smiley at the bus stop, now hurry up so you two aren't late. I'll see you when you return home, alright?" the boy frowned.

"Fine… I get it." Yuya huffed a bit more, nibbling on his toast as he looked at the Duel.

" _Playmaker… he looks like someone I used to know, but I haven't seen that guy since just after my dad left… and the avatar only favors him in the face a bit and his eyes are too bright, plus the voice doesn't match…"_ Yuya continued to watch as Sora cheered.

"This guy is so cool! I would love to Duel a combo-hit Duelist like him!" the blue-haired fourteen-year-old cheered.

"Aren't multi-summon combos really tough to crack?" Yuya questioned.

"Oh, they are! Like your Pendulum Summons. You can break your Pendulum Scale, and that would keep you from doing it for the time being… but I don't think anyone would be dumb enough to break something you can fix. Besides, Pendulum Monsters when they're in the Pendulum Zones, aren't as big of a problem as the monsters you've summoned or the spells and traps you've laid, right?" pastel green met scarlet and the other shrugged.

"True… you sure are catching on fast," Yuya stated as Sora shrugged.

"I like to observe and pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of other Duelists. You're strong, but there's a lot of room for improvement…" the other slumped a bit.

"Great… even you can tell I'm still a complete flake when it comes to some things," he said in disdain as Sora shook his head.

"You aren't a flake, and you aren't weak just because you're still fine-tuning the Pendulum Method. Do you think Pegasus had an easy time when he created Duel Monsters as a whole? Or how about the different summoning mechanics? Rituals, Fusions, Synchros, Xyz, and Link Summoning couldn't have been easy to figure out without making them all the same and being certain that they have just enough power without being too strong," Sora pointed out as Yuya sighed, leaning back in his chair as he caught a glimpse of Florence and Niknak bickering in the side yard over a few dandelions and a few field mice who were chattering away with them.

" _I guess it wouldn't be a witch's home without psychotic talking animals. I'm just glad that Sora hasn't noticed."_ Yuya turned his attention to his mother who sighed.

"Sora? It's almost time for your Duel, you better go if you want to make it to Yuya's later," Yoko said as the blue-haired boy looked up at the clock.

"Whoa! I better jet! Thank you Mrs. Sakaki! I'll see you guys later!" with that the boy was gone with a wave and Yuya relaxed visibly.

"Thank Osiris…" he muttered while Yoko placed a small glass on the table in front of him.

"Drink this before you leave."

Yuya eyed the thick potion in the glass before him. It was deep red, almost the color of blood, and seemed to be chilled instead of warm like he would have expected it to be. For most of his life his mother had given him potions to help with his health, to keep him from getting sick, and to help him sleep at night; however, this red one was rather new, and he had never seen her make it before. Sighing, he decided against arguing with his mother, and picked it up before starting to take a sip of it. The taste hit his tongue and he coughed, noticing it had a bitter, slightly salty and coppery flavor to it that made him feel a bit sick. The red-green-haired boy grimaced a bit as he shook his head, trying to convince himself to drink the potion.

"What's in this?" he asked.

"Herbs, a few vegetables and a fruit or two. You need to drink it, it'll help your stamina in these Duels, and it'll help you keep focused. Remember what Reid told us about this Duel? It's going to be a real tough one, also, make sure that contact lens doesn't fall out, okay?" he nodded, frowning as he put the glass back to his lips and swallowed it, a faint shiver lacing up his spine as he drained the glass and sat it down.

"Ick… that stuff was so bitter," he stated as he stood, taking his plates to the sink before putting them in as he glanced to his mother.

"Sometimes the best medicine isn't sweet, you know that. Now, you better go, okay? I'll see you when you get home." She reached over, hugging the boy as she kissed his forehead.

"Bye mom! See you soon!" Yuya smiled, waving as he tugged on his shoes and went out the door a moment later.

Yoko instantly let out a deep breath, her heart pounding as she leaned against the counter. She had never wanted to keep this kind of situation from her son, but Yoko was determined to help him maintain some normalcy in his life that went further than him being just a witch with some rather powerful magic. The blonde-haired woman shook her head, placing a hand to her chest as the side door opened and in came Florence and Niknak, both of whom looked slightly concerned for her as they came to take a seat in the chairs at the table. Neither of them said a word as they gave the woman a moment to control her slight panic before she sorted herself, and went back to tending to her potion.

"Lady Yoko? Is everything alright?" asked Florence.

"It's fine, I just didn't expect to be giving him that so soon…" Niknak huffed.

"Personally, I think you should have been giving him that potion since he was a pre-teen, but you didn't want to impede his magical growth. If you ask me, impeding it would have been what was best for him!" Florence shot the gnome a long look.

"Nobody asked your opinion, you uncultured couth," he stated.

"Why I oughtta!" Yoko looked to them.

"Don't fight you two, this isn't the time nor the place," she told them in a scolding tone. The two looked down, embarrassed.

"Forgive me, Lady Yoko, we shouldn't have been so ill-mannered in your presence." The woman shook her head.

"No, it's fine. I just… Yuya is so precious to me, and I want to let him live his life as best he can. Even though things are changing, and I'm positive the things I'm not telling him are going to come out… I…" Florence nodded.

"We understand, but you must realize, as much as you love that boy – and no one is questioning that – you cannot protect him from the truth, nor the reality of the situation. He is, after all of these things, not quite as he appears, and that is a high risk to gamble with," he told her as she looked down, nodding while she looked at the potion brewing in her cauldron.

"Yes, I know it is."

"That doesn't mean you should give up on protecting him, but you must learn how to best prepare him for the truth," Niknak stated as Yoko took in a deep breath.

"I'm not, but it doesn't change the real truth…that at the end of the day, Yuya _isn't truly mine."_

 **{Bus: 12:15pm}**

Yuya gave a slight yawn, covering his mouth a bit as he rubbed his left eye, finding the contact lens still irritating him somewhat as he leaned back on his seat while Nico sat atop it. Ever since he had taken the potion his mother had given him, he had felt strangely sleepy; however, he could tell it was starting to ease off, and with that knowledge, he rested just a bit, knowing that he had at least fifteen minutes of a bus ride to contend with before he would arrive at the location of his Duel. A sigh left the man sitting next to him as he leaned back in his seat, his expression relaxing a bit as he closed his eyes.

"Tell me something, Yuya," Nico stated.

" _Please let me rest for a bit…"_

"Yuya? Are you alright my boy?" Nico questioned.

"Hmm? Oh, yea, just a little sleepy is all. Now, what were you wondering?" scarlet eyes met dark brown ones, and Nico smiled.

"How are you at quizzes?" he inquired.

Without question, the mentioning of quizzes, caused Yuya to cringe a bit. The pop quizzes he would get at school were bad, but the ones he received from his mother on witchcraft, and magic in general were millions of times worse. In addition to the memory of his school quizzes, him trying to guess answers correctly on a quiz show he was watching with the other children once, he also remembered his most recent magical quiz that his mother had sprung on him. It was about herbology, something he was decent at, but not a master of like his mother, or his mother's cousin Lona who lived in Germany somewhere. The things he had gotten wrong on that little test had frustrated him to no end, and also had ended up putting even more magic work on him.

In the end, he had five different subjects he was learning about as of now, and he was honestly beginning to lose some sleep over it. He had recently finished his reading on potions and brewing methods, and this morning before he had come down stairs, there had been a sticky-note on his grimoire telling him that he needed to begin a chapter in fortune-telling, tarots, and charms. A heavy sigh left him, causing him to slump a bit as he looked to Nico.

"I'm not that good at them, honestly," he admitted.

"Oh? Then you won't find this pleasant." The scarlet-eyed boy frowned.

"Why did I get the feeling you'd say something like that?" he asked.

"Yuya, are you sure you're feeling well? You look a bit pale…" the boy glanced at his reflection in the window and puffed his cheeks out a bit.

"A little bit, but I'm fine. I just lost some sleep last night, no reason to be worried," he assured the man who frowned.

"If you say so. Now, we're about to disembark to our destination, are you certain you don't wish to take the offer from the Duel Association?" Nico watched the boy who shook his head.

"No, I'm sure. Wait… do you think I'm going to lose this Duel or something?" Yuya questioned.

"Absolutely not! However, one can never be to safe." The other stated this and the bus stopped, causing Nico to fly forward and fall off the top of the seat while Yuya glanced to the sign just in front of them that reminded riders to sit in their seats correctly.

"Practice what you preach, okay Nico?" he asked as he got him, and the man was on his feet instantly.

"Yes, quite right, now! Follow me!" Yuya took in a deep breath.

" _I am so not going to enjoy this…"_

Going to the Sapientia Academy, was something that Yuya had never thought he would be doing. He had heard of the place, as a location that excelled in churning out exceptional minds who became leaders, politicians, lawyers, doctors, inventors, and much more. It was impressive, treading into the halls of the school and into an are where people were seated in towering rows of seats similar to an amphitheater. All of them were in uniforms of boring brown with white button ups, and red or blue bows or ties, their hair slicked back, and square-shaped glasses upon their faces. Yuya found himself feeling a bit strange as he stood in such dull surroundings, his flashy red-green-hair and sharp scarlet eyes making him feel surprisingly self-conscious.

Taking in a deep breath, Yuya looked around and saw Yuzu, Allie, Tate, and Frederic smiling to him as they waved; however, he didn't see Sora, leading him to believe that the blue-haired boy wasn't quite finished with his Duel. As he stood there, Yuya eyed the area around him, seeing questioning upon the faces of those staring, as he considered that he was more than likely the odd-ball here with his appearance, his dark green pants, black and red sneakers, and black t-shirt with his white jacket rested upon his shoulders.

" _I'm the odd-one out this time… go figure…"_ he thought.

The lights dimmed and a man with a brightly colored suit and glasses appeared as he began to rattle off a strange series of statements, that the observers replied to until an extremely overly exaggerated French accent broke the drone of voices. Yuya looked up to where a basket that reminded him of a hot-air balloon's carrying basket lowered down until it touched the floor and a smaller teenager with black and yellow hair, grayish toned eyes, freckles, and brightly colored clothes stepped out. He wore brown shoes, yellow pants with green suspenders, a long-sleeved button up shirt with a blue blazer that had orange question marks on it, and an red bow-tie styled into a Q shape. Yuya found a bland expression coming to his face as his opponent was introduced.

" _La Superieur? Seriously?! Someone's full of themselves,"_ Yuya internally stated as the person walked towards him.

"So, you are Yuya Sakaki?" the person, known as Pierre asked.

"Yes, I am." The other looked him over as he held out his hand.

"It is a pleazure to meet you, I have eard much about your… pendulum summons," Pierre stated.

"It's nice to –"instantly, the other jerked his hand back as Yuya went to shake it.

"But first, I have a question for you," Pierre told him bluntly as Yuya narrowed his eyes.

"A… question?" the other smirked.

"You were juzt about to zey nice to meet you; however, do you know how to zay it in French?" Pierre inquired.

"Wha -? French?" the other gave him a knowing smirk.

" _Oh, sure, ask me how to say something in your own language, that's fair!"_ Yuya thought indignantly.

"Yes, you have ten seconds," Pierre told him as Yuya tensed.

"P-Please tu… mi-tu…" he stuttered, his brain not wanting to conjure up his French lessons at this point as he internally glowered at the mere idea of what his mother would do to him if she found out. Pierre began laughing, pointing at him as Yuya glowered.

"Incorrect! The answer is: _merci d'avance!"_ Pierre stated this smugly as Yuya glowered.

" _Mercy? Oh yea, he's going to be begging for it once I get my hands on him,_ "Yuzu thought in frustration as Sora finally arrived and slipped in beside her.

"What did I miss?" he asked.

"The opponent proving he's a stuck-up know-it-all…" Sora frowned.

"Isn't that the guy they call the human encyclopedia?" he inquired.

"Yep, and I'm going to take one of those encyclopedias and shove it up his –"Sora put his hand over Yuzu's mouth.

"Kids, Yuzu, kids!" he reminded as Pierre smirked towards Yuya.

"Incorrect. You are incorrect, Yuya Sakaki… you don't even know how to say it in French! Not that you speak your language that well." Yuya glared.

"Hey, you – "Pierre cut him off again.

"You _ought to be pleased to meet me!_ "the French boy began laughing, the others around them joining in, pointing their fingers at Yuya who felt his magical energy lace across his skin in an attempt at keeping him calm.

The jeering caused painful reminders of what many people still viewed him as: a freak, someone that wasn't worth a second glance unless he was being poked and prodded by others in tactics of bullying that caused him to feel isolated. These laughing voices, their gleeful faces, and pointing fingers, were reminders of his pain and his struggles from the last three years; however, they also were reminders of something else: his reason for being where he was standing right then. Pierre could mock him, cut him down, and point his finger at him all he wanted, boasting his own intelligence, and telling him he was _just wrong_ , but, this person didn't know him, nor his tenacity, his struggles, and he most certainly didn't know that Yuya was not just a unique person in appearance and personality only.

"Hey! Just because I didn't answer something right doesn't give you permission to mock me!" Yuya snapped.

"Oh, I'm sorry, people do have their strengths and weaknesses, don't they?" the red-and-green-haired fourteen-year-old narrowed his eyes.

"That's true…." Pierre smirked.

"And what are your strengths and weaknesses?" he inquired.

"I'm good at riddles actually, and a few other subjects…" Pierre shrugged.

"And your least preferred topics?" Yuya frowned.

"Science and Math, and you?" the other gaffed at him.

"I have no weaknesses! I'm perfect!" he declared as Sora narrowed his eyes from the stands.

"I am going to take a ruler and measure how far I can shove it up your pathetic –" Yuzu placed a hand over his mouth.

"Language, Sora, language," she told him as Allie, Frederic, and Tate eyed one another.

"We're never mentioning this to our parents… are we?" Allie's question had the two others shaking their heads as Yuya glowered at Pierre who was still mocking him while Nico and Pierre's chairman were discussing the Duel preparations.

In a matter of seconds, Pierre's laughter and that of the others was joined by a mocking laugh that had the others slowly dying around it. Yuya, had begun laughing, his bangs shadowing his eyes as he did so while the others eyed him and Pierre looked to the strange boy before him, sensing something abnormal about him as he watched the fourteen-year-old before him take in a steady breath.

"Perfect? Oh please! What you just told me is wrong! You replied that in French the answer you gave me means _pleasure to meet you._ However, the statement actually meant _thanks in advance…_ therefore, you were incorrect," Yuya stated with a small smirk at the corner of his lips as the others gawked alongside Pierre.

"B-But you clearly do not know French! How could you possibly know for a fact that what I said was incorrect?" the boy crossed his arms over his chest.

"It doesn't matter, but I do wonder… can you tell me something, Pierre?" Yuya inquired, tilting his head a fraction.

"What?" Pierre narrowed his eyes.

"Tell me, how do you say: _I'm going to lose,_ in German?" he questioned as Nico laughed.

"Alright boys! Here we go! Get into your places!" the two boys divided apart from one another, standing just a bit away as Nico stepped into his place.

"Good luck, Yuya!" the others called as he smiled, and Nico began.

"The Duel commences! The Duelist are, the ace of the Sapientia Learning Center! The Human encyclopedia that just keeps expanding like the universe itself! The Quiz Master himself, Pierre La Superieur!" Nico introduced as Pierre rose a hand into the air.

"Knowledge is!" he started.

"Number One!" the audience called back as Yuya sighed, feeling a headache come on.

"Facing him is the successor of Entertainment Duels, and the Pioneer of Pendulum Summoning! Yuya Sakaki!" Nico's call was received with a small round of applause from Yuya's friends.

"Good luck! Big bro!" the children called while Yuya gave a slightly distraught face over the ordeal, but the moment Pierre shot him a glower, he merely smirked.

"Still waiting for that answer," he muttered.

"ACTION FIELD! ON! FIELD SPELL, QUIZ FRONTIER, ACTIVATE!" the headmaster of the center called out as the Solid Vision System turned on and began to generate a field.

The field was beige, and littered with question marks, boxes of pink, red, purple, and blue were floating about in odd areas, covered with numbers ranging from one-hundred to five thousand. The floor was blue and white checker-patterned, randomized tiles floating in areas and jutted out from the wall while in the center of the field were two, towering pillars of pink and blue with odd-colored bars on them made from climbing. The final touch, was a few ropes that were hanging from the ceiling as Yuya eyed it and saw Pierre standing above him atop a pink block.

" _Greaaat! Not only do I have this blowhard to deal with, but I've also got this crazy field… without question… this is going to be riddled with quizzes… hmm… but if I act the clown while continuing with a few plans… maybe I can make this work in my favor…"_

"Quiz Frontier?" asked Yuya as Pierre laughed.

"Exactly, my specialty, a field that also requires knowledge. In other words, the field on which I can shine the brightest, and bring my best game!"

" _Let's see if Yuya's Entertainment Duel can stand its ground on a field riddled with quizzes."_

"These powerful Duelists have gathered together in this sanctuary of battle!" Nico came to stand alongside the headmaster of the center.

"They shall kick up dirt and soar through the air while riding along with their Monsters! Behold, for this is the latest evolution of Dueling!" the two men rose their hands up, their fingers snapping as the crowds joined in on the last part.

"Action Duel!" the Action cards scattered across the field, as Yuya looked towards Pierre who retained his arrogant smirk.

"And now a question! Who goes first in this Duel?" Pierre inquired.

"PIERRE LA SUPERIEUR!" Yuzu frowned at the people around her.

"Correct! My turn!"

" _Something tells me I am really going to hate this guy…"_ Yuya thought.

"I summon Quiz Monkey form my hand!" Pierre called as he played his first monster.

It was a funny looking little creature, being a small brown monkey with a smarmy grin on it's face, black sunglasses that seemed to have question marks on the lenses, white cartoonish gloves, a pink microphone in its hand, a blue striped vest with a yellow bowtie that had two red beads on it while atop the Duel Monster's head was a tophat of black, green, and blue with a white band and red question marks. It bounced about, chattering in a high pitched voice that caused Yuya to cringe a bit as he considered the name of the Monster that Pierre had summoned. However, the main problem Yuya was noticing, was that the monster was a level one, and held zero attack points.

"Zero attack points?" questioned Frederic.

"Everything begins at zero, yet everything also ends at zero as well. Meaning zero is, in a sense, infinite possibility. I set one card face-down, and end my turn. You're up, _Yuya Sakaki."_ Scarlet eyes narrowed.

" _He's going to do his best to get under my skin… because of that, I'm going to have to try and keep a level head here…"_

"He's just bluffing big bro Yuya! Don't let him get to you!" Allie cheered.

"Now, I'm looking forward to that Pendulum thing you're known for! If you can do it, anyway." Yuya growled just a bit.

"My turn! Draw! I summon Performapal Bowhopper! In attack mode!" Yuya stated this as his monster appeared on the field, two grasshoppers in tuxes, the largest one having a side-ways bow at the top of it's head and oranges stars painted around its eyes while the tiny one atop it wore a top hat and settled itself just at the peak of the bow.

" _A monster with fifteen-hundred attack points is good, but… why do I get the feeling that Pierre is up to something?"_ thought Sora as he watched the situation unfold, Yuzu still wearing an annoyed expression as she thought of Pierre's behavior.

"Let's go! To battle, Bowhopper! Attack Quiz Monkey!" the Performapal prepared to attack, the tiny grasshopper pushing back against the bow's string as it got in position to do as it's Master commanded.

"Quiz Monkey's effect activates!" Yuya and the others watched as the top of the Duel Monster's hat popped up to see two swords crossed into an X shape.

" _I'm going to really hate this…"_ Yuya thought.

"When this card battles, my opponent must answer a question that states how many _Quiz_ monsters I will have on the field at the end of the Battle Phase!" the group there cheering for Yuya found themselves a bit concerned by the statement as the red-and-green-haired boy felt his eyebrows raise.

"Eh?!" Pierre smirked.

"This is how it works: if they get the correct answer, the opposing player receives a one-thousand Life Point reward! But if they get the wrong answer, I special summon this card from the Graveyard if it's there, then I destroy one Monster on my opponent's side of the field, and this Monster's attack and defense points become equal to that of the destroyed Monster's original points!" Pierre explained this as Yuya found a faint headache coming on.

" _And I thought that my Monsters effects were long, damn…"_ Yuya thought this as Pierre turned to him.

"Now! Let's hear an answer!" the boy sighed.

"Um… say wha… Eh? What?" Yuzu sighed as Sora shook his head.

"He did give him quite a mouthful of an explanation," Sora admitted as Yuya slumped a bit, not liking the constant pauses due to all the questions.

"I told you! You have to tell me how many _Quiz_ monsters I'll have on the field when the battle ends!" Yuya eyed Pierre, thinking about his answer carefully.

" _Okay, my Bowhopper has fifteen-hundred attack points, Pierre's is at zero attack and defense; however, he has a facedown card… that could be a plethora of cards, but its most likely a trap of some kind… so… he's most likely planning on tripping me up with that card… well fine then, I can play the fool for a bit…"_ with his decision made, Yuya took in a steady breath, and prepared to continue the Duel.

"Your Quiz Monkey's attack power is zero! There's no way my fifteen-hundred attack power Bowhopper will lose! So, of course, the answer is zero!" Bowhopper launched its attack.

"Yuya's answer was zero! I wonder what the correct answer is, though!" Pierre stated as the attack hit home, causing a large cloud of white to appear.

"Yes! That means I was right!" as the smoke cleared though, Pierre stood with a smug smile upon his face.

"I was just pretending! I activate the Continuous Trap: _Not So Fast!_ Once per turn, one _Quiz_ Monster on my field cannot be destroyed by battle, and all battle damage I receive becomes zero!" he explained, his snide smile remaining.

"WHAT?!" Yuzu shot the Master of Quizzes a withered glare alongside Sora, both of whom had long since gotten the idea of what kind of game Pierre was playing.

"The battle's over! And, my, what's this?! Yuya Sakaki answered that there would be zero Monsters, _how-e-ver…._ I have one Quiz Monkey on the field! Too bad! Incorrect answer! Thus, Bowhopper is destroyed! And Quiz Monkey's attack points become that of Bowhopper!" Yuya could only watch as his monster was destroyed, and Quiz Monkey's points shot up to fifteen-hundred.

"Man… I wish Big Bro Yuya had given _one_ as the right answer," Frederic stated.

"No, the result would have been the same either way…" all eyes went to Sora who was leaning against his seat's back with a perturbed expression.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Allie as Yuzu looked to them.

"Sora means that even if Yuya had answered one, he wouldn't have triggered the Trap and the monster would have been destroyed anyways." Sora nodded.

"So, it was a trick question?" questioned Tate.

"Yep… and a pretty lowly one at that…."

Yuya listened to the conversation going on in the stands with his friends, and couldn't help but agree with Sora on this matter; however, he felt as though the question had been more loaded than anything else. At current, his situation wasn't good, and it wasn't going to get any better, he knew that already, and it was proven right when Pierre explained that no matter what Yuya did, his answer would always be decided by his whim. A glare came to his features as he considered that Pierre was playing a game of puppet master, or worse, acting as though he had total control over everything that was happening, something that Yuya couldn't quite agree with.

" _He may be able to rig it in his favor, but that isn't control, that's called cheating,"_ Yuya thought.

"I end my turn," Yuya stated.

"Now, for the next question! If you receive a Direct Attack on my next turn, which Duelist here will be the one to take damage?!" Yuzu sent her longtime friend a regretful look as he clenched his fists, grinding his teeth together as he growled, his form tensing and showing his irritation at the other's antics.

" _Don't let him get to you, Yuya… he's trying to trip you up…"_ Yuzu thought as Pierre gave a boastful laugh.

"What's this?! I'm practically giving you a freebie here! The answer is _you, Yuya Sakaki!_ " Pierre mocked as Yuya's form started to tremble for a moment as he shot the other a seething glare only for him to start running off towards the areas where Action Cards may have fallen.

It was a string of unfortunate events as he began searching for the cards that could potentially help him. Pierre mocked him, taunting him as he got his first Action Card, only for it to be a Quiz in Science, something he wasn't exactly the greatest at. The question had been about a glass of water containing a single ice cube, and what it would do once the ice cube melted, unfortunately, Yuya was so caught up in trying to avoid being attacked directly and slammed with fifteen-hundred points of damage, that he misheard the question, and got it incorrect, resulting in him losing a hundred points, and then being hit with fifteen-hundred points of direct damage.

The attack sent him flying, and caused him to make impact with one of the floating tiles, which left him with no small amount of pain as his life points dropped from thirty-nine-hundred to twenty-four-hundred. Pierre mocked him ceaselessly, shooting insulting names and jeers towards him as he summoned another Quiz monster, known as Quiz Sphinx. Yuya shot it a withered glare as he took note of the cheesy game-show style of the Sphinx, complete with glasses, a red bow-tie, and a microphone in it's hand. Unfortunately, it also blasted him with an attack, sending him through the air once again, and this time, into the nearest wall, which he slid down and hit the floor below with a loud thud.

No matter what anyone said, if they told someone that Action Duels didn't hurt, they would be lying. Yuya had been in Duels that had caused him some aches and pains; however, this particular Duel hurt more than any of the one's he'd endured thus far, including the one against Strong Ishijima. Currently, he was still leaning against the wall, clutching at his side which was giving off spasms of pain here and there every time he took in a breath, letting him know that he had at the very least, bruised his ribs on his left side, if not broken something by this point.

" _I've got to do something… my life points are down to fourteen-hundred, and right now he's just throwing me around and I'm getting banged up… but… what am I going to do? Those damn Quiz monsters are causing me nothing but problems, and the cards are all quizzes as well… I guess I'll just have to wing it,"_ Yuya thought as he slowly stood, taking in a few strained breaths to withstand the pain as he allowed his magic to ease his tension, and he began to think of how to best handle this Duel.

"Very nice! You're useless in quizzes and in Dueling!" Pierre taunted.

"Shit…" the Quiz Master laughed.

"Such course language, surely you have a better mind than tha- oh wait, I forgot I was talking about you," he informed him as Yuya ground his teeth together.

"You know, I'm still waiting on that answer from earlier, Pierre, about how to say _I'm going to lose_ in German, or did your pathetic mind forget?" the Frenchman narrowed his eyes.

"Like I have to answer a question from such a miserable jester as yourself," Pierre stated.

"Fine then…" Yuya started running, searching for Action cards again.

Pierre followed as well, gathering up a series of Action Cards that gave him a major boost in Life Points, and to Yuya's greatest misfortune, they were all in the Riddles genre. Growling as Pierre's Life Points shot up to fifty-eight-hundred while he continued to get questions he was bad at. Yuya growled deep in his chest as another quiz failed and he lost even more points, and he began to wonder if he should have accepted Nico's offer of letting him into the Arc League Championships due to his skill against Strong Ishijima.

The red-and-green-haired boy shook his head, not willing to let himself submit to the situation. If he was going to fail, then he would do it knowing that he had fought all the way through to the bitter end, and that would never be swayed just because of a little self-doubt. Yuya took in a deep breath, looking at a Action Card that he had somehow missed, and Pierre was eyeing, the boy crouched from his position upon one of the bars on the pillars in the center of the room and put his cards into the corner of his mouth, biting them with his right canine to hold them in place before he jumped forward, cartwheeling as he landed next to the Action Card and grabbed it.

"You won't be able to answer that one!" Pierre said pridefully as the Action Trap activated.

" **Action Trap, Activated! Welcome! The Genre is History for five-hundred points! If you answer incorrectly, you will lose five-hundred points."** Yuya nodded.

"Got it," he stated as the others watched, highly concerned about this particular question.

" **What man allegedly created a stone that could turn metal into gold, grant immortality, and came from what book?"** the others stared.

"I don't know that one," stated Sora.

"Me neither…" Pierre laughed.

"You can't possibly know that one! It is quite eazy for me though!" he stated.

"You and your over exaggerated French accent need to shut up!" Yuya snapped.

" **Ten Seconds…"** Yuya huffed.

"The name is Nicholas Flamel, who created the Philosopher's Stone, and it was the book of Abraham," he answered.

" **Correct! You gain five-hundred Life Points!"** Yuya sighed in relief as his twelve hundred life-points added back up to seventeen-hundred.

"You actually knew that question?" Pierre asked in slight surprise as Yuya shot him a coy smirk.

"I told you I was good at riddles, and that I was bad at science and math, you never asked if I was good or bad at other subjects. History is another strong point for me, so, if you were wanting to trip me up, you should have gotten rid of the history, literature, mythology, and astronomy questions as well, because _I'm very well versed in those subjects_." Yuzu found a faint frown coming to her features.

" _They don't teach mythology and astronomy at our school… I wonder if his mom taught him?"_ Pierre began to descend the stairs of one of the question bocks and as he did, he looked towards Yuya.

"I have a question for you then: who's the pitiful Duelist about to writhe in agonizing embarrassment in the upcoming True Quiz Hell?!" he inquired.

" _I am really not going to like this…"_

"True Hell?" Pierre grinned as he held up an Action card.

"Action Card, activate! The heavenly Human Encyclopedia! Guide the ignorant straight to Hell! Quiz Frontier: Extra Stage!" light began to fill the arena, as the current action field began to dissipate into nothingness while Yuya braced himself for the next step in this insanity.

"The answer is you! Yuya Sakaki!"

The light engulfed the entire area, and soon dispersed to reveal a set of mine tracks with both Yuya and Pierre riding within them, heading down it further and further in what seemed to be a cave of some kind. Without question, Yuya was dumbfounded by the sight of it all; however, he had admittedly, seen far more complex and confusing Action Fields than this one, but supposed it had some sort of dangerous twist to it that he had yet to witness.

"What is this field?" he asked as they continued down the tracks.

"On this path you will get a taste of your own ignoranze!" Yuya gave Pierre an annoyed expression, puffing out his cheeks just a bit s he frowned.

"Just explain to me what kind of field we've been sent to!" Yuya snapped.

"My, how impatient. Very well, we will pass five Action Traps over the course of this track." Scarlet eyes turned away from Pierre and towards the upcoming split in the tracks.

"Action Traps… so, quizzes again?" he inquired.

"Precizely. If you answer correctly, your Life Points increaze by one-hundred. Answer incorrectly up until the final question, and you will loze one-hundred points. If you loze in the final questioning before we exit zis portion of the action field, you will lose double the pointz, you're at seventeen hundred, if you loze that much, a Kuriboh could take you down." Yuya rolled his eyes.

"More like a Bunilla, but whatever… let's get this started," he stated as he thought of the funny little Duel Spirit that had a sweet tooth and usually pestered the living daylights out of Florence. Sighing, Yuya turned his gaze forward, and prepared for the worst.

"Have fun on ze Quiz Road! Adieu!" Pierre called with a wave while Yuya shot him a glare.

"That guy really has a terrible accent…" Yuya thought aloud as a sudden dip in the road took him by surprise and he took in a deep breath as he felt almost as though his stomach had finally caught up with him after the slope.

"Dear Osiris… that scared me… uh… what is that?!" he asked himself as he saw a giant card appear and groaned as the voice of the Action Trap Quiz Master rang in his ears.

" **Action Trap, activate! Attack Duel Quiz!"** the automated person declared as Yuya looked around the green area full of multiple colored stars while he continued down the tracks.

"Duel Quiz? Does that mean questions related to Duels? Yea, that's good!" Yuya stated with relief.

Meanwhile, the others watched, nervous, but excited by the prospect that another series of quizzes were coming up that Yuya could handle with ease. Yuzu and Sora wouldn't admit it, but they knew Yuya was anxious even though he seemed enthused with the Duel, only because he was intelligent, but had never quite tested well. Yuzu watched via the screen near the stands, hoping that Yuya could handle what was throne his way while Sora kept his eyes on Pierre, not liking the attitude of the other.

" **Question, look at these two Raigeki Breaks. Which is the correct one? You have five seconds…"** the well-known trap card appeared, two different images, one showing the usage of the casting creature with one finger up, and its thumb extended, while the other showed two fingers in use while its thumb was curled. Yuya knew this card, it was in his deck, and he used it regularly; however, he found himself with a bit of a problem.

"It's –" before he could get the answer out, the timer rang and he groaned internally.

" **I'm sorry, times up, the correct answer is: the right one."** Yuya slapped his left hand to his forehead, huffing.

"I knew that! Why in the hell are these questions only five seconds to answer?!" he asked.

" **I don't know, I just work here. You couldn't answer, so, you take one-hundred points of damage."** A shock of electricity shot down and caught Yuya who jumped as the jolt went through him, and he yelped.

" _This isn't gonna end well,"_ Yuya thought as he coughed, feeling a bit jittery from the electrocution he'd received.

"Alright! From my hand… what the… oh come on!" he snapped as another card appeared on the track and he went through it. Across the way, on the other track, Pierre was sailing through the questions that ranged from how many teeth were on the Pot of Greed spell card. Yuya sighed as he looked at the quiz proctor and listened to the question.

" **Question: how many people can be seen being blown away on the artwork of Heavy Storm? You have five seconds…"** a smile came to his features.

"That's easy! There's two people!" Yuya stated, having his friends smile, assured that he was correct on this one.

" **I'm sorry, the correct answer is three people."** The group of You Show Duel School students gaped.

"WHAT?!" the proctor slipped behind the screen he was on as red lines lit up the human figures on the artwork of the now banned Heavy Storm spell card one at a time, and ultimately revealed that there was indeed a third person.

"THE HELL?! THERE WAS ANOTHER PERSON THERE?!" the proctor looked to him, peering out from behind the card.

" **Yes, there was, and you will receive –"** Yuya cut it off.

"Why in the hell isn't that documented?!" he asked.

" **Don't ask me, I don't write the rules. You receive one-hundred points of damage per wrong answer."**

A sharp gust of wind rolled through, tossing Yuya backwards and whipping his hair wildly around as he took in a startled breath and braced himself. He had been through harsher winds than this when his mother had started teaching him elemental magic, but also when he had attempted a few brief flying lessons – which reminded him he had that once he got back home today – and the storms were far stronger than this, but it knocked him back all the same, stealing his breath momentarily as a loop-de-loop of tracks spun him about until he reached the bottom, dizzy and winded as he rose out of the bottom of the cart, pale faced as he shook his head a bit.

" _This is why I hate rollercoasters…"_ he thought as the mocking laughter of the people around him slowly began to change to one of humor.

"What's with him?! He's funny!" Yuzu and the others looked around at the groups of people.

"They're laughing at him again," stated Allie.

"No, they're not laughing at him… they think he's genuinely funny!" Sora grinned, pulling a lollipop out of his jacket.

"That means he's winning them over with his little dummy act," he explained.

"Dummy act? What are you talking about?" the pastel-blue-haired teenager sighed.

"Yuya's acting like he's not as smart as he actually is, but is shining where he knows he can. Pierre is the best at Quizzes, but Yuya is an entertainer, a Dueltainer, and he's smarter than the average person when it comes to specific strategies, and other key details… this is all part of his act that he's put on for this Duel," he informed them as Yuzu turned her gaze towards Yuya and rose her hand into the air, cheering.

"You're doing great Yuya!" Sora smiled, licking his lollipop in peace while watching the Duel.

It was an endless back and forth from there, Yuya kept missing the questions, his life points dropping steadily while he received rather strange punishments for his losses, such as being tickled by a series of tiny hands, or being driven through mud while Pierre kept wracking up the points on the questions as Yuya's final defeat gave him a decent coating of ice on his clothes, hair and skin, and dropped his life-points down to three hundred. Pierre came out laughing as Yuya finally was dropped off on the floor of the original Quiz Frontier field and he shivered, teeth chattering as he blinked a few times, wondering why he wasn't warming up as he shook himself out while Yuzu and the others watched in concern and dismay over the situation.

Yuya could admit that the last question had been a bit of a teaser, and had really done damage to his Life Points; however, it was currently working out to his advantage because he knew exactly what he had in mind. Yuya blinked a few times, noticing that the blast of ice had been so bad that he had ice particles on his eye lashes and that he wasn't warming up like he should have been. Taking in a deep breath, Yuya began thinking of a fire charm that his mother had taught him that was intended to warm the user up by raising their body heat enough to keep them warm against icy environments. With a quick mental chant, the ice began to melt at long last while Pierre continued laughing.

"A correct answer iz…" he trailed off.

"The only answer!" the crowd called back as Yuya shivered a few more times, the ice finally melting as he coughed a few times.

"This isn't good," Tate mentioned.

"No kidding, Pierre has almost sixty-three-thousand Life Points, and Yuya's are three hundred."

"Not to mention, he couldn't answer a single question, but that last one about the Duel Monster that requires five parts, and what each card is leveled wasn't exactly fair. I know it, but under that kind of pressure, I would probably forget too," Sora mentioned just as Pierre laughed once again.

"I'm gonna strangle that guy with his suspenders if he doesn't –" Sora placed a hand upon Yuzu's shoulder.

"No, don't waste your breath on that guy…" Yuzu frowned.

"Sora! He's just a know-it-all bully who –" the pastel-haired youth shot the Quiz Master a long look.

"I'll do it for you," he answered as Pierre continued to laugh and Yuya coughed a few more times before sneezing as the chill in his bones decided to stick around.

"Do you get it now? Someone like you, Yuya will alwavz be perfectly incorrect against me on zis field. I will be winning this Duel! And zat perfectly correct!" Yuya sneezed again, the small, mouse-like sound causing some laughter from the others as he looked towards Pierre.

"Excuse me…" he said, sneezing once again.

"How unsightly, zurely even zomeone as uncultured and uneducated as yourself knows basic manners." Yuya shot him a glare.

" _Compared to you, I have more culture, education, and manners. Not to mention, I have enough spells to make your head spin around,"_ Yuya thought as he stood straight, only to sneeze two more times as the crowd began to laugh.

"Well… it seems they're buying it," stated Frederic.

"Let's hope Yuya can pull out on top though…"

Nico Smiley had remained silent during this entire Duel for the most part, only because he was concerned that saying to much could cause problems for his client. Normally, he had worked with adults, those who had built up years, upon years of practice and had fine-tuned their deck and skills to perfection before attempting to get a manager; however, with Yuya he had seen the rough, but charming skills the boy possessed, and had instantly wanted to become his manager. Something about Yuya Sakaki had sparked intrigue and fascination in him the moment he had laid eyes upon the boy for the first time in three years, seeing that Yuya was both skilled, smart, witty, and quick on his feet in a Duel had proven to him that the boy was going to become an incredible Duelist one day, but he needed someone to help guide him, and that was where he had stepped in.

However, seeing Yuya like he was now, Nico was beginning to wonder if he had chosen something that was to difficult for him. Both Yoko and Shuzo had warned him that Yuya had been bullied and harassed for the last three years, so when people made jabs at him he became emotionally unstable and could react brashly, and would either act out of character, or shut down. But instead of seeing Yuya close down or panic, he was seeing him wave to the audiences, smiling as they laughed, and preparing to do what he did best: entertain the crowds.

" _Show me Yuya, show me what you can do as you become a shining star,"_ Nico thought while Pierre glowered.

"Thanks!" Yuya cheered.

"Huh?! A-All of you! Not paying attention to me and laughing at that ignorant, incorrect, drop-out boy instead is pretty thoughtlez of you, don't you think?! I am a far better Duelizt and person than he could ever hope to be!" Yuya laughed this time.

"You have no idea what you're doing, Pierre! In actuality, you've been playing into _my game_ this entire time! So now, I'm gonna get serious!" he stated, causing Pierre to gawk.

"What do you mean? I have not been playing into your game!" the red-and-green-haired boy smirked.

"Oh really? I activate the Spell card, Performapal cast Change, from my hand!" Yuya shot the card into the slot and it appeared upon the field.

"And what doez zat do?" Yuya held up his entire hand of effect-type Performapals, consisting of Hip Hippo, Sword Fish, Skeeter Skimmer, Spikeagle, and Stamp Turtle.

"I return five Performapals from my hand to my deck, and I draw as many cards as I returned plus one! So, I get six new cards!" Yuya drew his six cards, and prepared for his next move.

"Big deal! Draw az many cardz as you like! It will not amount to nothing!" the red-and-green-haired boy looked to his hand and took in a deep breath.

" _Thank the Six, I'm saved!"_ Yuya looked up towards Pierre.

"Let's get this show on the road! I use my Scale One Stargazer Magician, and my Scale Eight Timegazer Magician, to set the Pendulum Scales!" Yuya placed his two faithful magicians on either side of his board, the rainbow-fused word _Pendulum_ appearing between them as Stargazer and Timegazer went into their respectful places upon the field within pillars of stardust whilst the well-known pendulum crystal wove its starlight web in the sky.

"Mon Dieu!" Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Thus, I can Summon Monsters between Level Two and Seven at the same time! _Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light upon the sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Come out, my Monsters!" Yuya rose his hand into the air, the crystalline portal appearing in bluish-purple hues as his monsters appeared.

"Welcome to the stage, Performapal Lizardraw, Performapal Whip Viper, and my faithful partner, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Yuya announced as Pierre gawked momentarily while Nico smiled with excitement as the headmaster of the learning center watched in intrigue.

"Hmph, not a big deal," Pierre stated.

Yuya smiled, knowing that now that he'd managed to Pendulum Summon, Pierre would soon face his downfall. Pierre cornered him with his Quiz Sphinx and continued to attempt to bring him down by destroying Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, and in doing so, gave him the chance to use Lizardraw's effect, allowing him to draw two more cards, and grant him the chance to do exactly what he needed to in order to win this Duel. Once he saw what he had, Yuya took in a deep breath, knowing what he had to do in order to end this Duel.

"I set three cards face-down and end my turn!" he called before pulling his goggles down over his eyes while he began looking for another action card before spotting the last location that neither of them had looked, and he jumped forward, running with Lizardraw and Whip Viper alongside him, knowing where to begin his plan.

"You have no cards in your hand! So, you're going to bet everything on an Action Card? My turn, Battle! Quiz Monkey, attack his Whip Viper!" just as Yuya touched down on one of the blocks, Quiz Monkey moved in for the kill and the scarlet-eyed boy looked to where he was headed, never once breaking his concentration.

"Trap, activate! Last Minute Cancel! This card changes every Monster I control to Defense Position! Also, for this turn, _Performapals_ destroyed by battle are returned to the hand!" Yuya watched as Quiz Monkey struck down Whip Viper, causing him to fall from his current height.

Yuya braced himself, returning Whip Viper to his hand as he prepared to continue with his current plan. Thus far, the resulting events were following much like Yuya had hoped they would. Pierre had started sending his cards back to his hand, only for them to return to the field on Yuya's next turn, thus resulting in a back and forth while Yuya began looking for a means to put an end to the Duel before it dragged on for too long, or Pierre did something that would finally end it in his favor. Yuya hit the ground in a crouch and jumped up immediate, continuing to race along.

"I continue to battle! Quiz Sphinx, attack his Performapal Lizardraw!" Pierre declared.

"I return Performapal Lizardraw to my hand!" Yuya put the card back in his hand, and kept running.

"Then, I will now activate the Quick-Play Spell, Double It! It's effects are as follows: when a Level Four or Higher _Quiz_ Monster destroys an opponent's Defense Position Monster, it doubles it's Attack Points until the end of this turn, and lets it attack again!" Yuya remained crouched where he was, preparing to react.

"Shit…" he muttered.

"Quiz Sphinx! Attack Yuya Sakaki directly! End this fruitless game! This clinches it, you are going to lose, circus boy!" Yuya jumped, landing upon his singular hand and propelled himself into a jump, landing upon his feet as he kept running.

"No, not yet!" Yuya jumped once more, using a few minute agility spells to get over the large gaps while he was certain that the audience was questioning as to how he was managing such a feat.

"He's like a cat," stated the headmaster of the learning center.

"Yea! Big Bro is bounding around like a cat would!" Yuzu watched Yuya move about, landing in crouches and getting his bearings as he kept rushing towards the block that had five-thousand written on it.

"A cat?" she questioned.

In a split second, a mental image of Yuya standing in an arena full of ancient structures and stars blinking brightly in the sky flickered into her minds eye. She recalled this Duel, it was with Hokuto during the LDS's attempt to invade You Show; however, there was a startling difference in the image she was seeing of Yuya. He stood there, looking as he always had, but he had feline ears atop his head, and an equally feline tail trailing out behind him. Yuzu felt a sharp sting in her head and placed a hand to her forehead, finding the situation confusing.

" _Why was I seeing that? It makes no sense, Yuya didn't have cat ears and a tail in that Duel, I should know! I was there for it and I know that he didn't…"_ a sudden scene of Yoko speaking to Yuya came to her mind and her speaking in a foreign language came forward ad Yuzu watched Yuya pull off his plan.

"I activate an Action Trap! Quiz away!" Yuya waited for the proctor to appear.

" **Oh… you again…"** Yuya frowned.

"Just give me the question!" he stated.

" **Fine, fine! Sheesh… question: Please prove Fermat's Last Theorem."** The group of You Show students found themselves grasping for straws.

"Umm… what now?" asked Yuzu.

"Hah! Eazy question! At least, for me, anyway." Yuya took in a deep breath, knowing that the last attempt to save his points would be all he could do.

" **Please answer, the time limit is five seconds… and don't yell at me again! If you want to complain, go and speak to the program supervisor!"** Yuya pulled his goggles off his head with a smile.

"I don't know," he admitted, startling the others.

"E-Eh?! But that means that he…" Pierre laughed.

"You've given up on answering. Seems like I don't even need to lift a finger to defeat you. Since you gave a wrong answer, you take five-thousand damage. Adieu!" he stated, smugly as Yuya gave him an at ease smile.

"A wrong answer is fine by me." The Frenchman stared.

"Huh?" Yuya blew his bangs out of his eyes.

"I activate a Trap Card! Performapal Encore – Reborn Force! Once, during a turn when a _Performapal_ is destroyed, instead of me taking Effect Damage, it's inflicted tot eh opponent instead!" Yuya explained as the five-thousand block began to expand as Performapal Lizardraw and Performapal Whip Viper floated from his card and into the block, leaving golden gleams behind them.

"Pardon?!" Yuya pointed towards his card, the five-thousand number floating from the block and into the card which shined with a purple-white light.

"Go!" the scarlet-eyed boy declared as Pierre was blasted with the numbers of the amount Yuya would have originally taken.

"I – don't – get – it!" Pierre spoke as each number hit him and Yuya smirked.

"Do the math, Pierre, you've been brought down to thirteen-hundred life points, and you know what they say about the number thirteen, don't you?" Pierre felt tears well in his eyes.

"Sacre bleu!" Yuya shook his head.

"No, wrong answer, the correct answer is: _number thirteen is unlucky,_ " Yuya explained.

"Apply cold water to burned area immediately after contact to avoid blistering." Sora's quip had the others laughing as Yuya continued.

"Anyways, if this effect is activated during the Battle Phase, the battle immediately ends. So, you're move is over!" Yuya stated as Pierre slowly got up.

"He did it!" called the children.

"Unbelievable! _The Human Encyclopedia took damage from Yuya Sakaki?!"_ questioned the audience while the headmaster of the learning center watched Yuya intently.

"Tha… that you would dare to take advantage of an incorrect answer, how dare you! Circus boy!" Yuya smirked.

"I've heard worse insults from toads Pierre, I thought the _heavenly human encyclopedia,_ could at least muster a half-decent banter, not the same witless dribble that lower-minded lifeforms can conjure," he stated as Pierre stomped his feet.

"H-How could you! The likes of you shouldn't be able to outwit me!" he glared, while Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"Sometimes, in a quiz, the right answer isn't the right answer. Just like how in Dueling, the things that you suspect are there, aren't actually there. Remember this, Pierre: _your eyes only see what you want them to,"_ Yuya explained as Pierre glared while the others, particularly Yuzu and Sora were lost in thought, feeling something a tad off with the memory those words conjured.

" _Yuya with cat ears and a tail… Yoko arguing with the chairwoman of Leo Corp, over something about religion… wait a second! I remember now!"_ Sora thought as he turned his attention back to the Duel.

"That makes no sense, you uncultured swine!" Yuya laughed.

"Silly, it's simple! This is a Quiz-themed Duel, not a Duel-themed Quiz, right?" Pierre ground his teeth together.

"I'm aware of that fact! I… I set two cards face-down and end my turn' he stated as Yuya smiled.

"Since the effect of _Double It!_ ends, Quiz Sphinx's Attack Points return to normal. Now, my turn! Here comes the fun part!" Yuya drew a singular card, the group on the edges of their seats at this point. The lights grew dim, the audience awaiting as Pierre watched Yuya stand amidst a light.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Thanks to my Pendulum Scales, that have been set, I can Summon Monsters from Level Two to Seven, all at the same time!" the people in the audience ooed and awed over this as Yuya took centerstage, preparing for his grand finale.

"Now, let us begin! _Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light upon the sky! Pendulum Summon!_ First off, is Performapal Hip Hippo! Following that, let us welcome the return of the Performapal Monsters that have been sent off!" Yuya announced as Performapals Whip Viper, and Lizardraw.

"I know who comes next," Yuzu said.

"And finally, our star! The Dragon with beautiful heterochromatic eyes! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Pierre snarled.

"I activate a Trap! Last Question! Here's my question! _Yuya Sakaki!_ When this turn's Battle Phase begins, how many Monsters will be on the field?!" Frederic groaned.

"Another quiz?! Come on already!" Pierre grinned, prideful and arrogant as he looked to Yuya.

"If you get it right, all of my Monsters are destroyed. However, if you get it wrong, all of your Monsters are destroyed. Now, let me have the answer, Circus boy!" the Quiz Master stated as Yuya kept his gaze on him.

"Your field will have two and mine four. The answer is six! Battle!" Yuya called to his monsters.

"Heh, you took the bait! I activate the Trap, Recovery Chute! This card's effect allows me to add the Attack Points of a Level Four or lower Quiz Monster to the Attack Points of my Quiz Sphinx, which means it gains Quiz Monkey's twenty-five-hundred Attack Points! And then, Quiz Monkey returns to my hand. Thus, at the start of the Battle Phase, there's only five Monsters! Which means, your answer of six is incorrect! So, say goodbye to your entire monster menagerie!" Yuya only smirked just as an explosion went off as Pierre cackled.

"It's my overwhelming advantage! That's what a perfect, correct answer is!" the smoke began to clear, Yuzu and the others looking on in shock and disheartened thoughts until something happened that changed their current mood. A bright, clear laugh came out, startling Pierre as it died down a bit.

"Well, here's _your question!_ It relates back to the question you asked me at the beginning of this Duel, as well as the one I have waited the entire Duel to hear an answer for: who's going to be this Duel's winner?" Yuya asked.

"I'm the one who's going to win it, duh!" the scarlet-eyed boy smirked.

"You sure about _that?_ " the red-and-green-haired Duelist questioned.

"Huh?!" Pierre eyed Yuya in confusion.

"A-hmmm… now, please observe! When this smoke covering the field clears, you'll discover something amazing! Now, steady your gaze, and applaud!" all eyes remained on Yuya as the smoke cleared, and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon stood beside Yuya.

"Look at that!"

"His Dragon is still there!"

"But how? Pierre should have destroyed all of his Monsters." Yuzu and the others smiled as Yuya bowed just briefly and watched the dumbfounded expression upon Pierre's face become increasingly shocked.

"Im… Im… Impossible! Inconceivable! Absolutely inconceivable! You could have possibly saved your Dragon! That is an inconceivable notion!" Pierre stated, stammering.

"You know, you've used that word three times, in one sentence, are you certain you're using it within the right context?" the shorter of the two Duelists stomped his feet, turning red in the face.

"WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY IN THE WORLD?!" Yuya shrugged.

"It was pretty easy, thanks to the Trap Card, Performapal Curtain Call! It's effect negated Odd-Eyes' destruction. And until this turn ends, for each _Performapal_ that was destroyed, Odd-Eyes' Attack Points… go up by six-hundred! Which means, he has a wonderful forty-three-hundred Attack Points!" the scarlet-eyed boy explained as Pierre slumped where he stood just a fraction.

"GO YUYA! TAKE HIM OUT!" called Sora.

"Here we go! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, attack Quiz Sphinx!" Pierre stood up straight.

"You fool! Did you forget Quiz Sphinx's effect?! When a Quiz Monster is attacked, you have to answer a Quiz!" he stated as Yuya shook his head.

"Not anymore! The Monster affected by Curtain call's effect negates my opponent's Spell, Trap, and Monster effects!" realization suddenly dawned upon the Master of Quizzes.

"Whaat?! Th-then, my Trap Card, Not So Fast! Is also… useless?!" Yuya nodded.

"Correct! Maybe you really are the Master of Quizzes! But today, I am the winner! Now, my Odd-Eyes' effect activates! When this card battles a Level Five or higher Monster, the Battle Damage to my opponent is doubled! Which means the damage to you is sixteen-hundred points!"

"INCONCEVIABLE!" Pierre was blown away as Quiz Sphinx crumbled into dust as his life points dropped to zero at long last.

"Now, to answer both our questions: the Duel's winner is me, Yuya Sakaki, and how to say you're going to lose in German is: _du wirst verlieren_. Pierre, je vous remercie! Et Plaisir de vous recontrer!" Yuya bowed as the buzzer went off, declaring him the winner.

"HE DID IT! YES!" Yuzu, Sora, Allie, Tate, and Frederic came towards him, cheering as they wrapped their arms around the boy who struggled to stay standing while Nico came towards his rising star of a Duelist.

"Magnificent! That was stupendous Yuya! Job well done," Nico praised. Pierre looked to Yuya who laughed amongst his friends while he felt realization dawn upon him.

"You just spoke to me in French… but earlier…" Yuya looked to him.

"My mom speaks French, she's been teaching me since I was a baby and talks to me in our native language as well as German and French all the time. You just caught me off guard," he admitted as the headmaster of the learning center came forward.

"Yuya Sakaki…" scarlet eyes turned towards the man.

"Yes sir?" he questioned.

"A Duel is about communicating with your opponent through your cards. Today, you showed us that, and spoke volumes of who you are as a person, both in mental and emotional capabilities. You made us remember what a Duel is supposed to be about." Yuya smiled.

"I was just doing what I'm best at, and in any event in life, communication is key," he answered.

"Communicating through cards, huh?" Pierre thought aloud as a series of claps resounded through the dueling arena, Yuya smiling to his audience as he was cheered by those surrounding them, and embraced by his friends. It was one step closer to where he was aiming for, taking one step at a time and preparing for what would come next.

" _I can do this! If I have them by my side, we can do this!"_

 **{…..}**

 _And if it is, then everybody best stop steppin'…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Whew, this chapter was a nightmare to write, I must admit. Not to mention, Christmas just passed, and I had someone pass away in my family, so things have been extremely hectic as of late. I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter, even if it is a bit rough at some points. In the next chapter we're going to get more on what's going on with Reiji Akaba's plans, more on Yuya's life as a witch, and one of my favorite pre-tournament two-part episodes: the Aura Sentia/Meiru Hochun Duel. Tell me what you guys think, and I look forward to your reviews.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Link VRAINS does exist in this part of the world known as Millennium, but as stated, the Duelist must be fifteen years of age in order to have an account.

Yoko admitted to something I'm certain some of you guys have been guessing at for a while now.

The potion Yoko gave Yuya does play a part in the story, so keep that in mind.

Quiz monsters, are an anime-only archetype… thankfully. -_-

Yuya's French statement: Thank you! Pleasure meeting you!

There was a Princess Bride reference towards the end of this chapter.

A reference to _Final Fantasy_ was made in this chapter.


	19. Chapter 19: Fortuneteller

Chapter 19: Fortunetelling

 **{You Show Duel School: July 1** **st** **, 2014, 1:15pm}**

Yuya sighed as he flipped through the Grimoire, reading through the chapters assigned to him by his mother. It was a continuation of his lessons on fortune telling and the like, and was something that he genuinely had no interest in knowing. He had several skills, ranging from charms, summons, hexes, potions, energy work, alchemy, magic circles, incantations, and many more; however, his mother felt it necessary to expand his scope of knowledge when it came to his magical studies at the very least. A heavy groan left him as he considered what Nico had told him yesterday about his next task as he climbed his way to the tops of the Duel ranks.

" _Right now, you still have a long way to go before you exceed my expectations. You're only a pro if you surpass what the crowd expects. In your next Duel, I want you to totally captivate and stun me! Make the next experience I witness when you duel a magical one."_ Yuya slammed his head down upon the table.

"Make it magical huh? If only I could," Yuya thought.

"If only you could what?" the red-and-green-haired boy jolted as he turned to see Yuzu standing there, wearing a pair of dark-wash jean shorts, pink converse sneakers, a pale lilac v-neck t-shirt, and her hair up in its usual twin-tails.

"O-Oh um… if only I could figure out where everyone is, I thought they would be here by now," he said with a smile.

" _Shit that was close… I really need to be careful about when I'm thinking out loud…"_

"Well, it's Sunday, the others have church… Sora did too, and I met up with him on the way here. I'm sure they'll be here soon." Yuzu came to sit on the other side of the table and he nodded.

"Right," he replied as she eyed him.

"You know, I was thinking about something recently…" he glanced up from his book.

"What about?" he questioned.

"The argument your mother had with chairwoman Akaba, your mother got really miffed about that woman saying something against your beliefs or something like that." Yuya felt a knot form in his stomach.

"Oh, really? I don't remember," he stated as she looked to him.

"I see… Yuya, listen wha – "Yuya looked down.

"Where is Sora, anyways? You said you met him on the way here?" he changed the subject and Yuzu frowned.

"Yea, he went to the restroom. Hey, um… Yuya? I was wondering…" she trailed off as scarlet eyes met her own periwinkle ones and she tensed a bit.

" _There's that strange feeling, why do I feel this when I meet his eyes sometimes? Like he's hiding something that I need to know, but some part of me… doesn't want to know what he isn't telling me,"_ Yuzu thought.

"Wondering what?" the door opened.

"I was wondering where you two were! The others are gonna be here soon and were wondering if we could make a picnic lunch and go somewhere to relax. It's really nice outside today," Sora interjected, saving Yuya from a barrage of questions.

"That sounds great!" Yuya put his book down, hopping down from his seat and going towards Sora.

"Thought you'd like that idea. I was wondering if your mom has some stuff we could use?" he inquired as Yuzu eyed the book Yuya had sat down.

"Yea, I'd have to go tell her that all of us are coming to raid the kitchen though, otherwise she'd be kinda annoyed…" Sora nodded.

"Sure, no problem. Go and give her a call right quick, okay?" Yuya sighed, remembering that in this classroom, their phones never got good signals.

"Okay, I'll give her a call and then we'll get moving," he told the pastel-blue-haired boy before he left the room and Sora looked to Yuzu.

"Let me guess, inquiry on what his big secret is?" the pink-haired girl nodded.

"I've been trying to find the best way to bring the subject up to him, but he always evades it," she admitted.

"Yea, he's gonna do that. But, Yuzu, you've got to realize that he may not feel comfortable telling you much of anything." Sora hopped up in Yuya's now vacated seat and the pink-haired girl sighed.

"I know, I just…" she trailed off.

"Though, I wouldn't be against helping you figure out the best way to breach the subject with him," Sora stated.

"You would?" he shrugged, eyeing the book lying between them on the table.

"Yea, I would. After all, you have to admit to him that you've got the hots for him after this tournament is over, remember?" he asked as Yuzu felt warmth come to her cheeks.

"I remember… but right now, I'm more concerned with what Yuya's hiding." Pastel-green eyes looked to the book.

"Well, starting with that might be an idea. I've seen him reading it all the time, but I've never seen the inside of it before, what is it?" Sora inquired.

"It's a natural medicine book. Something his mom had in her family for a long time, and wanted him to help copy down. He decided to read it first though, so he knew what he was doing." The blue-haired teen frowned as he picked up the book and flipped it open, looking through all the strange drawings and text within it. It took a few moments, but Sora soon slowed his flipping, and then paused, a grim expression coming to his features as he eyed the book once more before sighing as he sat it down back where it had been prior to his touching it just as the doors to the classroom opened up, and Yuya entered the room.

"Mom said it's cool if we come by, she'll make some stuff for us and we can…. Sora? Why are you looking at me like that?" Yuya asked in questioning of the alarmed expression the other was wearing as the blue-haired teenager laughed.

"Sorry, I was thinking about something and you kinda startled me!" the other sighed.

"Okay, well, she's calling Tate, Allie, and Frederic's parents right now and they're going to meet us at my house with their part of this little gathering. So, hurry up or we're gonna be getting there late," Yuya said as he walked forward, snatching his book off the table and placing it in his bag as he started to prepare to leave.

"Yuzu? You ready to go?" the girl nodded, smiling.

"Yea, come on," she told them as she hopped off her seat and the three of them started to leave, all the while, Sora eyed Yuya in questioning.

" _Yuzu, I know you love this guy… and he's a good person, but… if the things I just looked at is real… Yuya's far from the person you believe him to be."_

 **{Sakaki Household: 9:40pm}**

After a long day of playing around the park, dealing with a few randomized Duels for fun, and enjoying a much-needed day off, Yuya had gotten home after saying goodbye to his friends, gotten a shower, eaten dinner, and was now sitting in his bedroom floor, dressed for bed, and his annoying contact lens out for the time being. He had gotten used to it, but it still was bothering him for the time being, and he still had several more days to deal with it before the mismatched iris of his left eye faded back to it's normal scarlet. Sighing, Yuya looked at the cards laid around him, wanting to fine-tune his deck as he prepared for the Duel he had tomorrow.

"Nico wants me to wow him in a magical way, but I'm not really supposed to use my magic in Duels… I wonder if there's a way I can do it without it being obvious? Probably not… hmm?" Yuya looked at his cards and then paused as he recognized a card that he knew didn't belong to him.

Earlier today, he had seen the progress Yuzu had been making on her Fusion Summon training, and was thrilled to see how well she was doing; however, as they were discussing the strategies of Fusion Summoning, a gust of wind had come by, blowing several cards astray of both his own and Yuzu's. they had scrambled to pick them up, and thankfully managed to get them all back; however, it seemed as though he had accidentally picked up one of Yuzu's cards: her polymerization.

"I should probably get this back to her tomorrow… Yuzu said that she, Sora, Gongenzaka, Allie, Tate, and Frederic were going to be there to watch this Duel, so I can give it back to her tomorrow," he thought aloud as he went back to his current problem.

" _But how am I supposed to do this? I can magically wow him without really using my magic, and if I do that I'm technically cheating…."_ Yuya groaned and flopped back, a frustrated expression on his face.

"Ah, geeze! I don't have a clue what he was talking about! There's no way I can use my magic without causing problems for myself or the other Duelist… so that's completely out of the question!"

He sighed, closing his eyes against the throbbing headache he was developing as he started to drift off to sleep. As his mind surrendered to slumber, Yuya's thoughts conjured a moment where he had told his friends about his magic, that he was a witch, and that they had accepted it wholly. He was showing them some of the magic he could do, they were smiling, laughing and enjoying the things he could do. There was no stress because of all the secrets he was keeping, his mind and body felt free of his insecurities, and he was happy where he was, surrounded by his loved ones, sitting in the arena room at the Duel School, enjoying his time with them. It was as he moved to do another spell, his Duel Spirits walking about the place, interacting with the children, that the jovial scene flickered, and Yuya paused.

The pristine white walls became splattered with blood, the gray floor became blackened and cracked, the glass busted out in odd places, and the day turned to night, the moon becoming a gruesome red shade as he stood where he was, the bodies of his loved ones scattered about the floor as he took in shaky breaths, his heart hammering in his chest while he considered what was happening.

The sound of laughter filled his ears, panic lacing through him as he considered what was happening. Everything had changed from jovial to horrific in a matter of seconds. Yuya took a step forward, the small dripping of blood catching his attention as he turned his gaze towards the adjacent wall and saw Yuzu, pinned to the wall as though she'd been crucified, and the moment he laid eyes upon her, he ran forward, coming to the wall, pulling her down as her slight weight fell into his arms.

The eased feeling, he had was gone, pain and fear laced through him as he held the girl in his arms, her body still and her skin cold as ice. He tried to wake her up, and every time he hoped she would respond, nothing came of it. Yuzu, just like all those around him: were gone. A lone tear trailed down his cheek, and as it dripped down onto her white-toned cheek, it revealed itself to be crimson, the shade of freshly drawn blood. Yuya wiped his face, another tear coming down his cheek as he took in shaky breaths, and tried to stop himself from crying.

" _ **Poor, pathetic creature of fallen blood, you cannot save them… because you cannot even save yourself… little light…"**_

Yuya winced as the sound of barking came to his attention, and he rolled over onto his back, blinking up towards the ceiling of his room as he considered what was happening while he heard En yapping about something. His mind reeling from the dream as he told the dog to be quiet only for him to be met with a furry back to his face. Gasping in shock, Yuya shot up, the small corgi puppy rolling off him as he hopped up and over onto the ball in Yuya's room where he rolled away and towards the door, almost as though he was trying to tell him something.

"Ow! What the heck! En! Why did you…" Yuya turned to look at the clock on his desk.

"GAH! I overslept! This is bad! This is bad! I'll be late to the Duel!" he stated in disbelief as he ran over to his dresser and grabbed some clean clothes out of the drawers before changing as quickly as he could, grabbing a black shirt instead of his usual orange one while he raced about to get his things together.

"Where did I put my cards? Damn! Didn't I put them on the table?" Yuya rammed his head into his desk, pain shooting through his skull.

"Ouch! Geeze, now this, of all times!" Yuya rushed to put his deck in its holster and then raced out the door, pulling his goggles onto his head at the last second as he slid down the fireman's pole and slid across the floor, grabbing his shoes and racing out the door, forgetting his jacket as he hopped, putting on his shoes before running down the street.

 **{Fortune Dueling School: 10:02am}**

Yuya let out an exhausted sigh as he finally slowed to a walk just at the corner of the address he was supposed to meet Nico at for his third match. It had been a chaotic morning; however, he was holding out on the hope that it wasn't an omen, like he knew it most likely was. Being a witch, didn't make things easier, if anything, he'd have to admit that it made things twice if not three times more difficult. Sighing, he held up the piece of paper where the address was written and started walking, looking for it along the street.

"Let's see, the place of the address Nico gave me should be about… h-here?!" Yuya jolted to a halt where he stood.

Standing before him was an old brick wall, covered in ivy and moss, with a towering black-rough-iron gate that had symbols of different magical elements drawn upon it. Just through the gates was a towering and slightly strangely-built European Victorian house with a dead tree, fog, and a cracked path to walk upon that was only complimented with rough-iron workings upon the windows that had candles flickering within them. Yuya felt his heart begin to speed up as he realized where he was, and dreaded what this could mean. Today, Yuya was positive, as he stared onward at where his third qualifying Duel would be taking place, that his secret would be exposed.

" _I have to go into a school… a Dueling school mind you… full of witches!"_ he thought in panic as he edged closer.

His mind raced as he tried to pinpoint a magic cloaking spell that he could manage, but he knew that it would do him no good. It was a distinct trait of every witch – whether they were new with their training or further along like he was – that they could sense their own. Yuya could cast a cloak-protection spell that would hide his magical energy from some of the witches within the building; however, there was a near one-hundred percent chance, that at least half the student body and the head of this school, knew he was already here.

It was a great misfortune, because Yuya knew that while they did not possess a Witches Council here, there were several other witches within Maiami city, and he was standing at the proverbial nest of a decent chunk of them, and what made matters worse, the head of the school, he had been told, was one of the thirteen Grand Witches, meaning he was about to meet someone who was several hundred years old, and quite powerful.

"I should have stayed in bed today," he muttered as he finally made it to the gate.

"Yuya!" a voice called to him and he turned to see someone standing near him, wearing a black cloak.

"AHHH! SOMETHING'S HERE!" he shouted in surprise.

"Not something, my dear boy," stated the cloaked person, holding the lantern up as Yuya sighed in relief.

"Oh, it's just you, Nico…" the man smiled.

"I've been waiting for you, Yuya," he stated.

"Y-You have, oh, good! Sorry I'm late!" Nico shook his head.

"No need, the people here are quite patient. Now, are you aware of anything about this Duel School?" Nico inquired.

"Nope!" Yuya mentally smacked himself when Nico rose an eyebrow at his swift answer.

" _I answered to damn fast!"_ he internally grumbled as Nico opened the gates of the school and they walked down the pathway and through the front door, following signs to where the Duel Field was located.

"Well, it's a school full of magic practitioners…" Nico trailed off and Yuya felt the knot in his stomach grow worse.

"Magic… practitioners?" his stutter caught the other's attention as he led him further into the school.

"Yes, in other words… everyone in this school, is a witch," he stated.

"Oh? Really? Witches?" Yuya felt a chill lace up his spine from his magic trying to calm him down.

"It's the only coven of witches within Maiami City. All the children here as well as the instructors are versed in a magical art of some kind or another, it's quite fascinating, isn't it?" Nico mentioned.

"Y-Yea… fascinating!" the man eyed him.

"Are you anxious? I probably should have told you about this place before you arrived here, I do apologize for that, but I believe you'll do just fine here," he assured him.

" _Thanks, but that's not what I'm worried about…"_ Yuya blew his bangs out of his eyes as they went further down the stairs.

"Hey? Why is this stairwell so dark?" he asked.

"Yuya, please watch your step." Yuya nodded.

"Eh? Oh, I get it!" as soon as he said that, his foot slipped, and he went careening down the stairwell.

Yuzu, Sora, Gongenzaka, Allie, Tate, and Frederic were seated in the basement Duel arena audience, surrounded by hundreds of people adorned in long black cloaks while they took in the place surrounding them it was a giant, circular shaped arena, with candles adorned in randomized places with gothic accents scattered about while thick violet drapes hung along the walls and near the doors. Upon the marble floor was an ornate magical circle of some type with runes adorning the area of the outer ring while in the middle of the circle, stood a young girl in a black and violet dress with a matching bow in her long, wild red hair while her pale, ever-staring green eyes looked around whilst she looked onwards in excitement towards the stairwell where her opponent would be entering.

The group had waited around fifteen minutes past when the Duel was supposed to begin when a crash came from the stairwell and the audience looked towards where the noise was coming from. A blur of green, red, white, and black catching their attention as Yuya came tumbling out, hitting the stone floor harshly as he yelped in surprise before landing in a sharp smack right before his opponent on the floor. Yuya winced, knowing he was going to feel that pain for a few days due to the marble floor and the cobble-stone stairs more than anything.

Nico waltzed into the room, preparing to step forward to do his job, retaining his cloak while he watched the interaction with Yuya and his opponent. The boy had just managed to get himself half-way up right when he realized, a tad to late that his opponent was a girl, and was wearing a dress. Yuya felt his face turn red, embarrassment coming up in his emotions as the girl promptly called him a pervert and bashed him over the head with the crystal apple in her hands. Yuya went down, hissing in pain as the girl stomped off muttering something about her destined person or something as Yuya managed to slowly get himself up and looked around.

" _I really should have stayed in bed… "_ he thought as he went to get the attention of his opponent.

"Um… hey!" the girl whirled on him, glaring.

"What is it?! You're a pain in the patella!" she snarled, and he winced, taking in her appearance.

" _Soul divination charm, tarot card in her right pocket, crystal ball or well... apple, and a hell of a lot of attitude… that means she's a fortune teller type of witch… oh this is just great! The gods must hate me,"_ Yuya thought.

"No, umm… can we Duel still? I'm sorry about being late, I had a few… mishaps this morning…" the girl eyed him.

"Who are you?" he gave her a faintly bashful smile.

"Yuya, Yuya Sakaki, and who are you?" he waited, and she took in a deep breath.

"I am Aura Sentia Houchun, a witch of eleven years in training, and a proud member of this school," she stated.

" _If I didn't have my friends here, I would introduce myself in a very similar state, I better not forget my manners around these people, I don't need two-hundred and fifty-two witches cursing me…"_ as he thought, Aura observed him.

Her clear, peridot eyes scanned his appearance, taking in his fair-tan skin, slight build, messy red-green-hair, and sharp scarlet eyes before eyeing the pendulum crystal rested against the area just at his chest. The moment Aura locked eyes with him, she knew that he wasn't like other's she'd dueled, in fact, she would be willing to bet, that he was quite similar to her. A faint smirk came to her features as she considered this and scanned him momentarily.

"Yuya, huh? Fine then, I'll be using this Duel to foretell whether or not you are the man that the cards told me I would fall in love with or not !" she declared as Yuya heard Yuzu huff.

"Alright, if you want to you can…" she looked him over.

"Shall we begin?" Aura inquired.

"Sure, let's go…" a light appeared, and Nico stood in place, his cloak still on.

"Thank you for waiting, everyone! Now, in this Duel, we have Yuya Sakaki, who will show off his astonishing Entertainment style of Dueling, in an official Duel against Aura Houchun, one of the brightest witches of this fine establishment, and who has never been wrong in her prediction Duels! Thank you in advance, Headmistress of this, the Umino Fortune Duel School!" Nico introduced as the lights turned to a beautiful woman cloaked in an elegant black dress that showed off her curvy form while she wore a veil upon her face, and spoke in what could only be explained as a thick Russian accent.

"Fate has already been decided. However, those wandering through time cannot foresee it. The gifts of witches have been forsaken for centuries, and it is here, that we find our calling now, in fortunes, and spells. Within these hallowed halls, we practice our magic amongst our dueling, and thus, weave them together as one. We are Duelists of a magical sort, and our magic is used as a light to lead others who were not blessed with these gifts. It is a microcosm of life itself," she stated as she snapped her fingers, and the Field Spell was activated. Lights burst forth from the floor, causing the field to generate.

"I activate the Field Spell, Fortuneteller! A place that is proper for a witch to partake in a ceremonial duel to determine many things!" Yuzu and the others eyed those around them while Yuya remained tense upon the field as it began to generate.

"Yuya looks nervous," said Allie.

"Who wouldn't be with all this around them?" Sora shrugged.

"It's really cool, all this myth and magic," he stated.

"Please, do you honestly believe that this is all real? It's just a bunch of hocus pocus…" Yuya felt himself involuntarily flinch which did not go unnoticed by Aura.

"You're akin to me, aren't you?" she asked as the field generated.

"What?" panic laced through him.

" _Not good! She knows!"_ he thought.

An immense, tower-like structure created of crystal and runes, jewels, spires with tarot-card symbols upon them, and stairs appeared across the field, structuring itself into a circular system that dared not touch the magic circle in the center of the room, which Yuya quickly realized was an empowerment circle, meant to boost the potency of a witch's spells. He internally hissed, knowing that if he used his magic it would become impossible to hide in any way, shape, or form. Yuya braced himself as Aura looked to him, and the others prepared for a nerve wracking Duel amidst the magical field.

"What are those things carved into the pillars?" asked Frederic.

"Death, the Magician, and the Hanged man… they're all Tarot Card patterns!" Tate granted the explanation while the others stared onward.

"Yuya better be careful, there's no telling what kind of stunt Aura will pull," Yuzu stated.

"Take it easy Yuzu, Yuya will be fine…"

Upon the field, Yuya was looking around, taking in all the things that related to fortunetelling, and many other forms of magic. he knew, in that exact instant, that he would not be walking out of this place with his secret intact, but he would be damned if he wasn't going to try. Yuya took in a steady breath, drawing in his magical aura as best he could in hopes of keeping his secret hidden for as long as he could.

"That means this Duel is…" he trailed off and Aura spoke up.

"Correct! This is a dual-edge sword style Duel, in other worlds, a Duel in which we will use our cards, but this is also another type of Duel, do you know what kind of Duel that would be? Yuya?" Aura questioned.

"No, sorry…" she frowned slightly.

" _He's playing coy, I must admit… if he is one of our own, he's doing a pretty good job of tripping up his friends… if I could just get him to release some of his magic, I could gage how strong he is…"_

"This is what's known to some as a Witches Variance, or a Witches Duel. And within this Duel, we will reveal our true selves. Now, with my infallible Prediction Duel style, I will fight to figure out if you're the one destined for my heart, and I will unravel who you _really are, Yuya Sakaki_ ," Aura affirmed as the scarlet-eyed boy took in a deep breath.

" _I'm doomed…"_

"Fine by me! Let's just get started!" the red-haired girl sighed.

"Duel!" the two announced and the action cards scattered about the field.

" _Good luck, Yuya,"_ Yuzu thought as Aura pulled a coin out of her pocket.

"Let's decide who goes first with a coin flip!" Aura stated.

"H-Huh?" she smiled.

"Heads is the Dragon, Tails is the Demon. If you manage to guess it right, you'll decide who goes first and who goes second. So, can you tell me which is which?" she inquired as a faint expression of concern came to Yuya's features as the coin went up.

" _Come on, use your magic to divine it, I know you can do that… before you started pulling in your magic to hide it, I could feel the pulse of it… your magic is very strong, Yuya Sakaki… so show me what you can do with something that powerful,"_ Aura thought as the coin came down and realization came to Yuya's face, letting her know that he knew _precisely_ what side had landed up right on her hand; however, as she stared into his eyes, his conviction wavered, and he looked to the side.

"So, which is it?" Aura questioned.

"L-Let's see… I got it! It's the Dragon!" the red-haired girl sighed.

" _He guessed it wrong on purpose, seriously? I guess I'm gonna have to get clever with this one…"_

"Too bad, it's the Demon," she said.

"Huh?" Aura put her coin away.

"It really seems that you're just a silly man who can't even predict the future. How unseemly, _I thought you could do better_ ," she stated while Yuya tensed and the others eyed the two, all of them, including Nico catching that there was an unheard conversation going on between the two of them.

"The chance was only fifty-fifty, though!" he defended himself, not wanting to have Aura expose him.

"All the same, the first turn shall be taken by me! For I foresaw this outcome!" Aura explained.

" _A Fortuna Witch is a dangerous one to be Dueling… I should know… I live with one…"_ Yuya thought as Aura jumped onto the nearest crystal orb and prepared for her first turn.

"I set one Monster in face-down Defense Position," she said.

"Eh? Face-down Defense Position?" he was genuinely confused by this move; however, as the confusion faded, Yuya came to a singular conclusion: Flip-Summon monsters.

"It really creeps me out how we don't know what she set," Allie admitted.

"If she did this, it means she's got a flip-summon monster on the field…" Sora's input eased the children's anxiety only by a small margin, because they all knew that Flip-Summon monsters were a massive problem.

"And I shall end my turn here," Aura stated.

"That's all?" Yuya swallowed around the lump in his throat, knowing that things were about to get bad.

"The moment this card is revealed, our fates shall appear," she explained.

"Sheesh, verse…" Yuya took in a steadying breath as Sora made his statement and his own mind raced.

" _It's okay, just keep calm… there's no way she can reveal me if she can't pinpoint a magical pulse, so long as I keep my magic reigned in, and don't try to use it, I'll be fine…"_

"Okay, really, what's with this _fate_ stuff you're talking about?" he asked.

"You'll know when the time comes, Yuya. Now then, it's your turn, _Mr._ _I can't see the future._ " A shiver laced up his spine.

"Cut that out already! There's no point in taunting me," he said as he went about the rune-stones to search for his first action card.

"Oh really?" he shot her a glare.

"My turn!" he declared as he bounded up the stones.

"It seems something is troubling you…" Yuya landed in a crouch.

"Troubling me? How would you know?" he asked.

" _Hmm… clever wording…"_ she thought.

"Earlier, during the coin flip, you chose the Dragon. It means that you seek control over great power in order to outdo your current self. Which, brings me to the main point of your troubles…" Yuya tisked.

"What kind of troubles?" he questioned.

"First of all, you feel as though you have already reached your limits; however, somewhere deep within, you know that you haven't. Your second and most major problem, is that you have secrets that you go out of the way to hide. This hurts you, because deep down, you want to show everyone who you really are without a mask… but you fear what they would think of you," Aura stated as Yuya frowned.

"And why do you think I have secrets?" she smiled.

"Because, Yuya, _everyone has secrets._ Witches are no different, in fact, until we turn sixteen, most of us aren't allowed to tell anyone we call a _friend_ that we are witches, unless they're ones themselves. But, back to your problem, and the fact that your lack of faith in this major secret… is the reason why you can't see the next step forward," she explained.

" _It's true that I'm looking for the next step in Pendulum Summoning, and atop that I'm trying to find the best way to tell Yuzu and the others about who I really am…. But every time I try, I keep getting blocked… is Aura, right?"_ he thought as he placed his hand upon his cards and drew his next card and looked to see his faithful Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon.

"What's the matter? You look like you're in deep thought," Aura mentioned.

" _At this point, I can only Set the Pendulum Scales from One to Four. That's far to small a margin for what I need… and I only have Level Five or Higher Monsters in my hand… right now, I need to get an Action Card that could buy me some time until I can get something other than these guys in my hand… for now, ending my turn is what's smart…"_ Yuya's internal debate ended as Aura hummed.

"I… end my turn…" his statement startling the others somewhat.

"Thought so. You're conflicted, aren't you? There are three things tugging you in different directions," Aura told him, hand rested upon her knee as Yuya swallowed around the lump in his throat.

"I'm not conflicted, I just have a bad draw is all!" the girl sighed.

" _He's going to fight me tooth and nail before he admits to himself that showing who he really is will be what's best for him,"_ she thought.

"He didn't summon a Monster or even set anything, I guess his hand really is bad…" Yuzu tensed.

"Yuya's getting flustered because of what that girl is saying to him," Yuzu thought aloud as Yuya went to start searching for an Action Card again.

"And it's my turn once more! Draw! Alright then, I Flip Summon the monster I set during my previous turn! Appear now, Prediction Princess Coinorma!" Aura called as a tiny elfish creature with pale pink skin manifested. She had a babyish-face, wore brown boots, a pair of white, puffy shorts, an orange shirt with a peter-pan collar, a large green hat with golden coins on either side of the tips of the hat, strung together by leather chording while her eyes were a teal-shade and she had two, long pigtails that stuck up at the sides while a green coin purse was at her side, and in her hands, was a large gold coin.

"Shit! Not Prediction Princesses!" Yuya hissed under his breath, having heard momentarily about these types of monsters, and how nasty their effects were.

"Coinorma's Flip Effect then activates! When Coinorma is flipped face-up, a Level Four or lower Flip Monster from the Deck, hand or Graveyard. So, just like before, I set this card in face-down Defense Position!" Aura stated while Yuya kept searching for an Action card.

"Face-Down Defense Position again? That means…" Yuya only paused for a moment before he went back to searching, knowing that the odds of Aura's deck being entirely flip-effects and also being Prediction Princesses was staggering towards the hundred-percent margin.

"Coinorma shall divine whether your future will consist of aimless running or not. Because, Yuya, we both know that running from destiny and reality, is never a wise thing," she stated as Coinorma flipped her coin into the air and three coins appeared, one with a diamond pattern, and the other two with star shapes.

"Oh, come on!" Yuya kept searching, not wanting to be on the receiving end of whatever Aura was planning.

" _If this is a Witches Duel, then those effects will be genuine divinations… which means things can be forced into reality through magic… shit!"_ Yuya started picking up his pace.

"Heads, tails, tails… it seems that a fated choice is closing in on you," she stated.

"The only thing closing in on me right now is an attack…" Aura smiled.

"Maybe you do have a gift after all! Battle! Coinorma attacks you directly!" the orange-red-haired girl declared. Yuya jumped up the last few rune stones and took in a deep breath.

"Ha! Found one! Now I just… wha- there's two?!" he looked to them, knowing the hit from Coinorma was coming, and he didn't have a lot of time.

"You can only add one Action Card to your hand, so, which will it be, Yuya? This is a piece of your fated choice," she told him.

" _Yea, add on the pressure why don't you?!"_ he thought as he looked at the two cards, wishing deeply that he could use his magic right then.

"Which one? Ack! This!" Yuya grabbed the one on the left and pulled it up, only to reveal a rather dreaded Action Trap known as Great Misfortune.

"The Action Trap, Great Misfortune, deals you eight-hundred points of damage. To bad for you!" Yuya was blasted with the curse inscription on the card, and his four-thousand life points went down to thirty-two-hundred.

"Ouch!" he muttered as Coinorma came tumbling along upon her coin, running over him and dropping his life points even further to twenty-four-hundred.

"The odds of pulling Great Misfortune on this field are about one in ten-thousand! My dear, I believe you either have terrible luck… or… perhaps you wouldn't have chosen the wrong card if you weren't still doubting yourself." Yuzu and the others winced as Yuya slowly got up, knowing that he was going to have some serious trouble after being pummeled by Aura's little elf.

"Doubting myself? Where do you get that?" Aura shrugged.

"Yuya, the amount of doubt you possess is what is pulling you in three separate directions. First, your mind is telling you to not speak a word about your secret, but your heart desires for those you love to know, and accept you for who you truly are; however, your soul desires to be freed from the oppression of the entire situation, so that you can live your life in the manner that you so desire too… your soul, heart, and mind are at war with one another, and if you continue to challenge those three things that make up who you are, alongside your past… pains…" she trailed off.

"What?" Aura locked eyes with him.

"Ultimately, that much turmoil and doubt, _will claim your life_ ," she told him as Yuzu put her hand to her mouth, knowing that she should have remained calm, but panicking as her mind recalled events from earlier in the year, two weeks before Yuya's fourteenth birthday.

"Thanks for the warning, but I've already survived that!" Aura frowned.

" _So, he's tried to end his life before this… how tragic… I need to get this point across to him as swiftly as I can," s_ he thought.

"Well, back to our Duel! It's not over yet! I release Coinorma! To Advance Summon a Monster from my hand in Face-Down Defense Position!" Aura stated as Yuya shook himself out a bit.

"An Advance Summon in face-down defense position?" the girl nodded.

"Indeed, for you, this card represents the unforeseeable future. Yuya, do you understand what I am trying to tell you? Keeping this up, will only cause you damage, and if you deny yourself, and cling to this notion of never telling anyone the truth while deep down it hurts you to the point of such duress… it is going to kill you!" she stated.

"I'm not… saying nothing because I don't want to tell them…" Yuya managed to stand finally as Aura set a card face down and ended her turn.

"Then tell me why," she said.

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not…" she frowned, looking into his eyes.

"Oh, I see… _you fear rejection._ I could see how that would hurt more than keeping it quiet," Aura stated.

"Fine, your right… I fear their rejection… I fear losing them… those who are so precious to me…" Yuzu glanced towards the others, all of them watching Yuya intently.

They had never known that the reason Yuya wasn't telling them anything was because he was scared they'd reject him. Admittedly, Yuzu and Gongenzaka should have known Yuya could be feeling such a way; however, they had been so concerned for his sake, that they hadn't taken the time to consider why he kept this quiet. In many ways, it was a situation of not being able to see the forest because of the trees, it was all in plain sight, but they weren't willing to grant him the opportunity to tell them, by letting him know that whatever it was, all he had to do was say he was ready, and they would have listened without resentment.

"That's understandable, losing them could hurt you far more than not telling them the truth; however, I stand by my statement: doubting yourself and closing off will not help you," Aura affirmed.

"Okay! This is it! I draw!" a look of relief came to Yuya's features.

" _He's got something he can use!"_ Yuzu thought in relief.

"I Summon Performapal Bowhopper from my hand!" the grasshopper Duel Monster appeared.

"Quite adorable creatures, they're said to bring good fortune… shall we hope so?" Aura stated as Yuya took in a steady breath.

" _Think Yuya! Don't let her get to you! Both of her Monsters are in reversed Defense Position… but the one she brought out by Advance Summoning should be a higher Level…"_ just he started processing the field, Aura spoke.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Charging in recklessly doesn't bode well for someone with your kind of fortune. Besides, with your own doubt clouding your judgement, how can you be certain that you can handle what is waiting for you?" she inquired as Yuya hissed.

"Mind your own business! Battle! I use Performapal Bowhopper to attack the face-down Monster you Set earlier!" Aura sighed.

"Trap, activate! Glare of the Black Cat!" thirteen black cats appeared on the field, and Yuya tensed as they turned their gazes towards him.

" _Great and jinxes, curses, and hexes count double for witches… my day is getting better and better!"_ Yuya thought as the attack of his Bowhopper fell short.

"Glare of the Black Cat, when there's two or more face-down Monsters on my field, forces my opponent's battle to an end! Much like you will be at if you don't take my advice!" Aura warned as Yuya attempted to make a move towards finding another Action Card, only to trip and hit the ground.

"I'm tripping over my own feet here… I never do that…" Yuya shook a bit, taking in a deep breath as his heart began hammering in his chest.

" _What am I supposed to do? She's dogging me left and right, and she keeps bringing up fighting against her as a witch! I can't do that! My mom taught me not to do that unless I… needed too… Aura's using her magic to influence the effects of her cards, bringing me genuine misfortune with jinxes and hexes… so what can I do?"_

"I told you before, didn't I? Doubting who you are is harming you, Yuya, so listen to what I am telling you before I have to resort to dire straits," she told him as he took in a deep breath.

"Yea, like you aren't influencing the card effects with your own Magic, Aura? I only fell down! My doubt isn't harming me!" she shook her head.

" _He's going to leave me with no choice but to back him into a corner…"_ she sighed.

"Because of Glare of the Black Cat, a ton of black cats crossed your path. Between your misfortune, doubt, insecurities, and own self-inflictions, I wonder which one you'll give into first? Admitting that you cannot win a Witches Duel? Submitting to the reality in which you live in? or perhaps, you'll show everyone here exactly who you are, Yuya," Aura told him.

"Shut up! I end my turn… your move!" a glare came to his features and Aura stared at him.

" _He's not normal, even for my kind… there's something else inside him… deep within his blood and bones, seared within his flesh… inheritance? Hmm… I need to see his magic to know what he is really capable of, and at this point, I have no choice but to call him out…"_ Aura thought.

"So, you choose to ignore the warnings I bother giving you and make pointless moves? Fine then, I understand, Yuya… but what I understand, is quite different from what I am certain you expect. First of all, is that you aren't the person I am fated to fall in love with, but the main problem here, isn't that… it's the same topic we've had this whole Duel…" Aura glanced towards Yuya's friends, seeing confusion and worry in their expressions.

"Would you drop it already?! If I came to chat I wouldn't have had Nico set up this whole Duel!" the girl shook her head.

"Dueling is about speaking with your cards, and now you need to listen carefully to what I'm about to say! I flip summon the face-down Monster I set earlier! Show yourself now! Prediction Princess Arrowsylph!" a beautiful Fae woman with long, flowing, teal hair appeared, bow within her hand, flowing garments of pink and pale green fluttering about her while a feather was stuck into her elegant hair, and a circlet was placed about her head. In every meaning of the word, was this Duel Monster a Princess when it came to her beauty and grace.

" _And I'm about to get royally trounced…"_ Yuya thought.

"When Arrowsylph is flipped face up, I can add one Ritual Spell from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand!" scarlet eyes grew wide.

"Ritual Spell… you're going to try and Ritual Summon?!" he asked as his mind flashed back to the Spiritual Whisper card Yuzu gave him, and how its text had changed the day Pendulum Summoning had been created. If it was Pendulum Summoned, then he could add a Ritual Spell or Monster card from his deck to his hand; however, at current, Yuya didn't have any, but kept the card in his deck for the simple reason that it had been a gift from Yuzu.

"Precisely, and the card I add to my hand is the Ritual Spell, Prediction Ritual! Also, I flip summon the face-down Monster I Advance Summoned before! So, it is time for Prediction Princess Crystaldine!" a monster with a dress made of crystal and lace appeared with a veil upon her face, long blue hair falling past her waste in what seemed to be a curtain of satin while before her was a golden pendulum-like stand with an amethyst crystal ball upon it.

"And what does she do?!" Yuya asked.

"When Crystaldine is flipped face-up, I can add a Ritual Monster from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand. Thus, I add Prediction Princess Tarotrei to my hand!" the moment Aura displayed the card to Yuya, he winced.

" _Not her! I read up on her and it isn't pleasant!"_ he thought as Aura smiled.

"So, you're going to Ritual Summon?" Yuya questioned.

"Yes, and I'll have Crystaldine tell you your fortune!" Yuya tensed as the Duel Monster appeared before him.

"Thanks, but I'd rather you not!" Aura sighed.

"I can see it… a tremendous power in the form of a dark cloud wraps itself around your being… it threatens your light and life… and will thrust you forth into a great calamity that shall effect your entire world… within it, you will find yourself, or be destroyed… but as you are now, you cannot protect those you love, nor your light, for it is far too small." an unnatural chill went up his spine.

"… _**you cannot save them… because you cannot even save yourself… little light…"**_ Yuya shook his head, refusing to believe what was being said.

"No…" Gongenzaka eyed him.

"She's staring to get to him," he stated.

"I've noticed… that last fortune was creepy…" Yuzu fisted her skirt hem, internally hoping that Yuya would pull out ahead of the girl.

"The way she keeps talking, it's like she knows something about Yuya that we don't," she admitted as Sora looked to her.

"You don't think she actually does? Do you?" the pink-haired girl shook her head.

"I'm… not sure," she muttered.

"Now! Yuya! Two things are going to happen! First, I'm going to activate the Ritual Spell Prediction Ritual, from my hand!" black crystal spires fell from the sky, leaving a cloud of smoke as a giant nail-like object made of stone appeared and landed in the center of the arena.

Atop it was a magic circle designed for a form of Magic Yuya had studied in summons, but as a practitioner of White Magic, he would never use it: necromancy. Eight white stones with runes inscribed upon them were settled between nine azure-toned crystals while in the center of the magic circle, was a coffin. Yuya took in a steady breath, knowing this was going to be bad news for him. Aura eyed him and took in a deep breath.

"Yuya, it's time for the second thing I mentioned. I want another coin flip, and if you guess correctly, it'll give you a five-hundred Life Point boost, if you guess it wrong, then you'll lose five-hundred Life points, and they'll be added to my Life Points," Aura explained as she held up an Action card.

"Aura… come on…" she shook her head and activated the card.

"I play the Action Spell Hand of Fate! A coin will be tossed, and my opponent must call heads or tails! Now, do it Yuya!" the boy tensed once again.

Yuya knew his life points stood at fourteen-hundred, and if he didn't get this one right, he would lose five-hundred Life Points, bringing him down nine-hundred points, something he couldn't afford to do when Aura was at her full Life Points still. Taking in a deep breath, he heard the clink of a coin being tossed and Aura caught it as it came back down, and he looked to her, anxiety wracking his system.

"I…" Aura frowned.

"Well? What is it? Heads? Or Tails?" she inquired. Yuya eased himself momentarily, and allowed his magic to be set lose again, causing it to flood the area as the tension in his body released and his form visibly relaxed.

"Tails, it's the Demon…" Aura felt his magic pulse with vitality, burning like fire, but chilled like ice while flowing and gentle like water, and strong like wind. It was beautiful, but terrifying at the same time.

" _His magical aura is amazing! I've never felt something this powerful from someone who's the same age as me! No… I get why… this is that rare type of magic I've heard of in lectures… he has Waking Magic!"_ Aura thought, amazement upon her face as she held up the coin.

"Correct, you get five-hundred life points…" Yuya sighed in relief as his life-points went up to nineteen-hundred.

"Thank Osiris…" he muttered.

"Yuya!" Aura pointed to him, causing him to jolt.

"Wha –" she locked a stern gaze upon him.

"One of the most prominent senses a Witch possesses, isn't their respective talents in the magical arts, but in detecting one of their own!" she announced, catching the attention of everyone in the building. Yuya felt his eyes grow wide as she dropped her hand momentarily.

"What is she getting at?" muttered Sora.

"I'm not sure, but we should wait and see…" Nico listened with the others as Yuya ground his teeth together.

"I sensed something about you the moment we met. I must admit, you can hide it better than most of us. but in the end, you just can't escape what dwells within your body!" Aura stated.

"What is she talking about?" questioned Allie.

"I don't know… I think she's still trying to psyche him out…" Aura glared as Yuya hung his head just a fraction.

"I wish she would stop with all this hocus-pocus nonsense," Gongenzaka mentioned.

"Yea, this is getting scary…" Yuzu looked to Yuya while Aura sighed.

"Yuya, I know that telling them isn't what you wanted, and hearing that kind of stuff from them… hocus-pocus nonsense… I can't say I blame you. But hiding your true self is crushing you… so you have to let it be," she said.

"Losing them… is one of my biggest fears, I fear that more than I do death…" Yuzu felt her eyes burn.

"Please, Yuya…" she muttered.

"You're pure of Heart, Yuya… and that makes you stronger than most… but… it won't change the reality we live in. You cannot alter the life fate has dealt you!" Yuya snapped.

"I KNOW THAT!" he roared, taking in a deep breath as Aura stared at him.

"Of course, you do, any witch worth their salt knows fate is a fickle mistress, and quite difficult to change," Aura stated.

"What does she mean?" the entire area was in a rush of whispers as Aura looked to Yuya who took in a deep breath.

" _Well… here it is…"_ he thought.

"What I mean, is that Yuya Sakaki… is a Witch!"

 **{…}**

 _Cause I got ten in my pocket that'll bend ya locket…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** This was the moment that Yuzu and the others discovered that Yuya was a witch, in the Duel with another witch: Aura. I played with a million different scenarios of when Yuya would reveal himself as a witch, but this one ultimately won out: it's amazing how a bowl and paper scraps can help with story development! Well, in the next chapter we'll cover the rest of this Duel and get on with the last bit of the qualifiers arc before we head into the Arc League Championships. Tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Yuya's nightmare plays a vital role in the plot, keep them in mind, and pay attention to them.

Aura had a _Disney's Hercules_ reference in this chapter.

Prediction Princesses were throw back to the First Generation monsters, and were a means to rekindle the usage of Flip monsters and Ritual Monsters.

The Prediction Princesses are named after pieces of Fortunetelling, and mythology.

Fortuna is Latin for: Fortune and is the type of witch both Aura and Yoko are.

Necromancy, no matter what way you slice it, is still considered Dark Magic in any version of a magical society.

Yuya is a practitioner of White Magic.

Yes, the head of the Fortune Duel School, is a Grand Witch, meaning she is very old, and very powerful. You'll get to see more of the wiccan traditions – or at least an interpretation of them – in the next chapter.


	20. Chapter 20: Magical Eye

Chapter 20: Magical Eye

It felt like everything was going in slow motion, the room was abuzz with voices, some questioning how they had missed that he was a witch, others amazed that they could now feel his magic pulsing around him like a heartbeat. Yuya kept his gaze down, bangs shadowing his eyes as he took in a few steadying breaths, not willing to look into the eyes of his friends in fear of what he would find there. Of all the times that Yuya had thought of telling them the truth: this wasn't even in the ballpark of possibilities. Knowing this, Yuya steadied himself and Aura looked to him.

"A… witch?" muttered Gongenzaka.

"Big Bro Yuya…" Tate started the sentence, but paused, unsure of how to say it.

"Is a…" Frederic wanted to pick it up, but failed.

"Witch?!" finally, the trio of younger kids spoke this aloud and Yuzu looked to her longtime friend.

"Yuya is really a – "Sora was cut off.

"Are you really?! Yuya! Are you really a witch?! Is that what you were hiding from us? Please, tell me I'm wrong!" Yuzu waited for the answer, but Aura only shook her head.

"As much as you would like to hear that, Yuya cannot say them. By doing that, he'd been denying himself… and that is something we are taught never to do… isn't that right? Brethren Witch, Yuya Sakaki?" Aura inquired as Yuya took in a deep breath and slowly choosing his words.

"It's… true. I'm a Witch… sorry, I should have told you sooner. I'm the only child in the seventh generation of my family… which is full of witches on both sides…" Aura hummed.

"So, you're a pureblood, impressive. That would explain why your magic is so strong," she stated as Yuya took a step forward, his magic shoot around him and causing a wave of wind to whip around him as Yuzu and the others only watched in disbelief.

" _So, my memory wasn't faulty… Yuya did have cat ears… because he used magic and gave himself those… because he's a witch!"_ the pink-haired girl thought.

"Okay Aura! From the get go you've been nagging me, attempting to get me to reveal my magic so I would fight you as both a Duelist and a Witch. Well, now you've got your wish! From here on, I'm fighting you as both!" Yuya declared.

"Good, so, I can continue where I left off! Using the effect of my Ritual Spell card! I release the level Four Arrowsylph and the Level Five Crystaldine! This allows me to Ritual Summon the Level Nine Ritual Monster, Prediction Princess Tarotrei!" flames fell into place where the white rune stones were as fire engulfed the area, startling the group as Yuya prepared to fight back.

" _I've never really used my magic to combat another Witch who was also a Duelist… but, I do know enough spells to support my Duel Monsters. I just hope the others will let me explain once this is over…"_ Yuya glanced their way as a burst of flames turned into a pillar of fire as Aura began her chant.

" _Ancient, skillful Priestess with the talent to forewarn! May the Secret Art of the Hidden past hereby be reborn! Ritual Summon!_ The Level Nine! Prediction Princess Tarotrei!" Aura called forth the monster of a creature from the clouds above. It was giant female Monster with a long flowing dress of violet with black robes over her, adorned with golden accents, she bore six arms, and the infinity symbol created from tarot cards circled within the fabric of her dress. She was beautiful, and awe inspiring, but terrifying and heart-poundingly dangerous at the same time.

"So… that's a Ritual Monster… just great…" Yuya muttered as Aura smiled.

"You promised me a Duel between both Duelists and Witches, now show me! Brethren Witch, Yuya Sakaki! What your power can truly do!" the scarlet-eyed boy tensed.

" _Even I don't know what it can truly do! I'm still learning!"_ Yuya thought.

"To battle! Prediction Princess Tarotrei attacks Bowhopper!" Aura declared and in a matter of seconds, Bowhopper was destroyed and Yuya felt the surge of magic form Tarotrei's attack move towards him and he took in a steady breath, using his own magic to brace his legs and push himself higher into the air, allowing him to cut a flip and land on the circular pathway behind him in a crouch instead of falling to the ground.

"That was quite the jump!" said Sora as the others watched.

"Was that magic?" Aura laughed.

"Clever, using a basic aerial spell to propel yourself forward instead if being slammed by Tarotrei's attack. But is that all your magic can do? Help you dodge?" the girl asked as Yuya's life points dropped from nineteen hundred to twelve hundred.

"I can do more than dodge Aura! I wasn't just trained in defensive spells…" the girl rose an eyebrow.

"I set a Monster face-down and end my turn! Do tell, what's your specialties?" she inquired as Yuya looked at the area around himself.

"Summons, enchantments, potions, charms, crystal work, alchemy, magic circles, incantations, protection spells, and combative magic alongside elemental magic…" Aura hummed.

"Impressive, that's quite a broad spectrum, but I've noticed you didn't list foresight as one of your gifts," she mentioned as Yuya stood.

"My turn! Draw! No, my mother is a Fortuna Witch, like you are…" Yuya looked at his hand before smiling just a fraction.

"Oh, so it's _your mother_ who has the ability of Foresight, what about your father? Yusho was it?" Aura questioned.

"What are you talking about?" the girl sighed.

"Just a moment ago you informed me that you are the only child born to your family's seventh generation, and that you have magical practitioners on both sides of your family, which implies that your father is also a Witch," she stated as Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Yea, he is…" Aura tilted her head.

"So, what type of Witch is he?" Yuya shrugged.

"He didn't really have a type because of his magic being used as a tool for performance. So, it's a little different," he explained as he started moving a bit to find another Action Card.

"A Fortuna, and what most deem as an unclaimed witch, so… what are you?" the boy jumped and landed in a crouch.

"I just turned fourteen, so I don't have a type that I fall into…" Yuya paused where he was and stood while Aura watched him.

"Very well, I am a Fortuna Witch as you pointed out, maybe if I can see what your magic is capable of, I can help you figure it out," she offered as Yuya smirked.

"You asked for it then…" Yuya held up two cards in his hand.

"Yes! He's got his Magicians!" Frederic cheered.

"I use the Scale One Stargazer Magician, and the Scale Eight Timegazer Magician to set the Pendulum Scales!" the scarlet-eyed boy announced.

Aura watched mystified as the two Magicians rose into the air within pillars of stardust and archaic numbers appeared below them to symbolize the one and the eight. Yuya's pendulum crystal appeared within the clouded sky that had formed as a web of stardust began to form from the crystal's swing.

"I can now Summon Monsters between Level Two and Seven and the same time!" the crystal upon Yuya's neck began to glow, shining with a pure light that startled Aura somewhat.

" _This is from his magic… it's…"_

" _Swing Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light upon the sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Come to me, my faithful Monsters!" Yuya chanted as the crystal portal opened and his Monsters appeared.

"Beautiful…" Aura muttered as Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon appeared, followed swiftly by Performapal Elephammer, Performapal Kaleidoscorpion, Performapal Partnaga, and Performapal Springoose, a white goose Performapal with a spring in it's center, a blue vest, pink polka dot bow-tie and a top-hat with a blue sash.

"This is something my magic helped me to create, the method that was born from my heart and the heart of the cards," Yuya spoke freely now, somewhat surprising his friends as they finally heard where the Pendulum cards had surfaced from.

"It's beautiful! Your Pendulum summoning method is amazing! I have to admit, your magic is incredible, especially if it can do something like that. however, I see a conflict still within you… and it pertains to the aforementioned future that Crystaldine showed me…" Aura looked to Yuya who narrowed his eyes a fraction.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Since you don't hold the gift of foresight, I can't expect you to know; however, you won't like the reading I can divine from your placement of your Monsters." Yuya groaned.

" _I think I'm starting to see why my mom wanted me to learn divination…"_ he thought.

"Fine, look at the position of the cards and tell me what's going on," he stated as she eyed him.

"Very well, first, we'll start with the Dragon in the center of your field. It's placed in a position that represents great misfortune, something that relates deeply to you… and that is because I sense the bond you have with this creature… then, we have the elephant, which symbolizes an immense strength, the bird shows your strong desire to aim for higher places; however, the scorpion tells of an obstacle that will bind you to the ground, something that could potentially clip your wings, and then we have the snake, displaying that the obstacle is especially cunning, and will cause you to change as time goes on, and it will result in something that will permanently scar you should you attempt to face it." Yuya tensed, the scars on his wrists feeling strangely cold.

"And what does that amount to?" he questioned as Aura looked to him.

"It means that the future this is pointing to… is dangerous, and will change you, hurt and scar you… it will force you headlong into situations that will harm you in far worse means than you have ever been harmed before…" Yuya tensed as Allie and Tate began to shout to him.

"Big Bro Yuya! Don't believe what she's saying! You can't believe that fortune!" Tate called.

"But all her predictions have been right up till now…" Frederic began fidgeting while Allie spoke.

"Ugh, this occult stuff gives me the willies!" he admitted.

"Aura! You can't prove any of that!" the Fortuna Witch looked towards Yuya who received a long look.

"Oh, yes I can. Yuya, your strong, and powerful… in more ways than I think you even realize at this point… but the path you are beginning to walk down can become dangerous… this was another piece of the puzzle that is you. But the future Crystaldine saw wasn't anything but the truth, and quite dangerous," she warned.

"Such failure and bleakness… I'll change it!" Aura stared at him.

" _His will is impossibly strong… but what I keep sensing is that the darkness is chasing him… his magic is full of so much light and warmth, it's beautiful, like a clear, starry evening… but if he keeps heading towards his current destination… he'll end up hurt, damaged to the point that his pure light will become tainted…"_

"Yuya, you know that destiny is very difficult to change, it's preordained," she told him as he jumped onto Partnaga.

"I don't care! I'll create my own miracles! Now, when Partnaga is Normal or Special Summoned, I can target one Monster on my field. And increase its Attack Points by three-hundred for each _Performapal_ I control, and I have four, so Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon's Attack Points go up by twelve-hundred!" Yuya used an aerial spell again and jumped atop Odd-Eyes' back, just as the Dragon began to glow gold and its attack power went up to thirty-seven-hundred.

"Alright…" Aura tensed and Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Battle! Odd-Eyes, attack Tarotrei!" Yuya announced, only for Aura to raise her hand out.

"Tarotrei's effect activates! Once, during the opponent's turn, this card can switch face-down Defense Position Monsters into face-up Attack Position!" Yuya paused, being somewhat shocked by the move.

"You can flip during the opponent's turn?!" he asked.

"Sure can! Now, awaken from your slumber! Prediction Princess Petalelf!" Aura chanted this and form a torrent of cherry blossoms her monster appeared. She wore flower petals in different places, making up her head dress, the bodice and skirt of her dress while she wore a violet veil to cover her face. The Monster's skin was tan, she had pointed ears, and wore long, elegant opera gloves of white.

"And what does she do?" Yuya questioned.

"Simple, when this card is reversed, all Monsters on my opponent's field are switched to Defense Position!" scarlet eyes grew wide.

"What?!" he asked as Petalelf cast a shower of pink petals came flying around Yuya and his Monsters as they were all switched to Defense Position.

"And during this turn, my opponent cannot change their Monsters' battle positions!" Aura informed him as Yuya narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, come on!" Yuya hopped off of Odd-Eyes and watched as Aura sighed.

"And now, Tarotrei will read your fortune for you," Aura told him as he groaned, internally wondering if he could find a way to quickly end the Duel in his favor.

Prediction Princess Tarotrei rose to her full height, the glowing cards within the fabric of her dress unfurled and expanded before a singular card flew out as a burst of dark mist and blinding white light appeared while a tarot card appeared, and flipped around, revealing the Tower card. Yuya tensed, knowing very well that the Tower card usually didn't associate with good tidings. Aura looked to the card, and then towards Yuya, as an image of him standing atop a large pillar as dark reddish-black clouds clung overhead entered her mind.

Around him, were other pillars, the persons atop them shadowed, but she sensed that all of them, and Yuya held a particular connection with one another. Her mind viewed the spaces between the pillars where a bit lower than those currently held high in the air, were other tower-like pillars with people standing on them; however, there was only three people standing on the lower one. Aura frowned, wondering why some of them were empty, when there should have been twelve people standing there. In a matter of moments, a bolt of black lightening shot down from the sky, and Yuya fell from the top, and down into the dark precipice below.

"Tarotrei indicates The Tower in an upright position. This card signifies collapse, fall and tragedy. Yuya, there is a deep connection between you and something vital to the existence of something far greater than just the existence you have here right now. However, the things you're connected too… will lead you into much heartache, suffering, pain, and a darkness that could ultimately destroy you," Aura informed him.

"You should just stop with the readings, they don't seem to have anything good in them, and I really don't want to listen negativity." Yuya was given a concerned expression as Aura looked to him, worry building up in her system.

"Listen to me! Your path is going to be fraught with painful experiences, you are going to suffer immeasurably! The things that you'll endure will scar you, change you, and make you into something else if you aren't careful! Yuya, if you continue any further, these things will come to pass… and your very life will be forfeit," Aura told him, and a rather startled expression came to Yuya's features, his mind reeling from the blunt tone the girl used.

" _Is it possible that she's right? I was always told to be careful of predictions… but I thought that for sure Aura was just trying to trip me up… now though… I wonder if… it's possible that I'm really in danger… those dreams… my magic and my mom always telling me that I'm different… what I've endured so far… I'm… I can't just…"_

"Yuya, a part of you is free because you chose to open up about who you really are; however, it won't matter how strong your magic is… this prophecy is accurate! If you do this… you're going to be forfeiting your life! So please, don't do this! Just quit!" Aura began to plead, as Yuya just kept his gaze down.

"Just drop it! I don't want to hear anymore of this! Right now, I have something I am aiming for… and I am going to accomplish it! if anything stands in my way, I'll fight it head on!" the Fortuna Witch stared in disbelief.

"Then I'll just have to beat you in order to save your life!" Aura snapped.

"Bring it on!" the girl's peridot eyes narrowed.

" _He's the only Witch I've ever seen with Waking Magic, and it's so powerful and pure… I don't want the things that I've sensed to come to pass, if they do… his light will become tainted… his magic will become far more powerful because of it being connected to his emotions… but who he is right now… will fade… and that will only lead to his death… as a fellow Witch, I cannot allow him to die…"_

"I'm prepared to fight, as long as I have my Monsters, and my deck I will find a way to beat you, Aura!" the orange-haired girl frowned.

"Seeing as you're still motivated to go on, I'm going to prove you wrong, Yuya," she said.

"Quit blabbing on about this supposed fortune that your Duel Monster read for me! We might be Witches, but I don't let a fortune reading decide my path for me! I end my turn now!" Aura shook her head.

"Why are those with your type of magic notoriously stubborn? I swear… fine, I draw! First, I set one Monster from my hand in face-down Defense Position! And then, I'll be activating another of Prediction Princess Tarotrei's effects! This card flips all of my Flip Monsters into face-down Defense Position! _Full Sleep!"_ Aura explained as all of her Flip Monsters went face down again as Gongenzaka and the others stared onward.

"They're all in face-down Defense Position again!" stated Sora.

"And all of Yuya's Monsters have less than twenty-six-hundred Defense Points…" Yuzu swallowed around the lump in her throat.

"So that means…" started Tate.

"That means, that Tarotrei has free choice on which Monster she will destroy," Gongenzaka clarified.

"What can Yuya do?" Yuzu shook her head.

"I don't know if there is anything he can do… not at this point…" above them, Yuya tensed, preparing to face the brunt of Tarotrei's attack. Aura looked to him as he bowed his head just a fraction, eyes closing against the oncoming attack.

She knew that attacking would be the best thing for Yuya; however, some part of her wanted to believe that he could create a miracle for himself, and accomplish something great with his powers. Yuya was a young Witch, much like herself, and during their earliest years of training, all of their kind were taught to be proud of who they were, their pride and spirit as a Witch was what aided them when nothing else would; however, right then, Aura was seeing Yuya's courage and belief in himself quiver just a fraction, as he faced the potential loss of his Monsters, and a piece of the puzzle that would grant him the chance to change fate's design.

"I end my turn," Aura stated, causing Yuya to look at her in confusion.

"W-What?" she turned away from him.

"I don't need to attack you now. Because, your fate has already been decided… and I will stop you from destroying yourself, that is my oath as a fellow Witch," she said. Yuya growled.

"Aura, I won't be defeated… I won't let negativity overwhelm me… not when I'm this close to getting what I've struggled for! My turn! draw!" Yuya looked to the card he had.

"But what you're struggling towards… is going to taint you…" Aura muttered just under her breath as Yuya went to his next step.

"I change Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon to Attack Position!" the Fortuna Witch glared.

"That's pointless! Tarotrei's Monster Effect activates! Once during an opponent's turn, this card can flip up my reversed Monsters into face-up Attack Position! _Full Reverse!"_ Aura exclaimed as Yuya gaze onward as Petalelf and a new Prediction Princess that had on a green dress, armor, long blue-hair done up in pigtails, a crown upon her head, and carried a sword and shield appeared. The Monster's face consisted of an eerie-looking sun and moon in black with red smiles and white eyes on them while a pair of clock hands were apparent in purple while backdrop for the rather terrifying scene, was a deep blue, causing the sun and moon to look like eyes while the rimmed in pink blue circle, looked like a sinister smile.

"You can completely control when your Flip Monsters are face-up and face-down?" he asked.

"Correct! This is the power of the Holy Priestess, Tarotrei, who can control the fate of cards. Next, I activate the effect of Prediction Princess Petalelf: all my opponent's Monsters are changed to Defense Position and cannot change their Battle Positions this turn!" Yuya hissed a bit as Odd-Eyes went back into Defense Position.

"Dammit… again!" he growled.

"And then, I activate the Flip Effect of Prediction Princess Ouijamorrigan! When this turn ends, all of my opponent's Defense Position Monsters are destroyed! and for each Monster destroyed, the opposing player takes two-hundred points of damage!"

"Shit…" Yuya tensed as Aura sighed.

"The moment I set the first card on my side of the field… my victory was decided!" she announced to him as Yuya glowered.

"That's impossible! Nothing's set in stone!" Aura shook her head.

"No, it is possible, and that is because I am going to save your life, Yuya! Now, see the truth revealed before us without looking away! Your fate is one that leads to ruin, to nothing but pain and turmoil… your light will be tainted, your body broken, your mind shattered, and your soul torn! You will not surpass any of the things to come without suffering…" Yuya stared into Aura's eyes, feeling doubt flood him.

" _My own fate… she keeps insisting that I'll suffer if I continue fighting… but just letting her win… laying down the side to not go on… I can't bring myself to do it…"_

"You can still walk away. If you want to escape this fate, I suggest you surrender at once." He remained where he was, his mind thinking, his entire form unnaturally still as he let the words sink in while below the others watched him in concern.

"He's actually thinking about giving up!" stated Allie.

"This won't do… he's completely lost due to all of these predictions… not that the secret that just surfaced was an easy undertaking though… but the only way he's going to manage, is to break through all of it." Nico's input caused the others to cringe a bit. Around them, other members of the school had begun to divine something, causing the group to listen in on what was being said.

"This Duel spells trouble for the boy if it continues…" a witch with a crystal ball spoke, causing Allie to tense until Sora placed a hand upon her shoulder, hoping to ease her worries.

"Yes, I sense that as well. The sticks are dispelling great sorrows for him…" a witch with divination sticks spoke next, forcing Gongenzaka to narrow his gaze towards the person, not liking where the conversations were headed.

"Someone needs to stop the boy, he is not a matured Witch, he cannot see the threat that is looming upon him… it is an unfortunate fact that you cannot fight destiny, only avoid the path that would place you within the line of fire…" the final witch with tarot cards spoke this time, and Nico shot them a rather frustrated expression, disagreeing with their statements, but choosing not to voice it.

"Guys… we're in a place full of Witches… what if… they're right?" Yuzu voiced this, her chest aching as she did so.

"Yuzu! You can't be serious! If Yuya isn't willing to surrender, then we have to believe in him!" stated Sora.

"Yea, Sora's right Big Sis Yuzu! If no one else will have faith in Yuya making a miracle… then we have to…" the pink-haired girl took in a deep breath.

"Okay…" up at the top of the pathway in the arena, Yuya steadied himself.

"I set one card, and end my turn!" Aura narrowed her gaze.

"At the same time, due to Ouijamorrigan's Flip Effect, all of your Monsters are destroyed! and you're dealt one-thousand points of damage!" Aura shouted this, causing Yuya to brace himself, going into a stance to remain steady as a visible wind surrounded him and he crossed his arms in front of his face, shielding his eyes as the Monsters vanished and his Life Points lowered to a measly two-hundred. The ring of visible wind disburst with a great gust, causing some of the people in the stands to be slammed back in their seats by the sheer force of it.

"Whoa! That's intense!" stated Tate.

"Wind Magic?" Yuya took in a deep breath.

"The destroyed Pendulum Monsters go to the Extra Deck," he explained as he slid them into the extra deck slot of his Duel Disk.

"Do you understand now? I am only worried for your safety, and with a prophecy of ill-tidings following you, if you keep struggling, something irreversible will truly befall you!" Yuya looked to the card he had set and then to her.

"…." She looked down, bowing her head slightly.

"It seems talking to you is pointless. But with your Life Points so low, you're going to be defeated here. It's my turn! I draw, and then I activate Tarotrei's effect! All of my Flip Monsters are changed into face-down Defense Position. _Full Sleep!"_ Yuya looked to Aura's field and then his own.

" _I set Performapal Call before, a Trap which, when I'm being attacked directly, negates the attack, and let's me add two Performapals from my Deck to my hand whose combined Defense Position are equal to the attacking Monster's Attack Points. Petalelf and Ouijamorrigan are face-down, so only Tarotrei can attack…. I can evade that one Direct Attack with Performapal Call, and add new Monsters to my hand, then I can –"_ Yuya's train of thought was cut short by Aura's voice.

"I told you not to keep struggling, did I not?" Yuya looked up to see Aura rising up on one of the rune stones.

"And I think I've made it clear that I have no intention of giving up!" he stated.

"So be it… I'll use an Action card to divine what the future holds for you." Aura rose up and reached out, grabbing an Action card.

" _Please… I really don't want to cast a passion spell… but please, please, don't let her win this! Don't let her win this, don't let her win this! I need to win! There are things I have to accomplish…"_ Yuya thought, feeling guilt nibble away at him for casting a passion spell, which gave him about a fifty-percent chance of winning the Duel.

"This is… I activate the Action Spell, Lock Draw! Until my opponent sends an Action Card to the Graveyard, he cannot draw!" Aura called as chains appeared upon Yuya's Duel Disk.

"She locked it?!" Aura sent him a scowl.

"The cards are trying to tell you to stop fighting your destiny. Stop your resisting and just submit already!" she told him with finality in her tone.

"If I give up here, everything I've worked towards… and all the things I hope to accomplish… they're be for nothing… I don't want that!" Yuya moved, his magic gathering as he rushed forward, trying to move quickly towards where he saw an Action Card and began to activate a spell in order to gain leverage in the jump he would have to take.

"Even after all this talking… he's still… fine, I need to finish this Duel quickly, if that's how he'll be! I set a card, and end my turn!" Aura declared as Yuya kept running.

" _I set the card Reverse Ruse, and that will Special Summon two of my Flip Monsters form my Graveyard, in face-down Defense Position onto Yuya's field. If I activate this, using Petalelf and Ouijamorrigan's effect as a combo, I'll definitely end this Duel… I won't let that fortune befall him!"_ Aura thought as she watched Yuya activate wind magic once again to boost himself up and send himself flying, allowing him to cut a mid-air flip and land with the grace of a feline before he started running again, moving as quickly as he could.

"Why are you using so much wind magic?" she asked.

"It's safest! My turn!" Yuya responded, causing Aura to frown.

"You can't draw due to Draw Lock's effect!" he kept running.

"I know that! Even so…" Yuya took in a steady breath.

"That distance is to far! He'll fall!" stated Frederic as Yuzu and the others kept their gaze upon Yuya who took a moment to think.

"I call to the great winds! Bring the blessings of your valiant souls of freedom! Grant me wings to escape my caged existence!" Yuya felt the entire area fill with a strong burst of wind, startling the others quite a bit as he crouched and jumped, the sheer force of the winds pushing him high into the air, and directly into the direction of where he needed to go.

"Elemental incantation?!" Yuzu glanced towards one of the witches near them, who seemed surprised by what Yuya had just done.

"Is that… bad?" she asked the witch.

"It's an advanced form of Elemental magic, most of us can't even use basic Elemental magic unless we've had severe training… whomever has trained your friend… they're incredibly skilled… for his age… he's remarkably advanced." Yuzu turned her gaze back to the boy who had just hit the platform and went to searching for the card he was missing.

" _Yuya…"_

"Give up! don't you get it?! it's dangerous!" Aura called to him, desperation in her voice.

Yuya glanced around and spotted a card before he rushed towards it, and within seconds a loud snap of metal caught everyone's attention as they looked up to see the central ring in the field swaying dangerously, the friction causing rubble to fall as the ring began to fall. Yuzu stood to her feet, fear lacing through her as Aura held her hand out, quickly muttering what she could to try and buffer the surrounding area and keep the debris away from those below. Periwinkle eyes looked to where Yuya was as he jumped once again, and snatched the card, turning just as the ring fell and a large chunk of rubble hit the ground right where he was.

"YUYA!" Yuzu screamed, trying to move away from the audience as Gongenzaka started to move as well.

"Don't move Yuzu, it's not safe!" she was held back by Sora who received a sharp glare.

"He could be hurt! We've gotta help him! I can't just sit here and –" Aura closed her eyes, not wanting to see what would come of moving the rubble when suddenly, the rocks began to shift, and slowly, Yuya appeared from beneath it, startling the audience as they all watched him slowly rise to his feet.

"H-How did you…" Yuya looked up, a slight cut apparent on his cheek which had a small line of blood on it. he wiped the cut, smirking a bit.

"My mom taught me a lot of different spells, but the most important one she ever taught me was Sacred Frame, I'm sure you've heard of it," he stated.

"That's a high-level protection spell! How did you cast it that fast?!" Aura moved a bit closer as Yuya shook himself out.

"What can I say? My mom is one hell of a teacher, and, Aura?" Yuya explained as he held up the Action card he had just managed to catch.

"You caught it?!" Yuya smiled.

"The Action Spell, Miracle!" he stated as Yuzu and the others cheered, relieved and ecstatic that he had managed to get the card.

" _This is… unreal… his… destiny changed… I've never seen anyone, Witch, Mortal, or Half-Ling alter their own destiny like that… what kind of creature is he? Not only did he make it out alive, but he even created his own Miracle… just as he… predicted he would… my dear Hecate! How…"_ Aura thought as her Head Mistress spoke.

"He has opened a path towards his future, that may yet allow him to change what still lingers… if he has the will to do so," she stated.

"I send the Action card to the Graveyard to cancel Draw Lock's effect!" Aura flinched at Yuya's announcement.

"Get her Yuya!" the cheers of his friends gave him some courage, but the usage of Sacred Frame had drained him significantly of energy, which became obvious to him when his hand shook, fingers trembling and body struggling to stay standing.

"Okay, with this… I-I'll… put everything on this card! Draw!" Yuya declared as he drew the card, and found fear going through him.

" _Polymerization? It's Yuzu's… but how? Was it when I knocked the cards over this morning? It had to be! But… the draw I bet my future on… it's amounted to nothing…"_ just as the thought came, the image of a creature shrouded in blue mist appeared, a single green eye glowing in the dimness. Yuya felt realization dawn upon him and he steadied himself once more, and started to move. Everyone watched as Yuya began to walk up the rubble and to the top of the half-bent up ring from the top of the tower, and held his arms out, taking in a deep breath.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Aura gaped at him as Yuya looked towards the two Pendulum Monsters that were still on the field.

"Here we go!" stated Yuzu, a smile on her face as she watched Yuya.

"The Scale One Stargazer Magician, and the Scale Eight Timegazer Magician, are already set on the field! Which means I can Summon Monsters between Level Two and Seven at the same time!" the two magicians took a bow.

"His… magic… it's pulsing again… stronger than it was earlier…" Aura muttered, transfixed as she watched Yuya engage his Pendulum Scales.

" _Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light upon the sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Appear, my Monsters!" Yuya's chant rang clear, allowing Aura to realize something she hadn't the first time she'd seen him use his Pendulum method.

" _It's a spell, an incantation… his Pendulum Summoning chant, it's a desire spell… something that comes from his soul… what beautiful magic..."_ Aura felt her heart pounding as Odd-Eyes, Partnaga, and Kaleidoscorpion appeared.

"Gaze upon these heroic figures! Even though these Pendulum Monsters were destroyed once, they are resurrected from the Extra Deck!" Yuya took a bow while the others sat on the edge of their seats, excited to see what the red-green-haired boy was planning.

"Okay, he'll turn the tables in no time!" Allie assured.

"No… he's still…" Aura took in a deep breath.

"I activate Tarotrei's effect! _Full Reverse!" t_ he Fortuna Witch called.

"She did it again!" Aura looked to Yuya.

"Using Petalelf's Flip Effect, All the Monsters on my opponent's field are switched to Defense Position!" Aura's rune stone lowered, and Yuya met her gaze.

"Please, win," Yuzu muttered.

"Good for you, being able to escape your fated destruction! Your magic must have done something to help you," Aura stated as Yuya shook his head.

"Not entirely, I just believed in myself… and I put my faith in the heart of the cards, surely you know that, right?" the orange-haired girl looked down.

"I do, but now I'm absolutely positive this match is mine! When this turn ends, thanks to Ouijamorrigan's Flip Effect, all your Defense Position Monsters will be destroyed, and you'll receive two-hundred points of damage for each! That'll be four-hundred more than I need to end this! Don't you get it? You won't see victory in this Duel!" Aura pointed this out and Yuya only smiled.

" _Okay, if I'm going to do this, I probably should use the manners I was taught by my mother when in the presence of a Grand Witch… I hope she's not mad at me… I don't like the idea of being a mouse…"_ Yuya thought.

"I do wonder about that, My Lady." Aura felt a blush come to her face.

"W-What?! _My Lady?!"_ she questioned.

"I activate Performapal Springoose's effect! By banishing this card from the Graveyard… I can return two cards I control to my hand. So, return to my hand! Timegazer! Stargazer!" the two Magicians vanished from their pillars of stardust, and returned to Yuya's hand, a confident smile appearing upon his lips as they did so while the image of the strange beast surfaced within his mind once more.

" _Just you wait. Soon enough, you'll be here for everyone to witness!"_ Yuya thought as he turned his attention back to what he was planning.

"What is Yuya planning?" muttered Tate.

"Who knows with him, let's just wait and see…" all eyes went to Yuya.

"I then release Performapal Kaleidoscorpion! And Advance Summon, the Level Five Stargazer Magician!" Yuzu and Sora watched as the boy grabbed a card from his hand.

"What is he…." Yuya held it out.

"I activate the Spell Card, Polymerization, from my hand!" Yuya slammed the card into the slot, and it appeared upon the screen.

"Gracious! Is he about to do what I think he is?" asked Nico as he stood to his feet, the others doing the same in questioning.

"He's gonna…" light spilled from Yuya's Duel Disk as the boy took in a steady breath.

"The ones I fuse together are Stargazer Magician, and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Yuya announced, startling Sora who found his lollipop dropping out of his hand.

"No way…" the boy prepared himself to do something he'd only witnessed others do.

" _That which controls mysterious power! Become the dazzling light dwelling within the eyes of the Dragon! Fusion Summon!_ Come forth, Dragon of Heavenly Magic, versed in the secret arcane arts! _Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"_

Yuya stood next to a massive red and blue Dragon that bore a golden ring in place of Odd-Eyes' horns, a halo-like object about it's head while one green eye was visible, and the other was covered with a golden rune stone. The Dragon roared, the very air seeming to become electrified as it did, revealing its power as the Attack Power of the monster was revealed to stand at three-thousand while it was marked at level eight. Yuya smirked, taking in the disbelieving faces of those around him as he prepared for his next move.

"T-This cannot… "started Nico, his voice failing him.

"A Fusion Monster with three-thousand Attack Points?!" Aura questioned, disbelief still filling her.

"Exactly…" she shook herself out.

"To bad it doesn't mean anything! You won't be able to deplete my Life Points this way! Your fate has not changed!" she stated confidently, only for Yuya to give a faintly coy and somewhat seductive smirk.

"My Lady, when Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon is Fusion Summoned using a Spellcaster-Type Monster as Fusion Material, depending on the original Level of the Monster used, the number of times it can attack the opponent changes!" Aura felt her jaw drop.

"Say what?!" she asked.

"I Fusion Summoned this Dragon with Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, and Stargazer Magician, who was a Level Five, and when the Fusion Material Monster is a Level Five or Six, it can attack up to three times!" scarlet eyes shined with confidence and Aura felt her blush return.

" _I called him annoying earlier… and I didn't really take a moment to think about it… but he's very attractive… those eyes of his are full of so much fire and a thirst for life…"_ her blush darkened.

"It's show time!" Yuya jumped, and began running as Rune-Eyes joined him and with a small burst from a physical-support spell, Yuya jumped up into the center of the ring upon Rune-Eyes' back, allowing him to hover as a series of magical orbs appeared in the top, left, and right corners of the ring and he took in a deep breath.

"Time to battle, My Lady!" he stated as Aura swooned just a bit.

"Seems like he's flirting with her a bit…" Yuzu glowered while Sora felt a sudden tidal wave of regret for mentioning such a thing in front of the pink-haired girl.

" _And now I have to enter witness protection. Otherwise Yuzu's gonna slay me with that fan of hers…"_ he thought as Yuya went to his plan.

"I attack Ouijamorrigan, Petalelf, and Tarotrei! It's time for the climax! Rune-Eyes! _Multiple Shiny Bursts!_ " a magical circle surrounded the three Prediction Princesses and in an instant, three blasts of blue magic shattered the Monsters into golden particles as Aura stared onward, transfixed as Yuya remained where he was, floating in the center of the ring with a small smirk on his lips as he winked to Aura and the girl fell over, and her Life Points hit zero in a matter of seconds just as Yuya touched down on the ground and Rune-Eyes vanished.

"Hey! You did it, Yuya!" the boy turned to look to the others as he took a slight step back, tense as he thought about the situation at hand.

"Just barely, that was to close," he admitted, putting his hands on his hips.

"But you won! You pulled a Fusion out of your Pendulum Summoning! You should call it Pendulum Fusion!" the boy thought on it.

"Pendulum Fusion… that's a pretty good name Tate," Yuya stated.

"Wow! Good job, Yuya! You just Fusion Summoned perfectly without anyone having to teach you! That's impressive!" the scarlet-eyed boy gave Sora a nervous smile.

"I was just going on what I remembered from our Duel," he said, taking a tentative step back as Gongenzaka leveled his gaze to him.

"Yuya… you know what we need to talk about." Silence filled the area as Yuya looked down. He knew this moment was going to come, but he had hoped that he could hold out on it just a bit longer.

"Y-Yea… I… know… um… Yuzu?" Yuya reached into his graveyard and pulled Polymerization out before holding it out to the pink-haired girl.

"This is mine?" she asked.

"It is… it got mixed in with my cards yesterday at the park…" Yuzu took it back, noticing the hesitancy in Yuya's form and how he was edging away from them.

"Yuya…." She went to speak with him, but was instantly disrupted by Aura.

"It's the man of my dreams!" she stated as she knocked Yuya over, startling the boy somewhat as she clung to him.

"W-What?!" Aura grinned.

"I just knew you were my destined one! I knew it! we're perfect for each other, both Witches with long lines of magic users in both sides of our families, both duelists, and both strong willed!" she told him as Yuya tried to get the girl off him, sensing a murderous aura from Yuzu.

"L-Listen, Aura! I don't think you understand! I-I really don't –"he was cut off.

"You really amazed me back there! Your magic was so breathtakingly beautiful! My fortune wasn't wrong!" she stated, snuggling up to him while the evil energy around Yuzu grew.

"Hey, what's all this about being the man of her dreams?" Yuzu asked as her fan slowly rose, a shadow being cast upon her eyes.

"Well… I really don't know myself, but you may want to ask her to divine it for you, so we can both figure it out!" Yuya tried to pull her off him again.

"Oh, hush now, Darling! Don't be so shy!" Aura continued to snuggle up to him, and the evil energy around Yuzu became visible while the witches in the stadium began to clear out as the Head Mistress descended from her place and went towards the teenagers while Gongenzaka prepared to block the younger children from witnessing to much violence, and Sora slowly began inching away from the pink-haired girl while Nico watched in amusement.

"Yuya…" Yuzu growled out, her voice threatening as she brandished her fan.

" _Must… defuse… ticking…bomb…"_ Yuya thought.

"No, come on! I'm telling you, Yuzu! I have no idea!" he struggled to get away from Aura once again, and failed.

"What's with this girl?!' she questioned.

"I told you! I don't know!" Aura smiled.

"My darling and I are connected by fate!" the girl explained as Yuya rolled his eyes.

"WHAT WAS THAT?! YUYA SAKAKI!" Yuzu began to stomp towards him, and Yuya jumped to his feet and started to run, managing to get Aura off him, only for her to tail him once again.

"It's a misunderstanding! Alright! Yuzu! Come on, please!" he dodged the fan and the Head Mistress paused where she was.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE! YUYA!" Yuzu shouted.

"Hold on a minute! I didn't do anything!" Yuya turned on his heels and held his hands out, arms fully extended.

"What is he –" both Yuzu and Aura were stopped by an invisible barrier.

"Magic?!" Aura squealed.

"Aren't you just _delightful!_ You know so many advanced spells, darling!" she stated in a giddy tone while Yuya groaned, stepping back until he bumped into someone and turned to see the Headmistress present.

" _Oh sweet Hecate I am dead!"_ everyone paused as the woman cast Yuya a small smile and then looked towards Aura.

"Aura!" the woman called as the girl froze.

"Yes? Headmistress?" the woman sent her a scolding look.

"Please behave yourself," she stated.

"Yes, ma'am, my humblest apologies." Aura bowed respectfully and walked to stand just next to her headmistress as Yuya lowered the spell and Yuzu stepped back, sensing the same unnerving sensation she had gotten from Yuya for so many weeks.

"Yuya Sakaki?" the Headmistress questioned. In a split second, Yuya was before the woman, bowed upon one knee, his head down.

"Blessed be, and merry met, My Lady. I apologize for my lack of manners earlier on, I hope that you can spare my ignorance." He spoke formally, putting his etiquette lessons to good use while the others gawked at him in shock.

"Yuya's being so formal… should we be worried?" muttered Sora.

"I don't know…" the Headmistress smiled, and placed a hand upon Yuya's head.

"Fear not child, I understand that at times we forget ourselves. No need to fear me," she stated.

"Yes, I am grateful for your consideration and your hospitality in the face of my blunder…" the woman smiled.

"Unto you child, I accept your apologies and return them in kind. Your magic was most impressive, from what I have gathered, you are well versed in your gifts. Tell me, who is your overseer?" she inquired as Yuya kept his gaze down.

"My mother, a White Witch of the Fortuna persuasion. She has been my magical overseer since I was three years of age." The others felt shocked expressions fall to their faces.

" _Since he was three?! That means Yuya's been practicing magic for eleven years now… why did he keep it quiet for so long?"_ Yuzu thought, her eyes burning a bit as she watched her longtime friend remain as he was.

"She has been a splendid advisor to you, as you excel beyond those of your age. I hope I shall see you again, at some point?" the Headmistress inquired.

"Naturally, if you would request myself or my mother here at any point, we would do all we could to come." The woman smiled, removing her hand from Yuya's head.

"That is all I request to hear, brethren witch. Yuya, merry met, merry part, and merry meet again," she stated as she walked away, her dress trailing behind her as Aura smiled to Yuya and blew him a kiss which he refused to acknowledge until the headmistress was gone from the room. The moment the group of them were left alone, Yuya relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief as the others watched him slowly stand.

"That was really weird to watch, were you scared of her?" asked Sora.

"Look, it's impolite to stay here. Can we go somewhere else and talk?" Yuya stood, turning his attention to the others.

"What about your place?" questioned Tate.

"That would be best, Nico? If you want, you can join us…" the man smiled.

"Thank you, but I have to attend to setting up your last duel." Yuya frowned.

"But, you don't really know anything about… me… or… any of this… really, so I thought –" Nico placed a hand upon Yuya's shoulder.

"The only thing that I need to understand, Yuya, is that you're far more special than any other Duelist I've ever had the honor of managing. You're incredible, and I cannot wait to see what you'll do next. Now, I must go, see you soon, Yuya," Nico stated before he left and Yuya slowly turned his gaze towards the others.

"Shall we go?" they nodded as he tilted his head towards the exit.

"Are you sure this is okay?" inquired Allie.

"Yea… mom's gonna be kinda peeved, but… the biggest problem is probably going to be Niknak…." Everyone eyed him.

"Niknak?" they asked.

"You'll see…"

 **{….}**

 _I'm tired of all these rockers sayin' come with me…._

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Dear god, I finally got through those chapters with Aura! Yea, the cat's out of the bag! Yuya's a witch and they know it now! Aura was really dogging him in this chapter, but the question is, were all the things she said just a bunch of psychological warfare? Or were those predictions and prophecies true? Well, keep reading to find out! Let me know what you guys think.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Yuya used Wind Element Spells in this chapter mostly because he was attempting to minimize the destruction that other elemental spells would have caused.

Sacred Frame is a protection spell that shrouds the user in a glow that protects them from harm. It is extremely exhausting, and can drain the user severally.

Fortuna, is the Latin word for Fortune, meaning that Aura and Yoko are Fortunetelling Witches, or Witches who know how to use foresight.

An Unclaimed Witch, is a type of Witch that does not possess a type of magic they are specifically skilled with, Yusho dues have a type, but he never told Yuya.

Yuya paraphrased Black Butler in this chapter.

Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon is the first Fusion Monster Yuya ever used, similarly, he is my go-to Fusion Monster for my own Pendulum Deck; however, my other is Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon, and Supreme King Z-Arc, naturally.

Prediction Princess Ouijamorrigan is known as Prediction Princess Astramorrigan in the English Dub. It was changed because of her name sounding to close to the origin of it: The Ouija board.

Yuya's formal behavior is something he was taught to do in the presence of a Supreme Witch or Grand Witch to show respect.


	21. Chapter 21: Convergence

Chapter 21: Convergence

 **{Sakaki Household: July 2** **nd** **, 2014, 1:15pm}**

Yoko was tending to her garden, picking herbs for potions and listening to Niknak and Florence bicker with the field mice over the current placement of some sort of topiary next door that none of them were fond of. It was a rather normal afternoon for her, gathering the things that the garden gave them, and listening to her lawn gnome, a bespectacled rabbit with a bowtie, and tail-coat wearing field mice discuss shrubbery. She sighed, wondering when Yuya would be returning from his Duel as she stood and went inside to start working on preparing for dinner. Yoko removed her gloves and hat and went to wash the tomatoes and cucumbers when she looked to Niknak who was tending to a few weeds in the corner of the garden whilst Florence discussed something further with the field mice before heading into the kitchen as the mice left for the day.

"Do you suppose it was wise allowing Master Yuya to attend that Duel at the Umino Fortune Duel School?" Florence inquired.

"I was hesitant to let him go, but I know that if something happens, then it was meant to." Yoko began rinsing the vegetables and Florence sighed.

"I suppose so, but you should proceed with caution, Master Yuya is at that age when things can go array even if he were attempt to keep them from doing so," he mentioned.

"Are you worried? Florence?" the rabbit fixed his glasses.

"No, I merely believe that Master Yuya is still far to young to fully handle this kind of responsibility," he explained.

"Don't worry about it, that's what we're here for. Yuya will find out how to handle it though, he's a strong boy." Florence sighed.

"Yes, I suspect you are correct on that matter, I just hope we're ready to handle the situation," he admitted.

"We will be, besides? That's probably far off and –" Yoko was cut off by a loud scream.

"LADY YOKO!"

Yoko and Florence looked to one another before they raced out of the kitchen and the side door to the garden where Niknak was standing, gaping at the situation that was presenting itself in the form of Yuya standing there, looking fairly embarrassed as Yuzu, Gongenzaka, Sora, Allie, Tate, and Frederic stood there, slack-jawed at the sight of Niknak shaking where he stood, his look of fear changing into anger and disbelief slowly as he threw his hands up in the air and Florence hopped forward, fixing his glasses as Yoko looked to her son who glanced to the side, knowing he was in trouble.

Of all the situations he could have gotten himself into, this was possibly the worst one yet. The day when he told his friends the truth, had been played in his mind thousands of times; however, never, had those ideas included such a thing as being called out by one of his own kind, and then having to own up to it. Scarlet eyes glanced to Yoko who sighed, looking a bit upset with him, but at the same time, she seemed as though she was trying to figure out what had happened to result in such a situation. Yuya himself was trying to figure out how all of this had amounted to what it had so quickly, but right then, his concern was lying with his friends.

Admittedly, Yuya knew that the others would be shocked, and judging by the hush from behind him, they were stunned into silence. Sighing, he stepped towards his mother, and glanced to his friends as if to tell her to head into the house which she only nodded about before ushering all of the children, Niknak, and Florence into the house, and into the living room where in a matter of seconds the gnome blew up at long last.

"Perfect! Just perfect! I knew accepting the Duel at that Fortune Duel School would be a death sentence! Now look at where we are! This whole mess has blown up in our faces! Excellent work there Master Yuya!" Niknak stated, grumbling as he walked back and forth and Yuya frowned.

"Hey! It's not my fault! I got called out by one of my own!" Florence hopped into the room.

"Another Witch exposed you? My, that's rather rude of them. I thought conduct demanded that each Witch respect the placement of their secret unto one another?" he inquired.

"Normally, it would, but I was on their territory… so… I guess that means they could do what they wanted…" Niknak laughed in a mocking manner.

"I'll say! Now look at us! We have six mortals sitting in our living room gawking at us like we're some kind of freak show at the local carnival!" he snapped.

"To be fair… only the two of you would fit in at the carnival…" Florence sighed.

"I am not a carnival reject, unlike this pompous windbag next to me," he pointed out as he cleaned his glasses.

"At least this pompous windbag knows where to draw a line on exposing secrets!" Florence looked to him.

"Oh? You can draw? I wasn't aware you had any talent in the arts," he stated.

"That's it fluff ball!" Yuya dove down on his knees and got between the rabbit and the gnome.

"Guys, this really isn't the time to argue! We have guests over!" he reminded them. Niknak grumbled again and started to walk off while Florence sighed and looked to the others.

"My apologies." Yuya sighed in relief.

"Was that… your garden gnome?" asked Yuzu. Scarlet eyes looked to them.

"Yea, but he's kinda our gardener…" Sora eyed the white rabbit.

"So, whose he? The magician's assistant?" he inquired.

"No, I am not! My name is Florence D. Wyde. I am an official escort rabbit of Wonderland. Currently, I am in the service of the Sakaki family. It is an honor to meet you all." The bunny bowed, and Allie squealed.

"You are so cute!" she said as she picked him up.

"My! I must say!" Yuya laughed a bit.

"Oh, come on Florence, she's nine years old, and thinks bunnies are cute, cut her some slack," he stated.

"Slack is not something you shall be given! Now I must attend to the garden with Niknak, I bid you all adieu!" with that Allie let Florence go and he raced for the door as Yoko walked into the room.

"Let me guess… you need a full breakdown?" she inquired.

"Bingo…" Yoko sighed.

"Fine, but first… Yuya?" she asked, her tone scolding, causing him to flinch as he ducked his head a bit.

"Y-Yea?" the woman crossed her arms over her chest, frowning.

"How did this happen?" Yoko questioned.

"Aura Sentia Houchun… from the Umino Fortune Duel School kinda… ratted me out…" the blonde-haired woman's expression turned from scolding to surprised.

"Another Witch called you out? That's unheard of! She didn't have the right to announce that you were one of her kind in the presence of mortals," Yoko stated.

"I know that! But um…" Yuya glanced to his friend, and his mother did as well.

"Alright, this wasn't your fault… in some ways, it's mine. I shouldn't have let you go to that Duel, I should have insisted on Nico giving you another one with someone else," she admitted.

"No, it's fine… Aura kind of helped me out a bit. I was getting really stressed with trying to hide this and manage everything else… so, being able to tell the others… it makes me nervous… but I feel a bit less heavy now." Yoko sighed.

"I figured you would… now, about your friends…" she trailed off, taking a seat next to Yuya on one sofa while the others were seated across from them.

"Yuya…." Yuzu spoke, and he looked up to her.

"Yea?" the pink-haired girl glanced around the home, for the first time noticing some things that weren't normally there when she'd been over every other time were out and on display.

"All the secretive behavior, the weirdness, the attitude when we've asked to much… it's because you're a witch?" she asked.

"Yes…" the children looked to him in concern.

"Big Bro… why didn't you tell us?" questioned Tate.

"Yea! We care about you and –" Gongenzaka cleared his throat.

"It's not that simple… is it Yuya?" he inquired.

"I-I… its not. You weren't supposed to know about this… not until I was sixteen at least." The others stared at him in disbelief.

"You weren't going to tell us about this for two years?! Yuya! Why?" Yuzu inquired this of him, and he glanced down. Yoko stepped in at this point.

"Listen, it's not because he doesn't trust you, it's because of our own rules." Everyone looked to her.

"Rules? You mean Witches have rules?" asked Sora.

"Not many, but we do possess some. One of those rules, is that a Witch cannot tell their mortal friends that they are one until they turn sixteen, or at least, they aren't supposed to. Their Overseer is in charge of choosing when they have the opportunity to tell mortal friends that they aren't like them." Yuzu glanced to Yuya.

"So, you didn't say anything because you couldn't?" she questioned.

"Yea… I wanted to… for a really long time… but my mom is my Overseer, and she wanted me to wait until I was sixteen…" Sora frowned.

"Wait a minute! You said at the school that both your parents were Witches… so… even your dad used magic?" he queried.

"Yusho used specific spells and incantations to make the Duels livelier or add flare to it when needed… but he never used his magic to cheat." Allie frowned as she looked to Yuya.

"Big Bro Yuya? Have you used your magic to cheat?" she asked.

"No! I've been practicing magic for eleven years! I never once used it to win in a Duel. Besides, passion spells don't really work well for me…" Yoko laughed a bit as the others rose an eyebrow.

"Passion spells?" they enquired.

"Yes, they're very basic spells that require the Witch to want something deeply, and repeat what they want three times. Yuya's casted a few of them over the years, but he doesn't really like them that much…" the boy flushed as the others eyed him in confusion.

"Why don't you like using them? They sound so easy," stated Frederic.

"That's why I don't like using them! Because they can easily be twisted. Passion spells can become very dangerous, and you don't want to run the risk of something going array because the spell you cast seemed good at the time, and then… things went south…" Yuzu thought on the explanation.

"So, it's like making a wish that'll come true," she said.

"Precisely! And the thing you have to remember, is that magic comes with a price. If you do something without thinking it through, you could hurt someone or worse." Sora looked to him.

"Then… what happened when you created Pendulum Summoning? That was born from your magic… right?" he mentioned this and Yuya gave them a nervous expression.

"That's not so simple. My pendulum crystal stored up excess magic from the day my magic surfaced, and then went on to collect more and more until it finally had to find an outlet… which became the Pendulum cards because of my desire to find a new way to prove what I was trying to. Doing that… I ended up casting what's known as a Desire Spell, and I somehow connected to the heart of the cards… and well… here we are." Tate frowned.

"What's the difference between a Passion Spell and a Desire Spell?" he asked as Yuya glanced to his mother.

"How about I go and fix lunch for everyone? Yuya, you can tell them, it's okay." With that Yoko placed a gentle hand on his head and walked away.

"So, what's the difference between the two spells?" questioned Gongenzaka.

"Well… a Passion spell is wishing for something while repeating it three times in a row. Desire spells don't have words… they come from the heart and soul of the caster. The point of a Desire spell is to bring to life the deepest desires of the heart of the caster… they're far more powerful, and rely upon strong emotions and will rather than just a fleeting wish." Yuzu looked to him, glancing down to his pendulum crystal.

"So, Pendulum Summoning was created from a Desire Spell?" Yuya shrugged just a bit.

"In a way it was. I didn't intentionally cast the spell, but my magic responded on its own, and resonated with the strongest desire I had at the time: to prove my dad wasn't a coward… and that I could stand up for myself. My magic reached out to the heart of the cards with that desire in mind, and as a result… I ended up creating Pendulum Summoning. It's kind of hard to explain, but I only just figured it out…" the others frowned.

"What do you mean?" Yuya bit his lip a bit.

"After I Pendulum Summoned the first time… the reason why I couldn't answer those questions or do it right for a while… was because I didn't remember doing it," he admitted this, and the others gained looks of shock upon their faces.

"You had no memory? Of doing that the first time?" the boy shook his head.

"Nothing, it was a complete blank. My mom says its because of my magic… it's a different type of magic from others and far stronger… but I'm not sure what it is exactly," Yuya stated this and Yuzu looked him over.

"That's kind of… spooky…" the boy laughed.

"You think that's weird? Take a look at this!" Yuya reached up to his left eye, crouching over just a bit before he removed the contact lens, blinking a few times before he looked up to them.

"Yuya what are you… holy! Your eye!" Sora jumped like the others as he looked at Yuya's mismatched eyes.

"One of your eyes is green!" exclaimed Gongenzaka.

"Yea… this is a side effect of my magic becoming stronger. Most witches when their magic is maturing, have strange side effects… eye color change is one of the more common, and this is what mine did." Yuya kept the contact lens at the tip of his finger, being thankful that the blasted thing was out.

"That is freaky! You're just like Odd-Eyes now!" Sora stated.

"Oh! For the love of Ra! I knew that one was coming!" Yuya flopped back on the sofa.

"Knew what was coming?" asked Frederic.

"That Odd-Eyes comment! I knew someone would say it if they saw my eyes like this…" Yuya stood up for a moment.

"What are you doing?" he sighed.

"I'm going to put this stupid contact lens up. I don't want to put it back in…." with that he walked out of the room, and the others took a moment to consider what they had seen.

"This is insane…" Sora looked to Yuzu.

"What part of it?" he asked.

"All of it! Yuya's Duel with Aura, him and his entire family being Witches! Magic, his eyes being like that! And the fact that all of us forgot he had cat ears and a tail at one point!" Gongenzaka sighed.

"The question is, are we willing to trust him still knowing that he lied to us, and that he tampered with our memories?" he inquired.

"You should trust him…" everyone turned to look at Yoko as she stood in the doorway of the living room.

"We should? Like nothing's changed?" asked Yuzu.

"No, you need to accept that things are vastly different now. Yuya is a very powerful Witch, but he's still learning and only came of age on his birthday this year. You have to realize that Yuya wants nothing more than to carry on his life with all of you by his side… he loves all of you so much." Yuzu looked down.

"So… how can we learn to accept all of this?" she asked.

"By learning more about him… and listening to him when he tells you something." The others nodded.

"Then we shall remain by his side, no matter what," Gongenzaka stated.

"Good, and I want to admit something myself." They looked to Yoko who gave them a bashful expression.

"What is it Mrs. Sakaki?" questioned Sora.

"I'm the one who cast the memory charm on you guys. Yuya doesn't know how to do that yet." The others gaped.

"W-Why would you do that?!" the woman laughed.

"Yuya wasn't ready for you guys to know, and we all knew that his bluff about the ears and tail being fake wasn't going to hold up. Therefore, I placed a memory charm on all of you who witnessed that… because of that, Yuya was able to prepare for the time when you would know better." Yoko explained this, and Yuzu nodded slowly.

"Okay, I understand…" she said.

"And do the rest of you?" they all nodded just as Yuya came back downstairs.

"Yea, we do." Yoko looked to her son who was eyeing everyone.

"Alright, I live in a house full of talking animals and a plethora of other things, and I find how relaxed all of you are kind of weird," he admitted.

"They just are coming to terms that you have magical powers is all!" Yoko pulled the boy into a hug, and he groaned internally as his mother nearly smothered him.

"T-That's great, mom! Let go!" he pleaded as Yoko laughed, and let go of him.

"Now, lunch is ready. Yuya, can you let your familiars out, so they can join us?" the others eyed the boy who smiled brightly.

"Come on out guys!" he called to them and the others watched as a purple blur came shooting out of the upstairs area before latching onto Yuya's head, revealing itself to be Performapal Momoncarpet while a small ticking noise caught their attention and they saw a tiny, cat sized Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon trot out to come and stand beside Yuya, it's tail wagging a bit like a dog.

"Wait a second… that's Momoncarpet and Odd-Eyes… how…" Yuya grinned at them as Momon climbed down from his head and onto his shoulder.

"They're my familiars. Every Witch has at least one or two familiars… these guys are mine." Momon looked to the children and flew over to Allie, latching onto her with a trill.

"I have everything ready in the kitchen, so come on and eat, you guys can learn more as we eat," Yoko said as she headed for the kitchen, Odd-Eyes making a faint cawing noise as it followed after her.

"So, you can summon Duel Monsters into reality?" Yuya nodded as Allie, Frederic, and Tate continued to play with Momoncarpet a bit.

"Yea, pretty much. These two are the easiest though," he said as he answered Yuzu who looked into his mismatched eyes.

"The green eye color isn't permanent is it?" he shook his head.

"No, just a couple of weeks is all at most. Why?" the girl flushed a bit.

"I like your real eye color best," Yuzu admitted, causing Yuya to blush a bit.

"O-Oh… thanks…" Sora grinned.

"Come on lovebirds! Let's eat!" he pushed them into the kitchen and Yuya laughed while Yoko watched them all. It was relieving to see all of them taking to the truth so well, and she only hoped that it remained that way in the times to come.

" _Yuya is blessed to have such incredible friends."_

 **{Streets: July 3** **rd** **, 2014, 6:40pm}**

Yuto growled as he looked at the cluster of people at the end of the alley way that Shay and he were on. They were members of the Leo Corp Duel Academy, and judging from the uniforms, some of their best; however, that was not the problem. Standing before them, was a silver-haired, amethyst-eyed young man, roughly two or so years older than Shay was, and currently, he was blocking their path away from the place. They had been running from the LDS for a few days now, trying to avoid them as they were trailed left and right, now it seemed though, that running was out of the question, and that had stemmed from them being ganged up on by three LDS students who were swiftly beaten by them.

"So, you're the two that's been attacking members of my corporation and school?" the silver-haired teen stated.

"Who the hell are you?!" sharp eyes looked Yuto over.

"My apologies, I am Reiji Akaba, the current president of the Leo Corporation," he explained.

"Akaba… then that means you're Leonidas Akaba's son…" the silver-haired youth nodded.

"Regrettably, I am. Judging from your demeanors, I'd be willing to bet that you're both from the Xyz Zone," Reiji stated.

"Try Dimension…" the other shook his head.

"Please, come with me, I want to speak with the two of you about something. I think you may find this of interest," he said.

"Why in the hell would we go anywhere with you?" Reiji watched as the black-and-lilac-haired teenager's left eye went black and celeste-blue.

"Because, I'm aware of the situation in your hometown of Heartland, and I know about who you two are, Resculian Witch Shay Obsidian, the older brother to an Avian Witch, and then there's you… Yuto Kisaragi, half-Witch, and half-Phantasmal Imp. A rather rare breed of creature if I am not mistaken," he stated.

"How did you…" Reiji smiled just a fraction.

"Come with me and I will explain what I can. The two of you will want to hear this, believe me," he told them.

"Hold on! Just because you know who we are doesn't mean we're going to come with you!" the silver-haired teen sighed.

"Listen, I could stand here and discuss this all afternoon, or I could have you captured and held as prisoners of war for the time being. But, believe me when I state that I have no desire to do such a thing… not when we could be discussing this matter in a more at ease setting… and where I can speak more freely on things I know that you want to know," Reiji explained in a simple tone as Yuto looked around, noticing some surprised expressions on the faces of those that were surrounding them.

Yuto allowed his appearance to change as a few of them became a bit to closer for comfort. Shay remained on guard as Yuto bared his teeth, displaying his fangs, his nails lengthening into sharp black points as his ears gained a point and he set his mismatched eyes upon those who dared to challenge him. Never, did he think he would bare his traits for others from another Dimension to see, but he wasn't being given much of a choice as he stood there, back to back with Shay at this point, prepared to use his magic to Summon Dark Rebellion to his side only for Reiji to raise a hand up to pause the others from advancing.

"No need to become feral, Yuto Kisaragi… I believe you have some questions on a girl named Ruri? Not to mention a girl by the name of Yuzu Hiiragi, and a boy named Yuya Sakaki?" Shay glanced to his friend as the President of the Leo Corporation spoke and pondered why Yuto had reacted to the mentioning of the other two people.

"You know them?" Reiji smiled.

"Yes, I know them… I've personally met both of them," he stated.

"And you can tell me about them? And more importantly, you can tell us about Ruri?" the President of the Leo Corp nodded.

"Of course, I can. The only thing I need for you to do is come with me," Reiji said simply. Yuto glanced towards Shay, and the other nodded slowly, taking in a steady breath.

"Alright, we'll come with you." Reiji smiled and then turned, having them follow as a limo pulled up, and the two hesitated only for a moment as Reiji entered and sat down, and the two of them followed slowly, sliding into the car, and having the door shut behind them a moment later.

"Once we arrive at the LDS building, and come to my office, we will have a discussion on the matters at hand," Reiji told them as Yuto looked out the window while Shay frowned.

"If you try to pull anything…" the silver-haired teen shook his head.

"Believe me, I have no desire to attempt any farces with the two of you. On the contrary, I believe we may have a common goal… and I have the intention of seeing if we could potentially work together," he stated.

"Once we arrive to the place, we'll hear out what you have to say." The other settled back into the seat, resting his folded hands upon his lap.

"Very well."

 **{…..}**

 _Wait, it's just about to break, its more than I can take…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Yes, you guessed it! Yuto and Shay are going to be having a long conversation with Reiji Akaba. Am I going to show it to you? Yes, I am. This chapter and Chapter 22 are mostly exposition, but it's going to give the story a better fleshing out, and we'll also be getting a bit of information on what is going on in the Xyz Dimension or is it Zone? Tell me what you guys think, and I look forward to your reviews!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Passion Spells are a reference to _Sabrina, the Teenaged Witch._

Pendulum Summoning was the result of a Desire Spell, something most Witches can cast if the desire and will is strong enough to make it a reality.

Both Yuto and Yuya's left eyes are the eyes that change color.

Reiji is a know it all, but there's a reason for that.

I don't have any more trivia… go figure.


	22. Chapter 22: Resonation

Chapter 22: Resonation

 **{Leo Duel School Tower: July 3** **rd** **, 2014, 7:20pm}**

Reiji Akaba led the two Xyz survivors through the doors of his establishment, the two following silently as they eyed the curriculum available at the school, spotting a few similar courses that Heartland Academy had once taught. Yuto frowned as he looked towards the course listings for Xyz Summoning methods and considered how there were minor differences, but paid it little mind as he started to follow Shay a bit closer, his changes having faded away once they were out of the car and in the building, following the President of the Leo Corporation to his office at the top floor.

It was a strange situation; though, they felt as though following Reiji Akaba – the son of the same detestable monster who nearly wiped out their entire city – would lead to some much-needed answers. Yuto, just like Shay, wanted to know about Ruri; however, he had another reason for following the silver-haired teen into his territory. Reiji had made a mentioning of Yuzu, the pink-haired girl he'd had a run in with a couple weeks ago, and the boy she had mistaken him for: Yuya Sakaki. The red-green-haired boy piqued his interest a tad more than Yuzu did, but for the time being, he'd settle for any and all information he could get his hands on.

"Are you sure we're making the right choice?" muttered Shay as they walked down the halls.

"We don't have a choice… letting him imprison us would have gotten us nowhere! Not to mention, he has answers that we need." The blue-haired youth frowned.

"Yuto… think about this! We're behind enemy lines as it is. Why do you think we need help _from the Devil's son?"_ Shay inquired as Yuto sighed.

"Like I said… I have some questions that I know he has answers to, and in the end Shay: _you'll thank me for it_." the tawny-eyed teenager huffed.

"Fine," he stated as they got on the elevator.

"The two of you won't need to worry about anything when it comes to danger here. I have no desire to assist my father's hedonistic plans…" the elevator went up.

"Oh? Really? Then what was with the assault squad that surrounded us with Duel Disks out?" Shay questioned.

"A precaution. I wasn't certain of what the two of you would attempt, and I was well aware of what you two are… therefore, I must ask for forgiveness with my caution, but I hope you understand." Yuto glanced around him as they reached the top floor and the three of them walked down a long hallway before heading towards the office at the end of it.

Of all the things they were going to deal with, Yuto knew that getting answers and information from this person would be vital. Anything more or less, and they would be in grave danger. Yuto and Shay were some of the best Duelists in the Resistance; however, they also were known for their talents in information gathering, and surveying the area before people were sent out to gather supplies or the like. Kaito had become a valuable asset in that matter as well, just like other members of the Heartland school branches had. Between Heart, Clover, Diamond, and Spade, they were strong, and had good leaders and tacticians on their side, but to the greatest of unfortance, the same could be said for Academia.

The three of them entered the office, and soon Yuto and Shay were seated in a set of chairs in front of Reiji's desk where he took his seat before pulling up a screen where he could begin gathering the data he knew the two Xyz survivors were seeking. Reiji had intended originally, to corner the duo and take them into custody, but when he had witnessed their skill, he saw them as far too valuable to let slide by, and thus, he had selected the route of compromise, and could only hope that they would prevail in this endeavor instead of being shot down.

"Now, the two of you are from Heartland Academy, located at the central of Heartland City. Your names are Shay Obsidian, a second-year student formerly, and Yuto Kisaragi, formerly a first-year student, which was the same for your sister, Ruri Obsidian, correct?" Reiji inquired.

"Y-Yes… but how did you know all of that?" the silver-haired seventeen-year-old smiled.

"I did some research. Now, about the current situation of your home Zone," he stated.

"Dimension, we're from the Xyz Dimension," Yuto corrected him and Reiji smirked.

"No, you weren't originally. You see, roughly a year ago, a man was sent out by my father to initiate the plan to fuse the Zones of our world together to restore it to the way it was many centuries ago." Reiji pulled up an image of a blonde-haired man with red-toned eyes, purple streaks were present in his long hair, and he wore a white suit. The other photo showed the same man with a black and white mask on his face.

"That's the man who killed Yuma!" Shay stated as he slammed his hands upon Reiji's desk.

"I had a feeling he would look familiar to the two of you. His name was Paradox, and if you wish to point fingers at the death of your friend, he would indeed be your man." Yuto looked to him.

"Was?" he questioned.

"Roughly about the time the Fusion Dimension invaded your hometown, a ripple effect was initiated from Yuma Tsukumo's death, which resulted in two other Zones splitting and a third one doing the same. Afterwards, Paradox went out to begin gathering three other youths together in one place to kill them off, so the process of what happened to your Zone could begin with theirs. However, he was defeated, and was killed due to the backlash of the attack sent his way." Shay frowned at the statement.

" _One less problem to worry about if you ask me."_ Yuto thought.

"Zone?" he inquired.

"Yes, you see, before the fall of the Guardian of your home, it was known as a Zone of our World; however, due to Yuma Tsukumo's demise… it fell into darkness and became a Dimension instead, brittle and dying because of it being pillaged by those from the Fusion Dimension."

"So, because of Yuma dying, our Zone… became a Dimension?" asked Yuto.

"Correct. You see, things are far more complex than you're aware of. The two of you have engaged yourselves into a war that has been steadily building for the better half of a hundred and twenty years." The two remained silent for a moment, allowing the words to sink in.

"What can you tell us about what your father is planning?" inquired Yuto.

"He plans to force the Zones to fall into desolation, resulting in their darker halves, their Dimensional versions of themselves, to take their place. If that were to happen, he would be able to slowly converge the Dimensions into one by causing a ripple effect once again, thus forming our World into one… or so he believes," Reiji explained.

"So, he believes? What are you saying?" the silver-haired teenager sighed.

"My father thinks that converging the dark versions of the Zones into one World again could restore it to how it once was. That would require several sacrifices though, ten to be exact… and in the end, he would only destroy us all because of him using the darkness to win," Reiji stated this, and Shay huffed.

"Great, so he's basically trying to end the world." The other nodded.

"You wouldn't be to far off. But he cannot do it with those ten-people standing in his way," he informed them as the two Xyz survivors contemplated the information.

"Alright, so he's trying to end the world… so how do we stop it?" Reiji glanced into Yuto's gray eyes.

"By joining me," he told them bluntly.

"Us? Join you? As if!" the silver-haired teenager fixed his glasses.

"Please allow me to explain," the President said.

"You better, because we came here to find out about what the hell is going on and why! Not to be recruited." Yuto crossed his arms over his chest, frowning in a manner that made him favor Yuya greatly.

"I am founding a group of elite Duelists who will become the Lance that will stop my father's sinister ambitions. The ultimate goal will be his downfall, and the restoration of the diverging timelines that he caused. If we work as one, we can fix what he has done, restore the dimensional rift, and end this mess. That is what I mean when I said to join me." Gray and tawny eyes glanced to one another, and then to Reiji who remained where he was, prepared to pull up other files.

"So… you want us to join you to stop your father's grand scheme? If we do, then whose to say you won't turn on us?" Yuto inquired.

"To be honest, I have no desire to do anything of the sorts. I want our world safe, not in pieces scattered across the universe. And the two of you can help stop him." The two long-time friends thought over the offer and finally the two sighed.

"Alright, we'll join you… but I have a question about my sister, Ruri," Shay said.

"Ah, yes. My father had a young man whose one of his best Duelists come and get her. He runs a Predaplant archetype deck, and is very powerful… but I know nothing else other than she is in the Fusion Dimension." The blue-haired sixteen-year-old looked down.

"Then I have to go get her," he said.

"You'll have to wait until we go together as a unit. The more people you have, the more likely it will be that you will succeed in rescuing Ruri." Yuto placed a hand upon his friend's shoulder.

"If we have to form a team, then we do it to get her home safe, okay?" he asked.

"Right… so… who do you have planned up for this team?" Reiji smirked as he pressed a button upon the projection screen he had before him and a roster of images went up.

"The list is not complete, but I feel roughly ten people is the appropriate number to start with. From there, we will depart this Zone, and head for the Synchro Dimension, where we will gather more allies before heading to the Fusion Dimension, where your sister is being held captive, and my father will await us," he explained, fixing his glasses.

"All of these people are skilled Duelists?" Shay looked at the images before him as Yuto did as well, recognizing Sylvio Sawatari and Yuzu Hiiragi instantly near the top, but at the very beginning of the roster, was one person in particular.

"Yes, they are and – "Yuto pressed on the image and it blew up, revealing information on the Duelist.

"Hey! What did you do?" Shay asked as Yuto began reading through the information.

"This is one of the people I was interested in, what can you tell me about him?" Reiji looked at the picture just as Shay did, and the blue-haired teen felt his eyes grow wide.

"What the fuck?! That guy looks almost identical to you!" Shay exclaimed.

"I know… the pink-haired girl on the list, Yuzu Hiiragi, mistook me for him once." Reiji glanced towards Yuto.

"His name is Yuya Sakaki, he's fourteen-years-old, is a very talented Duelist, and is the founder of a new Summoning Method known as Pendulum Summoning," he explained.

"Pendulum… Summoning? He created it?" the silver-haired teenager nodded.

"Indeed, he did. Yuya is also the only son of a world-renowned entertainment Duelist, Yusho Sakaki, who – "Shay narrowed his eyes.

"So… he's related to him, huh?" he inquired.

"I would take that to mean you know Yusho Sakaki?" Yuto nodded.

"We met briefly just before the invasion. He was a really nice guy, and founded a new branch-class for the whole of Heartland Academy: Entertainment Dueling. Ruri was thrilled by the idea, and her friends Sayaka Kamishika and Kotori Zen were in the glass with her… but when the invasion began, Yusho Sakaki vanished without a trace. We could have used a strong Duelist like him, and he abandoned us," Yuto stated.

"Don't hold it against Yuya, he's suffered because of his father's absence these last three years… but it is good to know he is alive." Shay looked to Reiji.

"So, Yuya's not a coward like his father is?" he questioned.

"I wouldn't call either of them a coward. Yuya is courageous and strong willed, and will do what he feels is right no matter what… the main problem, is that Yuya is a bit different than others in our group." Yuto and Shay looked through the boy's profile and paused in a small, tagged detail.

"He's a Witch!" they said.

"Precisely… now, worry less over the situation at hand, and allow me to create your information bracket for your decks so that I have it on file and can create Pendulum cards for you to use." Yuto eyed him.

"I thought you said that Yuya created the Pendulum Method, so why are you making the cards?" Reiji sighed.

"These are currently only for members of my team; however, with Yuya's permission, I intend to help distribute them eventually. For now, please tell me about yourselves so I can process your information," he stated as he pulled up a blank profile sheet and Yuto sighed.

"Alright, you know our names, ages, and basics. I'm a Shadow Witch, I use darker magic and am half-Phantasmal Imp, I was born on October, on the twenty-ninth, and I run a Phantom Knights deck." Reiji typed in the information, and eyed the gray-eyed boy.

"And your ace Monster?" he inquired.

"Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon."

 **{You Show Duel School: July 4** **th** **, 2014, 11:15am}**

Yuya frowned a bit as he paced back and forth, thinking about what he had decided to do at the school today. Since learning that he could do magic, the others had been asking to see more of what he could do, and while his mother had taken to showing them something such as Transformation Magic – only because he didn't want to end up with cat-ears and a tail again – but had left the other bit of magical fun for him to deal with. He now was wondering if he could go through with it, and had set to pacing the Dueling area at the school, lacking his jacket and wrist bands and wearing a black shirt that his mother had gotten as a joke roughly a year ago that he had thrown on due to the fact that it was laundry day and he had nothing else. As Yuya chewed on the tip of his thumbnail, thinking over which spells would be safest for him to use, and what he could handle, the door to the area opened and then slammed, causing Yuya to jump like a startled cat.

"Whoa, easy kitty! I didn't mean to scare you," stated Sora with a laugh as the scarlet-and-emerald-eyed boy frowned.

"Real funny Sora! What if I turned you into a toad? Then would you be laughing?" the blue-haired teen frowned.

"No, I think I'd be croaking instead," he said laughing once more.

"Urgh!" Yuya put his hands on his head, groaning in frustration as Sora eyed him.

"What's up with that shirt?" Sora inquired.

"Hmm? Oh… mom got it as a joke about a year ago… it's laundry day so I didn't have anything else to wear and considering what I'm going to be doing today… I didn't think sleeves was a wise choice." The pastel-green-eyed teenager chuckled a bit.

"Okay, I get it was supposed to be a joke, but getting you a shirt that reads _You say Witch like it's a bad thing_ is really toeing the line there," he stated, laughing as he did so.

"Yea, well, I got her back by giving her a crypt keeper." Sora rose an eyebrow.

"Oh, you mean like a Tales from the Crypt shirt?" he asked.

"No… I put the actual Crypt Keeper in her closet… boy was he pissed. Once he was sent back to where he came from, my mom grounded me for a month." Yuya ruffled his hair a bit, turning his wrist in just a way that caused Sora to notice something.

"You guys take pranks to the extreme, don't you?" the boy nodded.

"Sometimes a little too extreme…" Yuya admitted while Sora continued to stare until he glanced to him.

"I can agree with you there…" pastel-green-eyes continued to look at the visible white line across Yuya's wrist and the heterochromic-eyed boy frowned.

"Sora? What are you staring at?" he questioned.

"The scar on your wrist. I see another one on your other wrist too…" the boy's normally curious eyes remained calm as Yuya shrunk in on himself a bit, trying to hide his hands in his pants pockets to cover the scars as he ducked his head down.

"Y-Yea… um…" the other sighed.

"Something happened, didn't it? To where you felt like you had no way out, and just couldn't take it anymore?" the boy looked to him in shock.

"How did you…" Sora shook his head.

"Most people when they resort to committing suicide… don't feel as though they have other options. People they thought would notice, didn't, things that once brought them joy, only brought them suffering… everything just became to much and they decided to bow out of this life. Someone I knew did that… it was pretty hard to accept, but I realized that maybe… she just couldn't come to terms with how her life was going, and couldn't fight anymore." Yuya looked down, grasping his right wrist with his left hand as he rubbed his thumb over the scar.

"Sometimes… they still hurt if I touch them the wrong way. But… I've started to come to terms with the fact that I tried to do something like this. And you're right… three years of taunting, jeering, name calling, and harassment started to become to much… and then there was the fact that even though I tried… nothing was going the way I thought it would… I was falling apart at the seams, and couldn't stitch myself up quickly enough… so… I gave in," he stated.

"But you didn't give up?" the other shook his head.

"I wasn't giving up… I was just… giving in. But, the moment it was done, and I stood there looking at myself in the mirror, seeing my own eyes so blank… actually _watching my life slip away_ … I realized that I needed to… fight. So, I did, and then… Yuzu found me and because of her… I survived," Yuya admitted freely as Sora hummed.

"She's your guardian angel, that much is certain. Do you love her?" scarlet-and-emerald eyes looked to him.

"L-Love her? I-I don't…" Sora smiled.

"You're in love with her, aren't you?" he questioned as the boy glanced to the side.

"I um… d-don't… know if I…" pastel-green-eyes rolled in annoyance.

"Jeeze, everyone else can tell that the two of you are head-over-heels for one another, but it's almost impossible to admit that the two of you are in love with each other. I mean, come on!" Sora told him.

"But it's not that easy!" the other groaned.

"Yes, it is! if you get close to her do you feel kinda warm and fuzzy? Or safe?" Yuya felt a blush come to his features.

"I-I guess so… y-yea, I do…" Sora smiled.

"Do you get worried if she's upset or hurt?" he inquired.

"Of course, I do! Yuzu and I have known each other since we were born!" Sora nodded.

"And do you feel as if life without her would be empty?" Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

"I'm asking if you would feel incomplete without her being there, if she was gone, would you feel lost? As if you couldn't go on?" the boy scowled.

"She's a very precious person to me," he admitted.

"Then you're in love with her." A dark blush came to Yuya's features.

"Sora! Come on!" he said.

"No, it's true, and you know what I think you should do?" Yuya frowned.

"I'm not going to like this, am I?" he inquired.

"You might! What I think you should do is win the tournament and then tell her you love her." Yuya rose an eyebrow at that.

"Win the championships and then tell Yuzu I love her? Seriously? That's kind of silly…" Sora shook his head.

"No! It would be totally amazing! Yuzu would never forget something like that! Think about it? We're all gonna fight to bring some glory and honor to our school, and once we do, you can put that trophy on the shelf here at the school and then tell her you love her," he said.

"It's not that simple, I appreciate her more than anything, and everything she's done for me. Helping me heal, inspiring me, encouraging me when I felt defeated, being tough when I needed it, and understanding when I _desperately needed it._ Yuzu… means everything to me… she's my light when I'm lost…" Sora smiled.

"Those were genuine words spoken from the heart right there! Say those things to Yuzu, and then tell her you love her," he stated as Yuya glanced to the side.

"I don't think she feels the same way, I mean, let's be real here. I'm a complete freak… not to mention… I'm a witch… how on earth could she fall in love with someone like me?" Sora shrugged.

"The two of you have always been together, remember? Fondness creates adoration which blossoms into love," he said.

"No, fondness and adoration create hostility…" Sora shook his head.

"Just worry about it later, your audience is here," he said skipping off as the doors to the arena opened and Yuya turned, looking red-faced as Yuzu and the others walked in.

He wasted no time stuffing the conversation with Sora into a draw within the back of his mind for later – _much later_ – and set to focusing on the spells he was going to be showing the others today. They wanted to know as much as they could about his life as a witch, and knowing how to identify when he was using magic, was where it mattered most. Yuya made a show out of the entire event, displaying different elemental magic that he could do, and forming magical arrow-heads that they could all touch and handle or throw around. It was simple, basic spells that ranged from elements, to more complex ones like sensory magic which startled them somewhat when he used a darkness spell that shrouded the Dueling area in a cloak of nighttime colors, and they were able to see Yuya's brightly glowing eyes, which Yuzu identified quickly.

It was a great deal of fun, several hours-worth of humor and excitement as Yuya put his magical skills to work, even managing to summon several of his Monsters out as he began to wind down after the long day and listened to the conversation of the group around him, Allie, Tate, and Frederic's cheerful laughter, and Gongenzaka's curious expression, Sora's excitement, and Yuzu's beautiful smile. These were the things that made him feel better when he felt low, and gave him strength when he felt helpless. The memories of the people around him and their incredible energy, their laughter and smiles, something he worked hard to see and hoped to always keep, for that was the basics of what his Dueling and magic was all about: making people happy.

" _I just hope I can always protect them, no matter what comes my way."_

 **{…}**

 _Everything's about to change…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** So, these two chapters aren't very long, but Reiji sure did get quite a bit of details in there huh? Does anyone know what situation with Paradox he was talking about? I hope so! Tell me what you guys think! I look forward to seeing your reviews.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

The Diverging Dimension idea came from both the original _Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V,_ and _Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions._ It also works with an idea that's the platform for all of the other Yu-Gi-Oh! Stories currently in the works.

The first ever recorded _Fuck Yea!_ In Yu-Gi-Oh! Actually, happened in the Japanese version of _Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V_ when the Lancers were in the Fusion Dimension, and the line was brought to you buy: Sylvio Sawatari, _oh yes!_

Suicide from depression is a very common thing, I have three friends who have attempted it, and survived, but regret doing it and do still struggle with depression and the choice they made once before. I write those elements in here to be a sort of awareness theme for people who are suffering from it.

The _Crypt Keeper_ was the host of the 1980s horror-thriller TV series _Tales from the Crypt_ for many years, and is a creepy guy, but he can be pretty funny.

The _You say Witch like it's a bad thing,_ t-shirt kept popping up everywhere I went lately – even though it's January! – and I took the idea of Yoko getting that for Yuya as a joke and ran with it.


	23. Chapter 23: Witch Works

Chapter 23: Witch Work

 **{Sakaki Household: July 7** **th** **, 2014, 10:07am}**

"It's two table-spoons of frog oil," stated Niknak as Yuya grimaced.

"Ick… that stuff reeks!"

It had been a rather confusing last few days since the group had learned about him being a Witch. Normally, he was used to working on potions in the early morning or late night, being mindful of what he was doing so that no one noticed the cauldron on the stove or the strange colored smoke that would billow from it. Yuya shook his head as he continued to follow Niknak's instructions, not knowing whether or not the dandelions would take any damage from the formula he was creating. Florence was chopping up a few items for the potion while Yoko was away on a visit into the town next door to them in order to visit a Witch Peddler while he was left to battle the dandelions and the other less normal weeds that were trying to take over the garden.

"Couldn't we use the plutonium based weed killer?" he asked as he kept stirring.

"I hate to break it to you, but it didn't make a dent in the dandelions or the fire scruffs last time…" the boy groaned.

"Do you even know if this stuff will work?" Yuya inquired as a knock at the door came and Florence kept chopping.

"Niknak, can you check on it?" the boy kept stirring, adding in different ingredients according to the directions while the gnome went out of the kitchen and went into hallway before entering the entry way of the house where he promptly jumped up and grabbed the handle, sensing the energies of those outside the door before it swung open.

"Hey there Niknak, is Yuya here?" asked Yuzu.

"Yea, he's working on mixing a weed killer." The group walked into the house, the gnome kicking the door shut as Yuzu, Sora, Tate, Allie, and Frederic entered the kitchen to see what Yuya was up too.

The boy was by the stove, focused on his task of mixing in a few items here and there into a black cauldron. He was wearing just a pair of black jeans, a deep blue t-shirt and was lacking his goggles and his wrist-bands, but still wore his choker and pendulum crystal. The boy blew his bangs out of his eyes, which were slightly damp due to the steam billowing out of the black pot as he sighed, stirring a few more times as they took a seat quietly at the table. Florence waved to them momentarily before returning to his work as Yuya growled a bit as he stirred the pot a few more times and then turned the stove off.

"No one told me how bad that potion would be," Yuya admitted as he looked at Florence.

"Well, if you wanted a plutonium potion, it would have been worse…" the boy visibly wilted.

"What was the potion for?" asked Allie.

"To get rid of those stupid dandelions… and the fire scruffs…" everyone rose an eyebrow.

"Umm… can I ask what a fire scruff is?" inquired Sora.

"They're red magical weeds… that will burn you if the leaves touch flesh. It's… not pleasant…" Tate hummed.

"So, those are those weird red plants in the garden?" he questioned.

"Bingo… so… um… question… where is Gongenzaka?" Yuzu sighed.

"He's at the dojo… something came up, and he was working with his father on it. Anyways, are you doing okay?" she asked him.

"Oh, fine… just dealing with these two psychos…" Florence fixed his glasses as Yuya stirred the potion once more and then started to put it into a spray bottle.

"I am not a psychopathic rabbit… I happen to be a highly function sociopath…" he stated.

"And I'm just old apparently…." The kids giggled a bit as Yuya rolled his eyes and went to work on cleaning up the extra herbs and ingredients that went into the potion.

"What the two of you are… is annoying," Yuya stated as he went to hand the bottle to Niknak who went to the garden.

"Should we be worried? You know, with him holding a spray bottle full of a potion?" the red-green-haired boy shook his head.

"Na, he knows what he's doing… "just as Yuya stated this, the group heard a yell from the garden.

"TAKE THAT YOU FIRE-SPITTING PANSIES! I'M GOING TO RID THE EARTH OF YOU DISGUSTING USURPERS OF BEAUTY!" Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"I wonder if I should be concerned," he mentioned.

"Well, he is the gardener, right? He should be –"

"AHHHH! BACK! GET BACK YOU VILE OFFSPRING OF GAIA!" Florence winced.

"Seems the picanees are giving him trouble again. Excuse me!" Yuya slapped his hand over his eyes as the rabbit hopped into the fray towards the backyard.

"What are picanees?" asked Sora.

"They're vine-like plants that have a type of bud on them. The petals secrete an oil when boiled down and it can be applied to wounds and different things like that. it also can make a great sleep aid for dreamless sleep potions if mixed with rosemary and belladonna." Yuya's tone became surprisingly calm and gentle, far more at ease than they expected as he went to chopping a few of the herbs that were lying on the counter.

"Sounds like a helpful little plant," Yuzu said.

"Yea… if you don't mess with them during hibernation months. They don't like hot weather… so they're in the greenhouse… but the fire scruffs are around and inside it… so that's where Niknak was headed… and probably why he started yelling… its also possible that he got caught by the Venus Fly Traps again too…"

"That sounds pleasant. So, where's your mom?" inquired Sora.

"She's at a Witch Peddler…" Yuya paused, realizing that he had made a glaring error.

"What is a Witch Peddler?" the boy thought for a moment.

"It's a kind of pop-up store for magic users… but it's more a consistent location for magic folk to buy potion supplies, charms, crystals, spell books and the like," he mentioned as he went to work on putting up the dried herbs.

"So, your mom needed to go? How come you didn't tag along?" scarlet eyes glanced towards Tate who had a somewhat confused look on his face.

"I needed to help Niknak and Florence make the weed killer… which reminds me…" the boy walked towards the side door near the kitchen and opened it while the others looked outside to see Florence hopping around the yard.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO SPRAY THAT NEAR THE PICANEES! NOW LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" the rabbit was caught by a randomized vine, and thrown into a nearby bush.

"I'll be right back," he said as he rushed out the door. The group of five followed them out as Yuya looked to see Niknak untangling himself from the plants as the red-and-green-haired boy shot the gnome a long look before Florence hopped to his side.

"You'll have to use a Proclamation spell in order to get him out of that mess…" the rabbit stated.

"I guess we should be backing up… huh?" asked Yuzu.

"Probably a good idea… Proclamation Spells aren't my forte…." Florence rolled his eyes.

"Sure, they aren't…"

Yuya took in a deep breath, focusing on the spell he was attempting to conjure as he looked to the plants and then raised his hands, closing his eyes as the energy that his magic created formed around him, gleaning in sharp reds, twisting with a pure silvery white glow that covered his entire form, the wind picking up ruffling his clothes and hair a fraction before he released the spell, and it shot forward, hitting the plants and forcing them into a relaxed state as Yuya kept his focus until the vines recoiled back into the green house. The others remained staring as Niknak rolled out of the place, looking frustrated and bedraggled as he got up, brushing himself off while he trudged forward looking to Yuya as he did so.

"You red-haired witches give me headaches!" Niknak exclaimed.

"Hey! I helped you!" the gnome huffed.

"I'll finish up here, I have to check on the fly-by-nights and the moon flowers. You go back and finish with those herbs, make sure to put them in the right bottles, and I'll be bringing more herbs for you to start drying," he told them as Yuya rolled his eyes and went back towards the house while Yuzu looked to the gnome.

"Um, Niknak?" she called as she came forward and he turned to her.

"What can I do for you Lady Hiiragi?" the girl flushed.

"You don't need to call me that," she said.

"Lady Yuzu then, what can I do for you?" Sora rose an eyebrow.

"Why do you call her Lady?" the gnome looked to him.

"It's a tradition. When in the service of a witch family, you must be formal, and I must be so to those they call as comrades. Now, did you have a question?" he eyed the pink-haired girl who nodded.

"Yes… what did you mean by red-haired witches?" Niknak sighed.

"It's very simple, throughout history, red-haired witches have been the most exceptional witches when it came to magical output. They're very skilled in multiple facets of magical art, just as Master Yuya is," he explained to them.

"But he has green in his hair…" Niknak nodded.  
"True, but the majority of his hair is red, therefore, he is considered what is generally known as a scarlet witch. Being a magic user who has hair that falls into the red color family," he further detailed as Yuzu met the little gnome's eyes.

"So, what do you guys have left before your done?" Florence hopped beside her.

"We have to finish killing the fire scruffs, then we can finish up on work of drying out the herbs," he mentioned.

"Yuya's going to be busy today then, huh?" Niknak nodded.

"And rightly so, he is after all, the only witch in the house at current. However, if you so would like to, I am certain that he would appreciate the help," he stated.

"Help him with… m-magic?" the three children looked to him in questioning.

"Sure, go on inside, there's plenty to do right now," Florence told them as Yuzu and Sora grinned and went into the house quickly with the children, the gnome and rabbit looking to one another.

"How well is this going to go?"

"I suppose we'll have to see…"

 **{Sakaki Household: 1:04pm}**

"So, you use witch hazel as a type of cleanser, it's pretty effective for blisters and it can be used for cuts too. Taking yarrow and blending it with different herbs can also be used as disinfectant," Yuya stated as he pointed towards a few of the plants drawn in the book he had out.

"Cool! Do you know how to make these potions and salves too big bro Yuya?" the scarlet-eyed boy looked to the children.

"Most of them, some of these I'm still to inexperienced to make. I've only been in training for eleven years," he told them.

"Eleven years is an awful long time to be learning magic. Shouldn't you know more by now?" Yuya looked towards Sora.

"Well, I'm not attending a magic school… I'm homeschooled, so my training is a little different," he defended.

"Hey, what's this flower?" Allie pointed towards the purple flower that seemed to have clustering bulbs upon it, the image itself seeming to glitter and shine.

"That's fly-by-night, the witches flower," Yuya explained to her.

"Witches flower? So, it's something specific to witches?" the red-and-green-haired boy hummed.

"According to the story, witches used it during their rites to increase their magic. In ancient times, the druids drank a potion made from it for their battles… and in the present day, witches grow the flower and allow it to be used for young witches who are just learning how to use their magic, or need a boost." Yuzu smiled, looking at the boy as he talked with the others.

" _He seems so happy, talking to us and teaching us about all of this… it's hard to believe how much more at peace he seems just by letting us know the truth…"_ she thought.

"Hey, big sis Yuzu? Do you like this flower? The fly-by-night? It's really pretty," Allie said showing her the picture.

"Yea, it sure is. Didn't Niknak say you guys have it in the greenhouse?" Yuya nodded.

"We do, normally, it only blooms once every seven years; however, the ones we've grown have a special soil mixture that allows it to grow yearly in the spring and summer months. It begins to stop growing come the fall," he said as Yuzu smiled.

"So, it gives witches a magic boost?" Yuya nodded.

"Right, but it also gives mortals magic for twenty-four hours per flower," he informed them.

"Could we use them?" Sora posed this question and Yuya looked them over.

"There's one month out of the year that mortals are allowed into a witches storehouse if they know about them being of a magical orientation. During October, when the veil between the realms of the living and the dead are the thinnest, that is when a mortal can freely use the fly-by-night flowers to have magic," he told them this and the group gave him a long look.

"Its summer though, that's a long time away still…" Yuya smirked just a bit at Allie's put out tone and leaned forward on the table, looking at the small pieces of scrap paper lying about.

"Until then… let me show you something…" the boy rose his hand over the small scraps of paper and they watched as the pages folded up and about, changing around until they finally formed into a few small birds that laid neatly upon the table.

"Folding magic?" asked Sora.

"Not quite… let's see…" the group watched as Yuya looked towards the origami birds.

"What are you doing?" asked Frederic.

"Ah! That's right… oh forces of nature that bind and break at the feeble hands of man, display your virtuous gifts before us, let what has been stilled live once more…" Yuya placed his hands outwards towards the origami birds and in a moment, they began to move, fluttering their wings as they did so.

"Whoa!" Allie reached for the birds, laughing as the group looked at the small creatures fluttered around the room.

"That was so cool! What did you do?" asked Yuzu.

"It's creation magic. the most basic type of magic that someone first displays when they begin to show magical talent. I was three years old when that happened with me…" Sora hummed, pulling a sucker from his jacket.

"You must have some powerful magic then," he mentioned.

"That's what my mom keeps telling me… I'm the only child in the seventh generation of my family, a family that is full of witches… my magic is supposed to be twice as powerful and potent as my parents… but I honestly don't know… maybe it is, and maybe it's not… sometimes, I get this feeling that my mom knows more than she's telling me." Yuzu reached across and took his hand as the children kept chasing the origami birds.

"A few days back, you told us your mom is your overseer, which means she's the one whose trained you up to now. So, maybe she's supposed to wait to tell you everything until you're more experienced?" she suggested.

"Probably…"

It was later in the day that Sora, Allie, Tate, and Frederic went home, leaving Yuzu alone with Yuya who was starting to clean up the work he had done with the herbs for the day. She was flipping through the pages of the book that Yuya had been showing them that held the information on herbs and sketches of different plants and the like. The drawings seemed faded, paint and tinted ink having been applied to give the plants depth and their proper coloration in the past, the age of the book showing due to the worn edges and the yellow tone of the parchment used. Yuzu kept turning the pages, reading the text here and there as Yuya finished with his task and went to preparing dinner.

Despite what many people thought, Yoko had taught Yuya how to cook, knowing that it would be an important life skill for him in the years to come. As he set to preparing things that would be needed for the simple meal he was going to make, he heard Yuzu stand up and move towards him, an air of hesitation around her as she grew steadily closer until she could wrap her arms around his waist. The boy froze momentarily, surprised by her actions as the pink-haired girl put her head against his back, his mind going blank.

"Y-Yuzu?" he found himself stuttering a bit as he glanced over his shoulder towards her.

"I'm sorry…" the boy rose an eyebrow.

"What for?" Yuya asked nervously.

"For not being there for you… for making you think that you had to hide all of this because we'd reject you…" the boy looked down.

It had been a constant fear of his for as long as he could remember. People who were fellow witches would warn him that he should be careful of who he trusted with his secrets, and that choosing the wrong person to know that he was a witch -no matter how old he was – could be a horrible mistake that would affect him for the rest of his life. Scarlet eyes glanced to where the bottles of dried herbs were collected on the counter, his mind contemplating why he had been so afraid to tell Yuzu of all people. When it came to his friends, it had always been her that he had been both the most eager, and the most terrified to let in on his secret, only because he feared losing her. A sigh left him as he stopped what he was doing and turned around, the girl's arms dropping to her sides.

"None of that is your fault, Yuzu. Listen, I chose to hide this, if anyone to blame, it's me," he admitted as the girl leaned forward, resting her head against his chest.

"Yuya… do you hate me?" the boy stared at the girl.

"Hate you? Yuzu… why would I… is this about what happened before my birthday? It wasn't your fault…" the girl sighed.

"Yuya… I know I keep bringing it up, and I'm sorry… but I just… when I think I've gotten to where it doesn't terrify me to think about what would have happened if I hadn't found you… something makes me remember how fragile life is… and how different my life would be without you here…" Yuzu admitted this as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Yuzu… I'm here though, so don't think about what's already happened, okay?" the pink-haired girl, his best friend since he was an infant, shook her head, holding him tighter as he felt a faint dampness to his shirt.

"That's the thing… when you… were in that duel with Aura… it terrified me to no end… hearing all of her predictions… seeing you standing there using magic… all of it seemed…" Yuya glanced to the side.  
"Wrong?" Yuzu shook her head.

"No! Yuya not wrong just… it scared me… because it seemed so strange… to learn you were a witch… to know that you were different than what I had always thought… it was a lot to take in, but I…" periwinkle eyes full of tears looked to him and he gave her a concerned look.

"What's wrong? Yuzu…" the girl held onto him, taking in a deep breath.

"If I ever lost you… I'd lose myself. You're to great a piece of my life… if you were to disappear… or if I never saw you again… if I lost you… then I'd… die…." The room remained silent for just a moment as Yuya wrapped his arms around the girl.

"Hey, no dying… you're not allowed to give up like that," he said with a small laugh.

"It's not funny… I mean it… you're… my special someone… the person that I couldn't live without…" Yuya reached down and grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers as he pulled her closer.

"Don't you know Yuzu?" he rested his head atop of hers, the pink-haired girl soaking in his warmth, the scent of citrus and different spices mixed in with the scent of herbs from him handling them all day. It was the same scent he'd had his entire life, and to her, it was the greatest comfort she could ever find. Because it let her know that it was him, that he was really there, right at her side where he belonged, just as she was supposed to be with him.

"Know what?" Yuzu asked him this and he took in a steady breath, holding her close to him.

"You're my special someone too… one of the things that made me keep living… that made me want to fight for my life… was the idea of leaving you behind… of putting you through that kind of pain… I looked in the mirror, and saw myself, and I saw you… and thought about never seeing you again. I couldn't do that… so I fought… and then you came and saved me, Yuzu… so thank you, for saving my life… for giving me a reason to live… for being that special someone that I had when I needed them the most…"

Yoko smiled as she stood around the corner of the kitchen, listening to her son speak to the girl that he had always had right at his side. The way he spoke right then, the way he held onto her, comforted her and assured her, it showed how fast her son was growing up, letting her become aware that this child she had raised was turning out to be a fine young man, and someone who had a loving heart and an open mind, someone who could be strong and weak, bold and meek; someone who she knew could lead and follow, but most of all: someone that could love with a willing heart.

" _You'd be proud of him… Yaya… Ira… the person he's become… is something else…"_

 **{….}**

 _I feel it in my veins, it's not going away…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** For some reason, this chapter became a lazy day chapter. I wanted to kind of show a normal day for Yuya after his friends found out, and I also wanted to take a moment to expand upon his and Yuzu's relationship. Between the two of them, I think they definitely had the most chemistry when it came to the four boys and girls from Arc-V, the close second would have been Yuto and Ruri but they most certainly tied with Hugo and Rin. In the next chapter, we'll be seeing some of Yuto, and Shay again, but we'll also be seeing the Duel between Gongenzaka and Yuya; however, I'm debating on whether or not I should actually show the whole duel or just chunk it out seeing as the duel is the last one before the tournament and was more of a character development between two friends instead of a duel for a place in the Arc League Championships.

Well, let me know what you guys think.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

The Plutonium based weed killer came from _Sabrina the Teenaged Witch._

Fire Scruffs are based on Red Ferns, which we have an abundance of during the summer in certain areas where I'm from.

Red-haired witches being some of the more powerful witches springs from the movie _Mary and the Witch's Flower_

The Fly-by-Night Flower also comes from _Mary and the Witch's Flower._

Special Someone is a half-reference to the anime _Noragami._

Yuya's moving origami, is a reference to several movies including: _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away._

The idea of the fly-by-night flower being used by mortals during October comes from the belief that October is the month where the veil between the spirit realm and the world of the living is very thin, and even non-existent on Halloween, so a mortal having magic one night, wouldn't be that big of a deal.


	24. Chapter 24: Friendly Foes

Chapter 24: Friendly Foes

 **{Rooftops of Maiami City: July 8** **th** **, 2014, 10:07pm}**

Yuto took in a deep breath as he looked around the city, finding himself becoming rather fidgety lately when it came to the situation he and Shay had gotten themselves involved in. Of all the things they could have ended up getting mixed up in during a war, siding with the son of the monster who had started the invasion of the Xyz Zone, and caused the death of so many of their loved ones, had not been on that list. The lilac-and-black-haired teenager flopped back on the rooftop of the building he was on, looking up at the brilliant moon and the stars that glittered across the satin midnight blanket across the sky. Gray eyes took in the sight of the clear night sky, something he hadn't seen in well over a year as he thought of the situations that had presented themselves recently.

"I wish you were here… Ruri… you'd know what to say about this mess…" he muttered.

" _You can handle it… just take a deep breath and keep moving, just walk forward with the courage of a dragon in your heart…"_ the fourteen-year-old looked around himself, confused by the voice he heard before sighing as he placed a hand over his heart, feeling it beat under his fingers.

"Yuto? You awake?" asked Shay.

"Uhuh… just thinking is all…" the blue-haired teenager sat down, the rattle of plastic catching his attention as he glanced to see the other sitting down a small bag from a convenience store.

"About what?" Shay questioned as he reached into the bag and grabbed a water bottle.

"How the others are doing… about Ruri… and about this entire mess we've gotten involved in here." The other sighed.

"Joining the Lancers and entering the Arc League Championships wasn't part of our original plan, but you did say joining them and forming a team to get Ruri safely home was the way we might have to do things, so, here we are," Shay mentioned.

"I know… it doesn't change the fact that I'm worried…" the blue-haired sixteen-year-old hummed.

"You're not the only one, believe me. However, I think it's pretty apparent that we've got no choice." Yuto huffed.

"Do you get the feeling that something's going on?" he questioned as he picked up his pendulum crystal, watching it sway to and fro on the black chord it was on, the purple stone seeming to glow in the night.

"There's a lot going on that we don't get, but we're trying, that's what's important. But, if you want my honest opinion… that kid that looks like you kinda gives me the creeps." Yuto eyed him.

"Yuya from what I've gathered is different from me… he's not a black magic user… something about him is…" Shay gave him a long look.

"Off? Unnatural? Different? Interesting?" he suggested several options and Yuto only sighed.

"Pure… there's something about the energy around him that's pristine, innocent like starlight," he told his friend.

"Like starlight huh? Maybe… I haven't been around the kid so I wouldn't know… have you?" the other nodded slowly.

"I've been close enough… we've never talked or anything… but when I was close to him, I could feel it radiate like the sun… he was so different from me… his magic is pure and bright, innocent like a child's magic… but it's also… powerful…" Shay rolled his eyes.

"You're making me want to meet this guy, so I can see what you're talking about. Something about this kid's got you curious, which is saying something seeing as you don't really get curious about other witches," he mentioned.

"I know, but something about him is making me feel like I know him… or that we're similar somehow…" Shay laughed a bit.

"Maybe you two have a celestial bond, witches can have those and never met. Fire twins are like that, they're drawn to one another but have no actual relation or may have never even crossed paths," he told the other.

"Yea, maybe your right… anyways, I think joining the Lancers is going to be an adjustment, but it's probably for the best…" Shay nodded.

"Most likely, now, sit up and eat something. Our boss doesn't want you skipping meals, he says having all your energy is the only way you can do what you need to," he stated as Yuto sat up and was handed a few items before he sighed.

"Calling him that is also going to take some getting used to…" the other took a bite of his meal.

"You said it."

The two of them sat on the roof, eating in silence, thinking about the situation at hand, knowing that as time went on and they worked towards their goals, the battle would become tougher and far more dangerous than any of the ones they'd faced thus far. However, this time, they appeared to have a vast amount of allies on their side, many of which, could do things that several of their others could not. In truth though, only time would tell if these choices were wise or not.

 **{You Show Duel School: July 9** **th** **, 2014, 9:02am}**

"Okay, this is starting to get ridiculous, and I'm not talking about the spell," Yuya admitted as he stood in the main office area of the You Show Duel School, completely alone.

Waking up that morning, Yuya had sensed something was off, but he had hoped that by some chance, it was just his nerves. If he lost this Duel, it would be curtains for him getting into the championships. However, when he'd come down stairs, his mother and Sora were nowhere in sight, and even when he looked through the whole house, not a soul was present, not even Florence and Niknak. He had then proceeded to the school, hoping to deal with the others and get to his final Duel after seeing them, but it had resulted in the same situation he had encountered at home: not a soul was present. Another huff left him and he looked at the clock, knowing that he would have to leave soon.

"You have got to be kidding me…" he muttered.

"Are you alright my boy?" scarlet eyes turned to the appearance of one Nico Smiley as he frowned.

"Oh look, someone apparated into existence, that's nice," Yuya stated in a surly tone.

"Now, now, no need to get testy. I'm here to pick you up for your last Duel." The manager eyed Yuya who crossed his arms over his chest.

"You wouldn't have something to do with everyone disappearing, would you?" he inquired.

"Why on earth would you think that my boy? Now, we must hurry, or you'll be late!"

Nico had pushed him out the door and into an awaiting car before Yuya could do anything to protest. The entire ride, his magic was crackling across his skin in a way that almost made him look as though he was emitting electrical sparks like a Pikachu. Nico had kept his distance; however, Yuya could only keep a glare on his features as he watched the man, knowing that he had something to do with this fine mess he had found himself in. As they drove, Nico eyed the young man across from him in consideration, knowing that it had been a few days since he had seen him last, and hoping that his plans went well for the days to come.

This was the first time that Nico had ever become the manager of someone so unique. Having a young, talented, spirited, and powerful Duelist such as Yuya as his client was a dream come true for any Duel Manager; however, to learn that this boy was also a witch, had become a whole new level of excitement for the man. Not only was Yuya a thrilling and fresh talent, the inventor of Pendulum Summoning, but a clearly powerful witch. Nico sighed, his mind thinking of how strong the boy most certainly was even though he did not know the limits of his own power.

Once more, Nico eyed the boy, seeing him dressed in his normal attire, but a rather apparent expression of distrust clear on his face, his scarlet eyes seeming to glow just a fraction as his body radiated a force unlike one Nico had ever felt before. Yuya sat there, his magical aura pulsing like a heartbeat, the energy sweet and powerful, something akin to a rush of wild wind during the beginnings of a storm, but it carried all the coolness of a river, the strength of earth, and the ferocity of an open fire. The manager swallowed around the lump in his throat, knowing that Yuya was clearly aware he was scheming and wasn't pleased with it.

" _I should have known trying to deceive a witch would be difficult, Yoko wasn't convinced by my attempts to dance around the suggestion either… apparently the Sakaki family members can read others like an open book… or perhaps I'm just obvious…"_ Yuya rose an eyebrow, one leg crossed over the other, arms still folded across his chest.

"You're obvious, you know?" he inquired.

"What do you mean by that my boy?" Yuya sighed.

"It's pretty clear to me that you've created some kind of scheme to test me again… that's why everyone else is missing… you told them not to be around me…" Nico wilted slightly.

"My, how preceptive of you… no, they won't be attending today," he stated.

"And whose my opponent? Or are you going to spring it on me like the others?" Nico smiled.

"I thought that a surprise would be good, sticking with my themes and all," he admitted.

" _I adore this boy, he's far more cunning than people would perceive him to be… but by mercy… he can be remarkably unsettling when the mood strikes him…"_ Nico thought.

"Fine… I'll play along…" the manager sighed in relief.

"Good, I wanted to test your merits further. The lesson I have in mind, is one that as a pro, I believe you will benefit from most," Nico told him.

"And that would be?" the man gave him a clear look.

"Let's see you put that mind of yours to work Yuya my boy, I want to see the answer you come up with alone," he stated as the scarlet-eyed boy took in a deep breath.

"O-Okay…" a slight look of discomfort came onto his features.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Nico assured him.

However, everything wasn't fine. The moment they were dropped off in front of the place where the last qualifying Duel was to be held, Yuya found himself caught up in a mixture of emotions. The location was the Gongenzaka Dojo, the place that was presided over by his best friend's father, and where Yuya's intuition told him he would be dealing with one of his hardest Duels yet. Taking in a deep breath, Yuya went up the stairs with Nico leading the way, only for them to a moment later be at the entrance and standing in the courtyard. Many of the disciples of the Dojo stood present, watching him as he stepped forward, knowing good and well that he was here for a duel to decide if he was going to be heading on to the championships or not.

Yuya wanted to find a way to kid himself into believing that he wouldn't be facing what he deep down knew he would be; however, he knew trying to do such a thing would not help him. Taking in a deep breath, the scarlet-eyed fourteen-year-old looked towards the entrance of the main building, a towering, and grand traditional structure that always made him a little uncomfortable when he saw it. Then, as he stood there the door swung wide and the man known as Sensei Gongenzaka, his friend's father stepped forward. He was a slightly short but stout man with long gray hair, wide, and somewhat long eyebrows, a large nose and a strong voice. The man was always adorned in dark colored traditional Japanese garments, wore the same metal sandals that his son wore and had an air of supremacy and power about him in the same way warriors of old would.

" _If this is about to go the way I think it is… I'm in serious trouble,"_ Yuya thought.

"So, here you stand Yuya Sakaki… prepared to take on one of my pupils," Sensei Gongenzaka stated.

"Y-Yes sir!" he tensed, not believing that he felt so meek in the presence of the same man who was always so kind to him.

"I hear from my son that you possess a sort of contract with the Gods… the power of a sorcerer, is this true?" he questioned.

"Um… well I…" the man narrowed his gaze.

"Speak up Yuya Sakaki! Answer me here and now! Are you a witch?!" the others in the dojo began to whisper as Yuya swallowed around the knot in his throat.

"I-I am!" Yuya closed his eyes, hearing the mutterings of those around him.

"He admitted it…"

"I can't believe he outright said it!"

"Does that mean he can be trusted to conduct this duel with honor?"

"What if he were to use his witchery to deceive us? is this wise?"

"Maybe it would be best if he wasn't allowed to compete. There is no certainty that he wouldn't do something to gain an advantage…" Yuya found himself tensing, his magical aura crackling again, showing off in crimson sparks that seemed to appear around his form as the Sensei of the Dojo looked him over.

" _His power is so great that it's manifested itself… remarkable…"_ the Senior Gongenzaka thought.

"I'M NOT A DECIEVER!" Yuya shouted despite his efforts, silencing those around him.

"And how do we know that you won't use your magic to win?" the doors of the dojo swung open with a might boom at the question, scarlet eyes looking up to see his long-time friend standing beside his father.

"Yuya is not the type of person who would dare to use his magic as an advantage. He has a gift, but he is not someone who conspires to use it against others in such a manner," Gongenzaka stated as he started down the stairs.

"Gongen – "the older gave him a stern look, the smile on Yuya's face fading as he found himself in fear of what he was sensing.

"However, I will say this! You must show me your honor! Yuya! As a witch, you possess power that I do not! But you are also a warrior, and today, I challenge you not as your friend… but as your rival!" Gongenzaka declared as he pointed to the smaller boy who jolted.

"D-Duel you? We've dueled hundreds of times, I don't see how this is – "the other looked to him.

"Do you plan on running? Yuya, you will face me! I am your opponent, and you will battle me, and win, or do so and lose!" the boy bit his lip, his magic reigning inside him, swirling to the point that he felt sick.

" _Fight my best friend? With the chance that either of us could lose the chance to enter the tournament? I know it probably seems trivial… but… Gongenzaka is my friend… I don't want to face him like this…"_ Yuya looked down.

"My boy, your opponent is waiting," Nico told him as the red-green-haired boy shook his head.

"I don't want to fight you, Gongenzaka…" the other glared.

"Am I not enough of an opponent for you? All of these years, you have required my help… now I am expecting you to stand upon your own two feet, and you wish to back down? Yuya… don't tell me that now that I know who you really are, you have lost the courage to fight!" he said as the boy took in a deep breath.

"It's not that I just… don't want to hurt you…" the ground-shaking noise of Gongenzaka's footsteps came to him and scarlet eyes met dark brown ones.

"You should never be afraid to hurt your opponent, no matter who they may be. Sometimes, it's necessary. Now, will you fight me? Or will you run away?" Yuya glanced to the side.

" _I'm a witch, I'm a Duelist, I'm a member of the You Show Duel School, I'm Yusho Sakaki's son… I'm strong, but weak… and I've had to face a lot of hardships… but if I can come out over these problems… if I can survive so much…"_ scarlet eyes looked up to Gongenzaka, the color shining with an internal fire.

"I'm not running away from you, friend or not… I'm going to win," he stated sharply.

"Then come! Yuya!"

 **{Main Dojo: 11:00am}**

Yuya and Gongenzaka stood before one another, the action field Cemetery of Swords had been activated a few minutes ago, and Gongenzaka had already summoned out Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei, which had stalled Yuya's Performapal Silverclaw, a gray and white wolf with blue stars on it's cheeks, and long silver-metal claws. It was a trusted Duel Monster, just as it's brother Goldfang was; however, even with the power up effect it had gotten thanks to the Action Card _Extreme Sword_ , as well as the other action card he had gotten, atop Silverclaw's own power up: the beast couldn't withstand against the effect of Superheavy Samurai Soulfire Suit. It was a troubling situation, one that Yuya wasn't fond of. The duel had started off not only moments ago, and now, he was rushing about seeking out an action card in hopes of stalling the attack that was coming.

However, it failed epically. He dodged one attack, and was quickly shot down by another. Yuya yelped when he went tumbling across the ground, the rough dirt and stone surface causing scrapes and bruises as he sat up in a crouch and looked to Gongenzaka who prepared for the next round as Yuya began thinking of how to best deal with the situation at hand. Summoning out a stronger monster would be his best bet, but at current, he had nothing to really help him with that.

"Yuya is on the offensive while Gongenzaka is on the defensive… interesting," Nico muttered.

"Naturally, Yuya has all the aggression and fire in his soul and heart of a wild animal and it shows in his prowess and determination in his strategies… however, the primary fighting style of our dojo, is to maintain a steadfast stance, regardless of how much the opponent moves about. My son won't move, he will fight in the same way that we always have, with a steady mind and a strong will." Gongenzaka looked to his friend who was still crouched on the ground.

" _I see it within him… the wild stir of wind, the ease of the river, the stoutness of the earth, and the untamable strength of flames… this is the side of him that has been built back up through all of our time together, all of the times I supported him… but now, he must show me this strength alone…"_ Gongenzaka thought.

"My turn! I draw! Next, I shall summon Superheavy Samurai Trumpeter! I will cast off this shell now and steel my heart to defeat you! Yuya! Now, I Tune Superheavy Samurai Trumpeter and the level eight Big Benkei!" he declared.

"A… Synchro Summon?" Gongenzaka looked into Yuya's eyes, seeing surprise evident there.

" _Raging deity, in unison with the roar of a thousand blades! Appear now in a spiraling sandstorm!_ Now come before us! the Level ten! Superheavy Samurai Warlord Susano-o!" Yuya slowly came to his feet, staring at the sight in disbelief.

"Well then, thirty-eight hundred defense points, that monster of a machine won't be going anywhere anytime soon," Nico stated as Sensei Gongenzaka scowled.

"From here Yuya! The real match begins! Are you prepared?" the boy swallowed nervously.

"STOP! THIS MATCH IS FORFEIT!" all eyes went to Sensei Gongenzaka who stared onward with a glare upon his face.

"What are you talking about?" the man looked to his son.

"You have forfeit this match! Our technique in Dueling means that we must always have an immovable spirit, as though we are a mountain! Stealing techniques from other schools in order to win or prove a point does nothing but erode that mountain… you lost the moment you did such a thing!" Yuya tensed once again, while above in a loft, Yoko, Shuzo, Yuzu, Tate, Allie, Frederic, and Sora were watching the Duel in concern, hoping deeply that the situation didn't spiral out of hand.

"Father, I did not steal this technique; however, I did request aid on how to learn it. To become stronger, and to bring a new horizon into the steadfast method we have taught," Gongenzaka stated.

"You're talking about Yaiba, aren't you? Why the hell would you learn a summoning method from someone who put us through so much?!" the other looked to him.

"It's simple: even enemies have something to teach us, about ourselves and how to become stronger. If there is a need to learn, then I will do so… even from enemies," he explained.

"Gongenzaka…" Sensei Gongenzaka sat down.

"Are you certain of this?" the younger nodded.

"Dueling evolves every day, Yuya's invention of Pendulum Summoning emphasizes that fact more than anything. It is necessary for even our steadfast Dueling methods to evolve and catch up so not to be left behind. If you wish to see proof, witness my methods and decide them for yourself! Now, Superheavy Samurai Warlord Susano-o can attack while in defense position, using its defense as attack points! Now, Susano-o attack Silverclaw! Naiganta Slash!" Yuya acted quickly whistling for Silverclaw to come to him and jumping on the wolf's back before he raced for the nearest Action card, being thankful that he got to it just as the attack was coming to them.

"I activate the Action Spell Evasion!" Yuya called as the attack missed him and Silverclaw by just a fraction.

"Unfortunately, when Susano-o is on the field, and I possess no spell or trap cards within my Graveyard, I can pay five-hundred Life Points to activate a spell card from my opponent's graveyard!" Gongenzaka's Life Points dropped to thirty-five hundred, and his Duel Disk glowed red as the Action Spell Over Sword came from Yuya's graveyard, somewhat startling the onlookers as Yuya hissed a bit, not liking where this was going.

" _Over Sword has the ability to increase a Monster's attack points by five-hundred points… but it has another effect…"_

"I use the second effect of Over Sword to prevent Susano-o's attack from being negated! Now go! Naiganta Slash!" Yuya tensed, forming an air shield around himself as the attack struck, destroying Silverclaw in the process.

Despite the wind shield spell he had cast, Yuya was still thrown across the ground, but to make matters worse, it didn't end there as the spell shattered and he went slamming into one of the upturned rocks, knocking the air from his lungs as his Life Points dropped down to two-thousand. Gongenzaka looked to him, noticing that the boy was coughing as he got on his hands and knees.

"I end my turn," Gongenzaka said as he watched Yuya who coughed again.

"Shit…" Yuya put his hand over his mouth, another cough leaving him as he slowly stood removing his hand from it's place on his mouth as a line of blood was revealed trailing down the corner of his lip.

In the loft above them Yuzu tensed along with the others, knowing that Yuya was hurt, but not being able to do much as the boy brushed his arm across his mouth and took in a steadying breath, knowing that while he was bruised, and there was some pain, he wasn't worried about it. Yuya smiled towards Gongenzaka, just as Nico began praising taller teenager on his knowledge of Action Cards and Synchro Monsters. The scarlet-eyed boy took a few steps forward, wobbling a bit from the impact still.

"I gotta admit, its impressive how quick you've learned how to Synchro Summon, Gongenzaka," Yuya said.

"This is to defeat you, and bring forth a new era of strength to steadfast dueling." The young witch merely smiled a bit, looking to his friend.

"To bad for you that I can't afford to lose. My turn! I draw!" Yuya declared as he looked at his hand.

" _Okay, I have Stargazer Magician, and I also have Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon in my hand. If I could Fusion summon out of the Pendulum Summon, then I can win this. Let's see… Empty Fishing… Lizardraw, and Camelump… I know I don't have polymerization anymore… but I do have one card that I can use… okay here goes…"_

"I'm going to use Scale Two Performapal Camelump, and the Scale Six Performapal Lizardraw to se the Pendulum Scales! This means I can summon monsters levels three through five! _Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw and Arc of light across the sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Appear now my loyal monsters!" everyone watched as Stargazer magician appeared from his hand, and the extra deck spat out Performapal Silverclaw, returning him to the field in Defense position. Yuya stood before Gongenzaka, his monsters in Defense in order to tighten his defenses for the time being.

"You won't win by making a wall, Yuya," Gongenzaka stated.

"I know, but don't worry…" the other sighed.

"It won't matter, you're out of time! I draw! Next, I summon Superheavy Samurai Soulpiercer! I'll now activate its effect and equip it to Susano-o, with this, my Warlord will inflict piercing damage! And I will be attacking your Silverclaw!" Yuya tensed.

He knew, in an instant that if the attack went through he would lose. Silverclaw on possessed seven-hundred defense points; therefore, if he took the attack from Susano-o who stood at thirty-eight-hundred defense points, he would take thirty-one-hundred points worth of damage. Seeing as he had two-thousand Life Points left, it would be instant death. He took in a deep breath, knowing what he would have to do.

"Susano-o! attack Performapal Silverclaw! Soulpiercer! Fire!" Gongenzaka shouted as the Monster obeyed and the attack went flying, an arrow launching from the bow equipped to Susano-o's arm as Yuya leapt into the air, using a small air spell to shoot him forward, allowing him to dodge the wave of the blast he would have been struck with as he snagged an Action Card.

"I play the action card Miracle! Silverclaw is safe!" Yuya responded as he went sliding across the ground, being thrown back as he hit the stones behind him with a painful smack while his Life Points dropped to four-hundred-and-fifty.

" _That really hurt… and I've only got two cards in my hands… I guess I'm going to have to rely on the heart of the cards for this next draw…"_ Yuya thought as he stood.

"Man, you sure are strong Gongenzaka," he admitted.

"Are you forfeiting?" the scarlet-eyed witch laughed rotating his shoulder a bit.

"If I was going to surrender, I'd just let you land the finishing blow… but I'm not going to… if I lose, I'm going to have done so knowing that I gave it my all! I draw!" Yuya declared.

" _This will decide the match,"_ Yuzu thought as Yuya looked at his card.

"I see what you're doing, alright then! I summon Performapal Hip Hippo! Then, I activate his effect, allowing him to be used as a double tribute for a level seven or higher monster! Now come forth! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" he called out as Odd-Eyes came to the field, roaring in protest of his master being attacked as Gongenzaka felt the energy radiate off the dragon, causing his eyes to widen.

" _The power coming from Odd-Eyes is intense… I can feel that he's angry… this match is about to get more difficult…"_ Gongenzaka steadied himself.

"Odd-Eyes still cannot defeat Susano-o!" he stated.

"I know… I activate the Pendulum effect of Performapal Lizardraw! By returning him to the deck, I can draw a card!" they watched as the lizard bowed out, vanishing from the pendulum pillar as Yuya drew his card and looked at it as it gleamed a gold shade.

" _Witchy!"_ Yuya heard the voice of the Monster in his mind and nodded.

"I then reset my scale and set the Scale Four Performapal Trump Witch!" the group watching gaped as Gongenzaka frowned.

"Your wasting your time, even if you reset your scales, I know you can only Pendulum Summon once per turn!" he stated as Yuya smirked.

"Indeed that is true, but before you dismiss me, remember that witches work well together…" Gongenzaka rose an eyebrow.

"What are you –" Yuya looked forward.

"I activate the pendulum effect of Trump Witch! Once per turn, I can use monsters on my field for Fusion Materials, and Fusion Summon, without Polymerization!" Sora grinned excitedly as he looked at the other as he saw Gongenzaka flinch.

"That means…" Yuya nodded.

"I fuse Stargazer Magician and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! _That which controls mysterious power! Become the dazzling light dwelling within the eyes of the Dragon! Fusion Summon!_ Come forth, Dragon of Heavenly Magic, versed in the secret arcane arts! _Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!_ " the dragon that defeated Aura, roared as it stood before Gongenzaka, it's runic eye glowing yellow as it bared it's razor sharp teeth. Yuya leapt onto the back of his Dragon, pulling on his goggles as he declared his battle phase.

"Battle! Rune-Eyes! Attack Susano-o!" Gongenzaka felt his jaw slack.

"You can't defeat Susano-o!" he declared.

"I activate Camelump's Pendulum Effect! I use it on Susano-o to reduce his defense by eight-hundred… in addition, this will allow Rune-Eyes to inflict piercing battle damage!" Camelump blew a bubble towards Susano-o which when it popped dropped the Machine's defense down to three-thousand.

"Now, Rune-Eyes! Attack! _Shiny Burst!"_

"It's pointless! Susano-o won't budge to your Dragon's attack! Their equal!" Yuya smirked.

"Did you already forget that Rune-Eyes can attack three times thanks to Stargazer's level being five?! Camelump's effect activates again!" Gongenzaka went slightly white as the monster's defense went down to twenty-two-hundred.

"I pay five-hundred life points to use Susano-o's effect! I activate Evasion from your Graveyard, and Susano-o doesn't lose any defense points!" Gongenzaka stated.  
"THAT'S MY BOY! REMAIN STEADFAST!" Yuya smirked.

"It's not over yet! Camelump! Use your effect once more! Rune-Eyes! Attack with Spiral Sky Shot!" In that instant, Susano-o fell, and Gongenzaka's Life Points depleted to twenty-two-hundred as he merely shook his head and sent Superheavy Samurai Soulbeads from his hand to the graveyard.

"I activate Soulbead's effect from my graveyard! It revives Susano-o in attack position!" Yuya hissed.

"Splendid Recovery!" Sensei Gongenzaka applauded.

Yuya remained tensed as above in the loft Yuzu glared and stood to her feet, walking towards the door with Yoko right behind her. For a brief moment, the others paused, Sora sighing as he got up and followed the other two out only to be soon followed by Shuzo, Allie, Tate, and Frederic. The group of seven bounded down the stairs, and soon found themselves at the dojo, Nico gawking at them as the group watched, Yuya slid his goggles up, taking in a deep breath.

" _He's a wall… that's what Gongenzaka is… a huge wall barring my way… so the only choice I have…"_ Yuya looked forward.

"Is to break the wall down! Rune-Eyes! Move!" Yuya ordered his Dragon who roared, obeying as Gongenzaka watched Yuya race forward towards a tree where an Action Card had been caught in the branches. The group watched as he started towards the chasm where the tree was adjacent to, forcing Gongenzaka to take a step forward for the first time in the entire Duel.

"Yuya! You won't make that jump!" he called.

"I'm surpassing any limits I've been given. I'm done lying to the side and being trampled by others!"

Everyone watched, terrified as Yuya jumped off Rune-Eyes' back mid jump and reached outwards, snagging the Action card with his finger tips just before he landed and rolled to a safe stop. The entire dojo heaved an apparent sigh of relief as he got into a crouch, Gongenzaka staring onward in disbelief at how far his friend had just gone in order to do this. Yuya took in a shaky breath, looking at the card in his hand.

" _He's changing… right in front of me he's losing the subservient demeanor he's had ever since we were little kids…"_ as the thought left his mind, Gongenzaka watched Yuya nod to himself.

"I send the Action Card Over Sword to the Graveyard, and I activate my trap! Danger Draw! This card allows me to draw a card; however, if it's a monster, I take damage equal to its attack points," he admitted.

"If he does that and it's a monster he'll lose!" Sora frowned.

"Something tells me Yuya knows what he's doing," he stated.

Yuya placed his hand on his deck, preparing to draw the last card that would decide what would happen next. As he did so, a light formed within his pendulum crystal, glowing like a star as he kept his mind focused and drew the last card he knew he would be drawing in this Duel. Scarlet eyes glanced down at the card, and a smirk appeared upon his features as he looked forward. It was as he did this that the image of a golden, wolf-like eye appeared within his mind and he nodded once more, not needing a single word to know what needed to be done.

"I activate the spell card Big Return! This allows me to reuse a _once per turn_ effect on my field. I choose to reuse Trump Witch's Pendulum effect! Now, go! I Fuse together Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Performapal Silverclaw!" the group watched as Yuya called for the monsters to fuse, light shining as he took in a breath.

" _Oh, prideful King of the wilderness, the song of the full moon! Become one with the Dragon of the heavenly arcane arts and birth a creature of the celestial earth! Fusion Summon!_ Ferocious dragon with luminous feral eyes! _Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"_ the feral looking dragon covered in patches of fur, bearing bone-line horns, wolf-like claws and a heart-stopping golden eye of a wolf gave a howl-like roar as Yuya jumped atop Beast-Eyes and looked to Susano-o.

"Now! Beast-Eyes! Attack Susano-o! _Blazing Spiral Storm!"_ Gongenzaka covered his eyes as fire erupted from the dragon's maw, Susano-o being destroyed in the blink of an eye, resulting in his Life Points dropping to sixteen-hundred.

"That boy… he just keeps surprising me," Nico mentioned.

"I'm still in this Duel Yuya!" Gongenzaka declared this and Yuya gave him a coy smirk, his eyes gleaming much like his dragon's.

"No, you aren't! I activate Beast-Eyes' effect: when it destroys a monster in battle, it can inflict damage to his opponent equal to the attack of the Beast-Type monster that was used as it's Fusion material. My Silverclaw had eighteen-hundred attack points. So, this Duel is finished! _Midnight Roar!_ " a blast came from the dragon, hitting Gongenzaka, knocking his Life Points to zero, and ending the Duel.

Yuya sighed in relief as the Duel ended, and he was back on his own feet, giving Beast-Eyes a smile as the Dragon vanished, and he steadied himself, feeling a sudden drain from something as he heard people moving towards him and he looked up to see Yuzu, Sora, Allie, Tate, and Frederic racing towards him, the three children getting to him first, nearly knocking him off his feat in the process.

"How long have you guys been here?" he asked.

"Since the start, Nico wanted us to hide, so we watched in secret." Yoko came towards her son, smiling.

"You have to win when you're the away team, remember? Nico thought this would be a good chance to see how you would do under that kind of pressure," she told him.

"I hope I passed…" Shuzo came flying over, startling Yuya somewhat.

"That was marvelous! You were on fire, hot-blooded!" Sora chuckled as Shuzo continued to fawn, being threatened by his daughter and the fan she always seemed to pull from nowhere.

"I gotta say, I was impressed. I never thought you'd find a way to Fusion summon out of a Pendulum effect," he admitted.

"Honestly, I almost forgot about Trump Witch… I'm glad I recalled her now, or this would have turned out differently." Yuzu smiled.

"Congratulations, Yuya… you did it," she kept her gaze on him and he returned her smile.

"Thanks, Yuzu…" a sudden sound of footsteps caught his attention as Yuya looked to Gongenzaka.

"Yuya…" the scarlet-eyed boy tensed.

"I'm sorry… because I won, you won't be able to enter the tournament," he stated.

"Don't worry, I've got a week still; therefore, I the might Gongenzaka shall enter this tournament and show all who watch the steadfast method of this dojo!" Yuya laughed a bit.

"I can't ever get your spirits down to far, huh?" Gongenzaka smiled.

"Never, and I am pleased to see such fire within you, Yuya…" the giant of a teenager held his hand out, and Yuya accepted it as Shuzo began to bawl.

"Such a strong friendship between men!" Yuya gave him a long look and Yuzu swatted her father with her fan.

"Hush! Your ruining the moment!" she declared as Sensei Gongenzaka teared up, smiling broadly to his son.

"They're both splendid Duelists, and my boy fought hard and well!" Yuya laughed as Gongenzaka wrapped his tiny friend in an embrace, causing the red-and-green-haired teenager to struggle to get free, calming his giant friend down as the other began bawling, spouting encouraging statements as Yuya tried to get lose. He'd always had a hard time when dealing with Gongenzaka's hugs, mainly because the teenager had a whopping two-and-a-half-feet over him, as well as several hundred pounds compared to his four-foot-eleven height, and his ninety-four-pound frame.

"G-Gongenzaka, I can't breathe!" Nico smiled, watching the scene.

" _I truly did choose the right Duelist, this boy is an incredible person, and I don't doubt that he'll become a professional that exceeds even his father. In the end, he'll become a first-rate star… shining and brilliant above the rest."_

 **{Leo Corp Tower: 4:20pm}**

Reiji Akaba took in a deep breath as he looked at the list of Duelists that he had in selection for the Lancers, and his attempts to corral them into the Arc League Championships. It would be the best grounds to test their merits, and he hoped that they all lived up to his expectations. As he thought over these details, the door of his office came in, a man by the name of Claude stepping forward as he turned his gaze to him.

"Yes? What is it Claude?" the man cleared his throat.

"Yuya Sakaki has cleared his last Duel, and he will be attending the Arc League Championships, just as you planned." Reiji smirked.

"That means all of the Duelists I've had my eyes on are accounted for. Who knows, now I might find some diamonds in the rough. Now, what of Julia, Hokuto, and Yaiba?" he inquired.

"Their memories have been fixed for the tournament. As far as they know Kisaragi and Obsidian have been LDS students since the beginning." Reiji nodded.

"Good, now… with Yuya secured, we can begin to decide who is truly able to become the lances capable of defending our world… who will ultimately be powerful enough to help Millennium recover from my father's subpar schemes?"

 **{…}**

 _Everything's about to change…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** The Duel between Yuya and Gongenzaka was always one I considered to be a turning point for them as friends. It's clear they were always close, but seeing Yuya grow stronger and bolder in that Duel, Gongenzaka realized that he didn't need to be protected anymore, instead, Yuya could just be his friend, not someone he had to act as a bodyguard towards. It was a really funny moment also, that Yuya was struggling to get away from Gongenzaka when he was hugged. I always noticed that Yuya was rather small, but next to Gongenzaka he looks _tiny_ and kind of fragile… I've learned with Yu-Gi-Oh! Characters, especially the main boys, to never let that fool me. Well, tell me what you guys think, and I'll look for your reviews!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Yuto's pendulum crystal is a dark colored version of Yuya's own. It's also got a lot to do with the story, so pay attention to it when it acts up.

Yuya being stated as pure or innocent stems from a few factors that will be revealed later on.

Pikachu is referenced by name in this chapter.

Sensei is Japanese for master or teacher.

Gongenzaka letting his father know about Yuya being a witch was cleared by Yoko, who was fine with him knowing seeing as he's known Yuya for so long.

Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon is the second Fusion Monster that you see Yuya use in the anime. Woof.

Performapal Trump Witch's effect is actually different from the anime. The actual prints read: Pendulum: _You can tribute this card; add 1 Polymerization from your deck or graveyard to your hand._ Card: _Once per turn: you can Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your extra deck, using monsters you control as Fusion materials._ In this case, you don't use polymerization, neat huh?


	25. Chapter 25: Before the Games

Chapter 25: Before the Games

 **{Sakaki Household: July 11** **th** **, 2014, 9:04am}**

Yuya prodded his food with his fork, thinking on what had transpired since he had started the duels to enter the Arc League Championships. Between meeting a celebrity chef, dealing with an arrogant perfectionist, meeting another witch who exposed his secret, and apparently fell in love with him in one fell-swoop, and finally having to duel his best friend for his place: Yuya was both exhausted, and excited. It was a strange feeling, looking forward to something, and being nervous at the same time. Sighing, the scarlet-eyed witch glanced to the side where Sora was eating breakfast with a pleased smile upon his face. Yoko turned as she watched Yuya who continued to prod his food and she frowned at the sight.

"Are you alright Yuya?" she asked.

"Hmm? Oh… yea, just kind of tired…" Sora looked to him.

"Well, you've had a lot happen over the last few days. Maybe you should just chill out, we have three more days before the tournament beings. If you're completely spent on the opening day, you won't stand a chance," he told him.

"I know… it's not just that… Leo Corp sent me a contract request…" Yoko stared.

"What kind of contract?" she inquired.

"Reiji Akaba wants me to come by either today or tomorrow and he wants to sit down and talk to me about a contract agreement for Leo Corp to officially distribute Pendulum Cards. Only here right now, but if they do well… then they'll put them out internationally." Sora beamed.

"That's amazing! That kind of offer is too good to pass up!" he exclaimed.

"I know… my problem is agreeing to it… from my hacking, I know that they've developed a few pendulum archetypes… Yosenju is one of them… and I have to approve them in the long run… but I wonder if… I'm doing the right thing by considering it." Yoko smiled.

"Yuya, I think it's a great opportunity. You're going to be given credit for something you've created… you'll be handling some business affairs and the like; however, this is something that personally would be good for you. It'd be a chance to get out from under your father's shadow, make a name for yourself as a Duelist and a creator of the Pendulum method," she stated.

"I guess so… if I do… it's gonna be a little weird seeing my picture in some places…" Sora grinned.

"More like everywhere… I mean, come on, you're gonna be super popular! But it's up to you. Honestly, I think this is an opportunity worth taking! Plus, you can make your own demands from Leo Corp, you know that Reiji Akaba would pay anything to get his hands on the cards," he pointed out.

"Um I… don't know if that's a good idea…" Yoko smiled.

"How about this, I'll go with you and let you do the talking. I've had a meeting with Reiji before not to long ago in fact, and he was very polite. I doubt he's going to push you into something, and just to be safe, I'll come as well. Now eat up and we'll go and deal with this now," she said.

"Alright, I guess I might as well hear him out…" Sora nodded.

"Right, I'm gonna go to the Duel School and get a little more practice in, see you two later!" with that the blue-haired teenager was gone, letting Yuya huff as he took a few bites of his meal.

"Are you sure your alright?" Yoko probed.

"Nervous… maybe even terrified, but I'm excited to do this… it's a step in the direction of being a pro," Yuya stated as he smiled.

"True. Hurry up, okay?" he nodded, returning to his meal.

 **{Leo Corp tower: 10:00am}**

Yuya stood in the elevator of the Leo Corp Tower with anxiety flooding his entire being. He felt slightly sick, concern bubbling up inside him as his mother kept a hand on his shoulder, knowing that he was nervous, and trying to assure him. It was as the elevator dinged, and the doors opened, that Yuya stepped forward, going towards Reiji Akaba's office with his heart hammering against his rib cage to the point that it almost hurt. Taking in a deep breath, Yuya reigned in his anxiety, and looked towards the office doors before pushing them open, his mother right behind him. As the doors swung shut, Reiji Akaba looked up from his task on his desk and smiled, standing as Yuya walked forward.

"Ah, Yuya, how nice of you to come. I'm glad that you accepted my invitation… and a hello to you Mrs. Sakaki, how are the two of you?" Reiji inquired.

"We're fine Mr. Akaba, we just wanted to hear your proposal about the Pendulum method." Yuya took a seat in front of the desk, Yoko sitting beside him as Reiji returned to his seat.

"Very well, as you know, the Arc League Championships are three days away, and now that Yuya has secured his position in the tournament, I was thinking this would be the finest moment to showcase your Pendulum Summons," he stated.

"Showcase them? What do you mean?" Yuya's voice did not quiver, his gaze was sharp, observant, and somewhat calculating. The energy the boy carried was everything Reiji anticipated it to be, and so, he merely smiled.

"I have developed several pendulum cards to be used during the Championships if you were to say yes. A few archetypes have been created, and only one set has been given out to a Duelist, I hope that the two of you Duel as it would be a magnificent showcase of the power of Pendulum Summoning. Atop this, if you were to agree, you would be fully credited with everything done through the Leo Corp concerning pendulum cards," Reiji clarified.

"And if I were to refuse?" the silver-haired seventeen-year-old sighed.

"Yuya, I have no intention of usurping you. Even if I were to distribute my own pendulum cards, I would always credit you with the creation of them first-hand. What I am hoping to do though, is have you be the one to promote them with our support, and during the Arc League Championships, have them showcased, have people know that you were the one to create this new method, and to integrate it as part of the finale of the tournament," he stated.

"That seems fair, as for the contract though…" Reiji nodded.

"Fifty percent evenly divided for both parties. Once the mechanic takes off, we will be able to expand upon the purchases of these cards, and you will be given a larger sum at that point. Promotion will be approved by you, and Leo Corp will only agree to additional deals pertaining to the Pendulum method once you have agreed to them as well," he explained as Yoko hummed.

"So, in other words, everything goes through Yuya and myself for approval before being issued out to the masses?" Reiji tilted his head.

"Precisely, I have no intention of making this a fight for this method, nor do I intend on taking it from your son. Instead, I desire to have you flourish from this, allow the You Show Duel School to fair better, and so much more. All I ask, is that you agree to the terms I have informed you of," he stated.

"And what do you receive?" Reiji looked to Yuya.

"Fifty percent of the profits, Leo Duel School will be the second school to host the method that will be taught by students who have managed to learn how to summon Fusions through Xyz, following your method, would be Link Summoning, of course. In addition, we would ask Yuya to be our promoter, aided by us he would travel, showcasing Pendulum Summoning, the task of being both a pro and a creator," Reiji said simply.

Yuya thought of the information, anxiety rushing through him as he considered what his choices were. On the one hand, he could ignore the offer, and Leo Corp would still produce their own Pendulum Cards, and while Reiji Akaba said he would credit Yuya with the creation, he didn't quite trust the word of a business man. With that in mind, he glanced to his mother, and she nodded, giving him the all clear before he turned to look at Reiji with a calm expression upon his features.

"Alright, I agree to sign the contract, so long as you can provide a copy and uphold to it… in addition, I have two requirements that have to be met," Yuya stated.

"And what would they be?" the scarlet-eyed witch looked to him.

"That if at any point something within the agreement of the contract is voided, Leo Corp stops production of the Pendulum Cards, and also, the cards need to be made for as many types as possible, so there's a broad availability, so that way if someone wishes to use them, they don't have to worry about altering their deck too much," Yuya stated.

"Simple, but reasonable. Very well, I will see to it. Here's the contract."

Yoko looked it over quickly, and then they proceeded to fill out the contract, gained their own personal copy, and bade Reiji Akaba adieu before returning home as Yuya slumped in the front seat, taking in a deep breath as he began to relax just a fraction. It had been stressful, but some part of him was happy that he had done it. Yoko had been pleased with the contract, and once everything was signed and finished, it didn't feel as intimidating as it had when he'd first walked into the room. Yuya closed his eyes, rolling the window down as Yoko started the car and they drove away, the wind ruffling his hair a bit as he let it come in through the window.

As they drove home, Yuya considered the fact that thus far, things were going fairly well for the first time in quite a while. True there had been many bumps and bruises along the way, but for some reason, everything felt as though it was going how it was supposed to. A small smile came to his features as Yoko shook her head, thinking of how simple everything had turned out to be thus far. Yuya was growing as a person, his skills as a witch excelling further, his powers had become remarkable over the last few months, and his courage as well as his belief in himself, had grown as well. Yoko looked to him out of the corner of her eye, being almost unable to believe how much he had grown.

However, her task still remained ahead of her. She needed to tell Yuya the truth, and it wasn't just because of a promise she'd made; it was because his magic was growing stronger every day, to the point that she could sense it, and in addition to that, she knew that Yuya would be facing greater troubles as the days continued. Reiji Akaba had begun to form the Lancers, and he wanted Yuya at the head of that spear, not only for his skills as a Duelist, but because of his powers as a witch. He knew how strong Yuya was, and how powerful he would become. Nonetheless, Yoko was well aware that if Yuya wasn't told the truth by her, and it came out later, then his doubt would return, choking his magic and making in vulnerable when he least needed to be.

" _When should I do this though? There's so much going on, and stressing him out won't help his performance at the Championships, not to mention now Reiji Akaba wants him to showcase his Pendulum Summoning, and if he's concerned about that, Yuya won't perform well… so now I have to find out when to tell him… hmm… I know… I'll wait until the end of the tournament, that's what'll be best. After its over, I'll let him know…"_

 **{You Show Duel School: 1:03pm}**

"I'm fusing Solo the Melodious Diva and Sonata the Melodious Diva to Fusion Summon! _Oh, sweet song of the world, guided by the maestro's hand, resonate with a new melody! Fusion Summon!_ Come forward! Shuberta, the Melodious Maestra!" Yuzu chanted as the red-haired, green skinned monster appeared, her baton at the ready, the red-black-gold-and-white dress flowing around her as she laughed just a fraction.

"Alright! You did it Yuzu!" Sora cheered as the pink-haired girl sighed in relief.

"I was so worried about that…" she admitted.

"You've got it now, congratulations!" Yuzu smiled.

"Well, now all I have to do is stay focused on the task at hand," she stated.

"And don't forget about what comes after you walk away from the tournament as a finalist!" Yuzu shot Sora a long look.

"I remember, don't pester me about it! Now, I have to just remember how to do what you taught me, and I'll be fine. Julia! Your going down!" Yuzu declared.

"Then maybe you'd like an extra hand?" the pink-haired girl turned to where the door was to the dueling area and smiled.

"Yuya! Hey! How did it go?" she asked as Yuya walked over to her, a weary smile on his face.

"It went okay. Reiji and I came to an agreement on the Pendulum Method, and it's going to be showcased a bit at the tournament, and it'll have some part to play in the finale." Sora jumped into the air.

"Yes! This is gonna be so cool!" he cheered.

"So, how goes the training?" Yuzu smiled.

"It's going good. I've finally got the hang of the Summoning Mechanic," she stated.

"That's good to hear…" Yuzu rose an eyebrow.

"Yuya, what did you mean when you came in about having an extra hand?" she inquired, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I thought you'd like to have these…" Yuya held out a small envelope.

"What are these?" Yuya smiled a bit.

"Take a look." Sora came over to Yuzu as she pulled the envelope open and looked inside.

Within the white folds of paper, were three cards, fusion monsters that Yuzu had looked at before, but had never considered owning. The first, was a level seven fairy-type monster with blue curled hair, a pair of blue flowers on either shoulder, and a yellow-blue ballgown. The background was pale whites, purples, pinks, and blues, revealing to her that it was indeed one of the cards she had looked at several weeks ago: Bloom Prima the Melodious Choir. The next card was an opaque fair of pale blues, whites, silvers, and pinks, wearing a floral gown of elegance, her hair done up with two petals and her eyes a complete lace-blue shade. This was the level six Fusion monster Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir.

The final card in the bunch, was a level eight Fusion Monster, that required a Fusion Monster, and one effect monster. They had to both be the same type, and attribute. The card showed an elegant white dragon with floral petals as wings, its horns adorned with bloom cherry blossoms and its scales shined with pale rainbow fuses while it's claws appeared to be made of smoothed pearls. It was a beautiful dragon, graceful and powerful, carrying four-thousand attack points, and twenty-eight-hundred defense points, this was the Dragon of the Melodious archetype: Tchaikovska the Melodic Dragon.

"Yuya… how did you get a hold of these?" Yuzu asked.

"It took a while, they were supposed to be birthday presents for you, but the Dragon took a long time to track down, so I figured these would be… good luck charms for you during the tournament…" Sora gawked.

"That's one hell of a good luck charm! Who did you have to blackmail to get your hands on that Dragon? She's really rare," he stated. Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"I had mom call a friend, and he just so happened to have it." Yuzu looked to him.

"Then it must have cost you so much…" the red-green-haired boy shook his head.

"Actually, no. It was a gift… the owner said he had the card for years, and it never sold, plus he loves nurturing new Duelists, so he sent me the card and told me to take care of it, and make sure it got to and I quote: _my lovely girlfriend._ " Yuzu looked to him.

"He thought I was your… girlfriend?" her voice squeaked at the last word, causing Yuya to glance down, flushed just a bit.

"Y-Yea, I um… didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise…" periwinkle eyes looked him over.

Yuya was dressed in dark wash jeans, black converse sneakers, and a blue and gray plaid shirt. He was lacking his wrist warmers, but still wore his choker, pendulum crystal and goggles. He looked nice, but relaxed, wearing just street clothes and not bothering with dressing up when he wasn't the kind of person to do so. Yuya glanced her way, Yuzu smiled as he returned it, the two of them seeming to have a quiet conversation as Sora started to back away.

"Third wheel exiting stage left!" he whispered as he raced out the door.

"You actually look really good in blue," Yuzu said.

"Huh?" scarlet eyes glanced her way.

"I-I mean… the color… I always thought it would clash with your hair, but… it doesn't… it looks really… nice," she muttered.

"Um… thanks mom wanted me to dress up a little bit so I um…" Yuzu giggled just a bit.

"Yuya, you can be so silly," she said.

"I'm not silly!" he defended before laughing a bit as Yuzu held the cards to her.

"Thank you for the cards, they'll be helpful… and I'll be sure to use them," she said.

"Good, I think they're really impressive… you know I'm just starting to actually use other summoning mechanics other than the pendulum method." Yuzu smiled.

"And yet you mastered Fusion summoning in no time at all… makes me kinda jealous… and I also wonder about the other methods. Maybe you can learn those and adapt them to your summoning system? Pendulum Fusion, Synchros, Xyzs, and Links. I think it'd be pretty amazing," she mentioned. Yuya hummed, thinking about her comment.

"Learning the different mechanics and putting them all together. That'd be neat, you're right about that. Hmm… okay, yea! I'll do that! I've already got Fusions, so I guess Synchros are next." The pink-haired girl smiled, laughing a bit.

"You'd be the only one who would take that kind of crazy idea and run with it, not to mention make it work," she said.

"Crazy or not, it's a good idea, I swear Yuzu." The girl smiled.

"Good, then do it. You can, I know it." Yuya looked her over.

"Just make sure you put those girls to good use, they're powerful, and when used right, I think they'll do some remarkable things for you," he stated, smiling just a fraction.

"Me too, thanks, again by the way…" Yuya glanced to the side, a dark blush on his face.

"N-No problem…"

 **{Hiiragi Household: 7:15pm}**

Yuzu hummed a bit as she went about the kitchen, chopping up vegetables and putting items into the pots on the stove. As she went about this, Shuzo watched his daughter, questioning what had her so happy as she continued humming, a smile upon her face while she worked on cooking. Shuzo had a sneaking suspicion that her jovial behavior had something to do with what he had seen and heard in the dueling area earlier during the day. Shuzo sighed, smiling just a bit as he watched his daughter.

"So, what did Yuya give you?" he questioned.

"He gave me three new fusion cards…" Shuzo hummed.

"And when are you planning on telling him that you love him?"

"After the tournament ends I think that –" Yuzu paused, looking to her father with a startled expression that quickly morphed into an irritated one.

"Oh, so you're gonna tell him that you love him after the championships?" he asked with a smirk.

"DAD!"

Shuzo laughed as he watched the girl turn blood red in the face as she fumed. Despite his efforts, he couldn't find it within himself to not to continue laughing as she turned around, continuing to work as the girl kept a stern look upon her face as her father continued to laugh about the situation until she turned to shoot him a glare.

"Stop laughing! It's not funny!" Yuzu snapped.

"Yuzu, I'm only laughing because you started to realize how you feel. I remember when your mother admitted to me that she loved me. If I think about it, we were the same age… we were all friends with Yoko and Yusho growing up…" Yuzu glanced down.

"How come you never talk about mom?" she asked.

"Your mother… she was beautiful… talented, strong, smart, and just… incredible… she was so much like you. But before she passed, Sakura asked me to take care of you, and not let the past weigh either of us down. I knew you'd ask eventually, so I decided to wait for you to ask about her." The girl nodded slowly.

"She was a duelist, right? What kind of deck did she run?" Shuzo smiled.

"Hold on just second…"

Yuzu watched as her father went upstairs before coming back down a moment later. In his hands, was a small hand carved box with small ornate etchings on it in hearts and lilies, lined in what seemed to be silver. Yuzu rose an eyebrow as she noted a small pink jewel embedded into the top of the box as she watched her father settle back down on the table as she moved closer before he looked to her as he placed the small box in front of her.

"What is this?" she asked.

"I placed your mother's deck into this so that it would be protected." Yuzu opened it.

Sitting at the top of the deck, was a light attribute spirit monster with three thousand attack and defense points, standing at a level nine, and was the image of a gorgeous woman in a white and gold trimmed kimono, adorned with a red sash, a sword held within her hand, and golden rays appearing from the crown upon her head. Yuzu lifted the card, being careful as she did so, and then looked at the next card after it. It was an armored white knight with a halo behind it, and pale attire with its arms at the sides. Yuzu took the card out and looked at them in questioning.

"A Synchro monster?" Shuzo nodded.

"Your mother ran a spirit deck and used Synchros, Fusions, and Rituals. She had one Xyz Monster…" he explained.

"Amaterasu… the Sun Goddess…" a smile came to his features.

"That was her favorite card, her ace that resided in the main deck. Her extra deck ace was a fusion monster named Ame-no-Uzume." Yuzu picked the deck up slowly and shifted through the cards before seeing the fusion monster in the center of the deck.

"They're beautiful," she said.

"And powerful when used right." Shuzo gathered up the cards and held the deck out to her.

"What?" Yuzu gave him a confused look as he smiled.

"She wanted me to give this to you when you're ready. I believe you're prepared to have it… she wanted this to be another deck that you could put your faith in. when the time comes, I hope you can put it to good use when the time comes," she said.

Yuzu took the cards in her hands, fingers curling around them carefully as the image of her mom when she was a little girl came to mind. Pink hair falling around her shoulders and face in a wavy, curled mess to her hips and pale purple eyes looking to her as one of her monsters stood nearby her as she smiled to her. Yuzu smiled, remembering her mother at her best, smiling and beautiful, and free spirited. The girl held the deck to her chest and nodded.

"Thank you, dad…" Shuzo smiled.

"Just remember to smile as she did when she dueled, let your spirit soar with your monsters. Your fairies have wings, fly as high as you want, my little fairy," he said as he pulled her close and hugged her as she nodded.

"I will, don't worry."

 **{….}**

 _This is a warning, like it or not…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** We're about to start the Arc League Championships, so be prepared for some seriously crazy things to happen. I hope you guys are enjoying the story, and as for this part with Yuzu about her mom, she's never mentioned, so I decided to take it that Shuzo's wife, Sakura, passed away shortly after Yuzu was born, she would have been around six or so when her mother died. So, that's why I have this bit in here. Tell me what you think.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

In the anime the pendulum cards were distributed by Leo Corp without much of a consideration that it was actually illegal to do so when Yuya was the creator, which means there would have been creation rights in affect. So, I decided a contract would be formed in order to clear that up.

Yuzu mentioning to Yuya about weaving the other summoning methods into his Pendulum summoning. The strange thing is, Odd-Eyes is the only archetype that stretches throughout every type of monster card save for Links.

Spirit monsters are a first-generation archetype, and even though they've gotten newer supports, they still don't possess extra deck support.

Sakura is Japanese for cherry blossom.

Amaterasu is the Sun Goddess in Japanese mythology who was hidden in a cave. She was tormented by the God Susano-o and hid in a cave. She was lured out of the cave to return light to the world by jewelry and mirrors that were strung to a _Cleyera Japonica_ which is an evergreen tree that is a part of the Shinto creation story.

The Cleyera Japonica is the tree that Yuya get's his last name from, it can translate into _arrow_ or _sacred tree._


	26. Chapter 26: Starting Rounds

Chapter 26: Starting Rounds

 **{Hiiragi Household: July 14** **th** **, 2014, 11:01am}**

"Yuzu? Are you getting ready?" called Shuzo.

"Yea dad! I'm almost done!"

Yuzu huffed, looking towards the mirror as she stared at her hair. For some strange reason, it wasn't behaving today. No matter how hard she tried, it would not stay up in her typical pigtails, resulting in her spending more time with her hair than she normally would. Today, she was wearing a pair of pale shorts, her pink sneakers with white ankle socks, and a white t-shirt; however, the major problem she possessed was getting her pink locks to behave. Groaning in frustration, Yuzu resolved herself and started to braid it, being mindful of the action until the braids were finished and she tied them off with lavender colored hair-ties. With a final glance at her reflection, Yuzu nodded, walking out the door after pocketing her duel disk and tying a blue hooded sweater around her waist as she did so.

"Ready to head out?" Shuzo inquired as Yuzu stopped beside him.

"Yep, ready to go!"

The two of them walked out of the door, prepared for the day ahead. They had been invited over to the Sakaki household for a small party to congratulate all of the children from the You Show Duel School in getting into the championships, and that included Gongenzaka who had finished his last duel just the other day. As they got into the car and headed down the road, Yuzu considered what would be starting tomorrow. The tournament would begin, and the road towards many things would open before them.

For Gongenzaka, it was to improve the steadfast dueling of which his family's dojo prided itself upon, for the children, it would be to improve their skills, for Sora, it was to have fun doing what he loved to do, for Yuya it would be to show that he had become someone that could be a professional, just as he dad had been, and to showcase the method he had quite literally put his heart into creating. However, for her, it was a bit different. Yuzu was struggling to prove that she was capable of defending her friends, of being by their side and holding her own without a moment of wavering conviction, and to let Yuya know that he could depend upon her if he needed to.

What was more, at the end of this tournament, Yuzu would be admitting her feelings to someone who had always been at her side. The thought caused a dark blush to appear upon her face, eyes closing tightly as she considered the different outcomes that could take place. Loosing a friend would be the least of her worries if she somehow managed to hurt Yuya in some form or fashion. How she would, never quite crossed her mind, but the possibility remained present all the same. It was possible that he didn't feel the same for her, and their relationship would become remarkably stressful and complex at best, and for a less than pleasant situation, Yuya could potentially back away from her as a friend.

" _Stop thinking about it and worry more when it gets closer to time. Panicking right now isn't going to help me,"_ she thought.

Within fifteen minutes of the Hiiragi's leaving their house, they had arrived at the Sakaki household, where they saw that several others were already present, and Niknak was chasing a group of field mice in the side yard. Yuzu hopped out of the car and went right up to the mice and Niknak who froze as she crouched and held her hand out to one of the tiny mice in a tailcoat while her father came up behind her as she picked up the mouse, looking at it as it adjusted its monocle and bowed politely to her while Shuzo gaped at the mere sight of it as the other two mice looked at her. Yuzu gave the mouse a gentle scratch, petting it gently as it held onto her other fingers with a playful squeak before she sat it back down and the three mice ran along back to wherever they had come from while Niknak huffed.

"The other fiends are in the house giving Master Yuya a migraine. He's in the kitchen right now cleaning up a potion explosion from earlier," he stated as Yuzu nodded.

"Thanks, Niknak." With that she left, and Shuzo and the gnome stared at one another.

"So, nice weather we're having," Shuzo stated.

"Yes, the tulips are flourishing alongside the picanees… I think this is going to be a good year for the fly-by-nights too…" an awkward silence filled the area for a moment.

"Have you known Yoko and Yusho for a long time?" the gnome nodded.

"Since they were married, just about a year before you came to live here too." Shuzo sighed.

"Keeping up charades is not easy…" he admitted.

"Indeed… have you told your daughter yet, have you? About her mother?" Shuzo shook his head.

"I don't think it's a good idea for her to know," he stated.

"Well, what surprises me is that you weren't aware that Lady Yoko and Master Yuya were witches." The man frowned.

"Hey, I'm a normal human, I don't belong to this world," he said in defense.

"True, you lack all senses to detect magical presences. Still, with how strong Master Yuya is, I'm somewhat surprised when everyone else could pick up on the fact that something was different about him." Shuzo frowned.

"Maybe I'm just not capable of it," he mentioned.

"Possibly, but you should probably go before things get out of hand inside the house. I am certain that Lady Yoko could use a hand with all the children." Shuzo sighed, nodding as he went towards the house, and once he had entered, Niknak sighed.

"This is why those marriages usually don't happen… to many unknowns."

Inside the Sakaki household, Shuzo was greeted to the sight of the smaller children playing with the Duel spirits present around the house while Gongenzaka helped Yoko alongside Sora; however, it wasn't until he looked into the kitchen that he saw where his daughter had gotten off to. The girl was on her and knees helping Yuya in the kitchen with scrubbing the potion off the cabinets and floor as she berated him for not doing something he was supposed to do. The boy argued with her a fraction, blowing his bangs out of his eyes as Shuzo noted he was lacking his goggles and was dressed in dark wash jeans, an orange t-shirt, and black converse sneakers.

Shuzo sighed as he went to offer Yoko help, which she happily took before the group finally were able to go outside in the back yard and enjoy the picnic-styled lunch that Yoko had prepared for them all. Tate, Allie, and Frederic had helped to set the table alongside Sora while Shuzo and Gongenzaka had been left to carry out the food trays. It was only a few moments later that they were beginning to wonder where Yuzu and Yuya were. Yoko sighed, asking Shuzo to go tell them to take a break from the kitchen and come eat. He had gone back into the house and went to look for them, but didn't see them in the kitchen. Frowning, he began searching the house and soon saw Yuzu's reflection in a mirror from the bathroom and looked around the corner of the stairwell to see what was going on.

" _Those two better not be doing anything they're not supposed to."_ Shuzo remembered what it was like to be a teenager – though it had been quite a few years ago – and he also knew that being longtime friends had little to do with hormones. Sighing, he prepared himself to bust into the room and give the two a long talk; however, as he peered closer he saw something opposite to what he had anticipated.

"I told you that the cauldron was still hot," Yuya said as he tilted a bottle upside down onto a cotton ball.

"But you said that it's been at least an hour since the potion messed up, I thought that it would be fine, and you were just kidding." Scarlet eyes glanced to her.

"When it comes to witchcraft, I don't joke around. Cauldrons stay hot or cold longer depending on the temperature spell placed on them. I put one on there to keep the potion cooking for an hour and forty-nine minutes… when you touched it, I knew you were going to get burned, but you dropped it too," he said as he took her hand in his own, being gentle as Shuzo watched.

" _What is he doing?"_ he questioned mentally as Yuzu winced.

"Ouch… that really smarts…" Yuya gave her a small smile.

"Don't worry, I know how to use healing ointments and spells. Mom taught me how to do them when I first started learning potions. Once I get this ointment on your hand and leg with the paste bandages, I'll use the healing spell on it and you'll be good as new," he assured her as he started to dab at her the nasty burn on her palm.

"Thanks for this…" he shrugged.

"Don't mention it. Just make sure you leave the salve bandages on them over night once I do the spell, okay? Otherwise the area will still hurt pretty badly," he told her this as he finished with her palm and began to wrap the area in a faded white bandage that seemed to have a slightly yellow paste on it.

"Hey… um… Yuya?" scarlet eyes met periwinkle ones.

"What is it? Did you get burned somewhere else?" he questioned.

"No… about tomorrow… are you… anxious?" Yuya finished wrapping the bandage on her hand and then started to apply the ointment to her leg.

"Kinda… but I know it'll be okay. Besides, it's not like this is war or something. It's just a tournament, no life or death battles or anything," the scarlet-eyed boy mentioned as he finished with the ointment and started to wrap her leg.

"You sure? Sometimes, the way people are in these tournaments make it feel that way." Yuzu watched him as he finished with her leg wrap and started to close his eyes, focusing on the spell he was casting as she saw his hands gain a faint pale green glow as the burning pain in her leg and hand began to fade away until it stopped all together and she carefully flexed her fingers, thankful to see that she was able to move the appendages without pain.

"There you go, all patched up," Yuya stated as he helped Yuzu down off the counter in the bathroom and began to pack up the things he'd gotten out to treat her while Shuzo watched them, impressed by how Yuya was being so tentative, but not trying to pull anything on the girl.

" _Still… leaving them alone is not a smart move… they're teenagers, after all."_ He rolled his eyes as Yuya put the medicine away and Yuzu turned to him, and as he turned around, she put her arms around him, startling him somewhat.

"Y-Yuzu?" he asked, surprised by her action.

"I'm sorry… I don't know why I keep feeling like I need to be this close to you… I guess its my nerves, or maybe I'm worried that something's going to go wrong…" the boy sighed, gently wrapping his arms around the girl as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"You don't have to worry about so much, everything's going to be fine, and starting tomorrow, we'll be showing everyone out there that You Show Duel School is one of the best! You'll see," he assured her as Yuzu nodded.

"Thank you… Yuya." The scarlet-eyed witch nodded.

"Don't mention it, Yuzu… now come on, the others are waiting." With that Shuzo bolted back to the place where the others were as Yuya and Yuzu soon joined them, and they spent the afternoon enjoying the calm before the proverbial storm.

 **{Leo Corp Tower: 1:20pm}**

Reiji Akaba sat at his desk working on finalizing the contestant list to be sent forth to the announcers for tomorrow's tournament, knowing that he had much to do still and only a few hours to do it. However, as he sat there, working away, the door of his office opened, and he glanced up, seeing Yuto Kisaragi standing there with a somewhat concerned look on his face as he hung back, his gray eyes having a faint glow to them in the dim light of the area.

"You can come over here, if you wish to," Reiji mentioned as Yuto sighed and approached with a steady gate before he looked the silver-haired seventeen-year-old in the eyes.

"I want out of the tournament." Violet eyes looked up at him.

"How come?" he inquired.

"Shay's already in there… and if I'm with him that leaves any outwards eyes and ears all but depleted. We need someone to be paying attention to the duelists present from an outside view. Let me be that person." Reiji sighed.

"Personally, having the two of you in the tournament allows me to gage how powerful you really are. So, I see no point in doing what you've requested," he mentioned. Yuto narrowed his eyes, slamming his hands atop the other's desk as his pendulum crystal fell out of his shirt collar and swing back and forth, causing Reiji to eye it.

"Listen, there could be other witches at this tournament. None of your men are witches, I can tell by their auras that they aren't, just like you aren't one either. If you want to gather more than just mediocre Duelists and maybe a tiny handful of witches for your precious Lancers… then I suggest you get your head out of your ass and listen to someone whose been fighting your father's _fucking parasitic murderers_ for almost two years now!" Reiji watched Yuto's left eye begin to change color, irritation clear in his expression as the silver-haired Leo Corp President sighed once more.

"I suppose doing so would be best. Very well, I shall heed your advice and allow you to be the eyes and ears outside of the tournament. However, I do want to know… your pendulum crystal…" Yuto tensed.

"What about it?" he asked.

"How long have you possessed it?" the Xyz Duelist took in a steady breath.

"Since before I can remember. My mom said my dad left it for me when I was a baby… he died when I was two, so don't bother asking me about him," he stated.

"I see… then it might draw your interest to know that Yuya Sakaki also possesses one identical to it save for it's coloration." Reiji pulled up a picture of Yuya, the pendulum crystal in clear view on it as Yuto eyed the image, seeing that the crystal was indeed almost identical to his own. It was silver, and pale blue almost clear-white in tone when it came to the crystal; however, it's design right down to the crown-style cap and angel wings, were a direct copy of his.

"Are you trying to get at something?" Yuto inquired, not trusting the situation at current.

"Not at all… I just wonder… if there are two pendulum crystals that are identical… with coloring being their sole exception… possessed by two boys who favor quite a bit might I add also save for their hair and eye colors… how many others like yourself and Yuya Sakaki exist?" the phantasmal-imp half-blood tensed, knowing what Reiji was implying.

"Counterparts… you're talking about a doppelganger theory," Yuto told him.

"Yes, or… twins… usually, there are universal numbers when it comes to these things… four, seven, thirteen, sixteen, and twenty. Those are significant numbers in your practices, correct?" the gray-eyed teenager nodded slowly.

"They are… they're part of the major arcana…" Reiji looked him over.

"And what do they mean?" he inquired.

"Four is the Emperor, structure, stability, rules, and power… seven is the Chariot, movement, progress, integration… thirteen is death, the end of something, change, the impermeability of all things… sixteen… is the tower… collapse of stable structures, release… sudden insight… twenty is judgment… rebirth, a new phase, and inner calling." Reiji smirked.

"A Tarot reading… do you have a skill in fortune telling? Mr. Kisaragi?" he questioned.

"My mother was a Gaia witch, so she was more skilled with nature magic… but I am able to do so…" the silver-haired teenager opened the drawer to his left and pulled out a deck of slightly large cards, they were thicker and longer than the duel cards they used.

"Can you discern a fortune for me?" he asked as Yuto took in a deep breath.

"Personally, a Fortuna witch, would be better suited for this than I would be." Reiji hummed.

"Yes, you're a Shadow witch, meaning you can use darker arts… but please, indulge me a bit, would you?" he asked. Yuto glared at him for a moment before he reached forward and grabbed the cards.

"What do you want exactly?" Reiji looked him over.

"The fortune you discerned earlier from the numbers I spoke of, what do they tell for this battle ahead?" he interrogated as Yuto shuffled through the deck and grabbed the Emperor card.

"This represents power, meaning you have great power at your disposal, but there are rules that must be followed to use it…." Yuto placed the card on the table, showing the image of a person adorned in royal garments, a crown upon their head and a scepter in their hand. He then placed the card of a chariot on the table and pointed to it.

"The next card is representing progress, and integration. Meaning you are fusing magic and dueling together, so it's movement, a progressive thing that could be helpful or harmful." Reiji nodded.

"And the next?" Yuto laid out the card of a skeleton on a skeleton horse, carrying a black banner with a desolated land behind it.

"Death, something will come to an end… things will change… possibly not for the better, and those who work with you… can cause problems or be harmed. It's an ill omen," he admitted.

"I see… and the last two?" Yuto took in a deep breath as he laid the card of a tower against a starry sky with a bolt of lightening striking it. As he laid the card out on the table, his entire body felt a whirl of terror, his breath catching in his throat as his mind was sent an image.

The sky was dark red hued, black clouds hung overhead, and he stood upon a pillar's top, the area around him somewhat shrouded in darkness as he looked around him and saw others present, across from him, and just a bit lower than he stood. His gaze went around, looking to the people, but only being able to see their eyes as he felt terror flood his veins while his gaze looked frantically for someone familiar and then he looked just a bit to his right and saw a young boy with a similar appearance to himself with blue and blonde hair, tourmaline eyes, and a concerned look upon his face while another with purple-pink hair and amethyst eyes stood not far from them, looking equally fearful and unsure.

Yuto looked forward and across from him, was none other than Yuya, but the second he attempted to speak and move forward, black lightening shot down from the sky, striking the scarlet-eyed boy's pillar, destroying it and sending him downward into the darkness below, but as he would have just fallen, Yuto saw a large black, clawed hand curl about him, holding him up by his arms as a sinister voice echoed in his mind, the other two who favored him and Yuya covering their ears as his entire sense of balance was thrown off.

" _ **Try all you like valor, will fail you… half-shadow… the thing that would be brave enough to defend him… but will be devoured just like the other two shall be… none of you can save him or anyone!"**_

"YUTO!" Shay's voice called out to him just as he lost his sense of balance and fell backwards, being saved by his friend as Reiji stared at him, standing and looking somewhat terrified as he watched him. Yuto took in a rattling breath as he put his hands over his ears, trying to block out the sound as he curled in on himself, being supported by his friend due to his lack of energy.

"What happened?" Reiji asked this tentatively and Yuto tried to calm himself as he felt his magic whirling about him in a wild manner, almost hissing like an angry or scared cat while he took in a deep breath, managing to grasp his control back as he looked towards Reiji and the scattered tarot deck on the floor.

"The tower… it's disaster… the collapse of stable structures…it means… someone or something is going to cause great suffering and calamity amongst the Lancers…" Shay looked at the last card that had been in Yuto's hand and took in a deep breath.

"Judgment… rebirth… a new phase and inner calling… something will happen to turn the tides of events that are to come to pass… and it will result in a new trial to appear… Yuto…" the Shadow Witch took in a shaky breath and started to stand shakily before he placed another two cards on the table, that had not been on the list prior.

"Seventeen and twenty-one… the devil… meaning the force that will affect the lancers is destructive, and will try and steal the power we would possess together… for its own goals. Twenty-one… the world… wholeness, attainment and completion… this means we'll be ultimately succeed, but the prior ones indicate that it's not going to be a pleasant trip," he admitted.

"What did you see?" Reiji looked to Shay as Yuto remained being held up by the blue-haired teen.

"Ten pillars… with people standing upon them… myself and Yuya included… his was struck by lightening and he fell… but something… evil caught him… and it spoke to me… telling me that I would want to protect him, but myself… and two others wouldn't be able to stop this thing from getting to Yuya… and we would be devoured by it..." Reiji glanced at the cards upon his desk.

"This is a very dark omen indeed… as a whole, what does it mean?" he inquired.

"We're strong, and have incredible power… but must abide by rules to use it… the things we do will create progress within our world, and change many things… it will be a movement that alters the way things currently are going… many things will end though… tragedies will not be a stranger to us…nor will pain… something evil and destructive is dogging someone in our group… or maybe all of us… the last one… is the completion of our goal, but like I said… none of this will be without a cost." Reiji nodded slowly.

"Something told me this would be the case. I am concerned due to this discord… but do either of you truthfully believe this means the Lancers should not go forth?" he questioned. Yuto glanced down for a moment.

"I would like to say we had the option… but let's be honest… there's no way we're able to ignore what the professor… what Leo Akaba is doing… so no… I don't think that this is something we can declare as a reason to not go forth… even if this reading changes… and becomes even more grim… we'll change it." Shay looked to his friend as Reiji Akaba nodded.

"Very well… then go forth… the time has come… the tournament will aid in the selection of those who will become the lances that shall stop the destruction of our world. Yuto, as you requested, you may be our eyes and ears amongst the audiences… Shay, will you remain as our eyes and ears within the ranks of the Duelists?" the blue-haired teen glanced to his friend before taking in a deep breath.

"Fine, I just hope this doesn't come and bite us in the ass." With that he started to take Yuto out, helping the slighter boy hobble his way from the room as Reiji watched in concern, looking at the cards upon his desk.

"Emperor, Chariot, Death, Tower, Devil, and World… how terrible must our fates be for this to succeed?"

 **{…..}**

 _I break down, like a record spinning…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** All this craziness, is literally happening before the Arc League Championships even begins! Makes you wonder what it's gonna be like once it starts, huh? Well, I have no intention of killing everyone with Duels, seeing as there's apparently more interesting things going on between and outside those Duels. The major Duels will be shown, so don't worry, and there will be some interesting encounters soon, but that's for the next several chapters as we get closer and closer to the end of season one of the anime, and the start of season 2, the real reason that this story got the M rating… so much violence and a few other things. -_-

Anyways, tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia.

The field Mice are representations of the Three Blind Mice from the nursery rhyme.

The ointment Yuya used on Yuzu's burns were from the picanees.

I know nothing about tarot cards or readings, I just do a look up on them and go from there.

Each of the main characters in the Millennium World stories are actually represented by Tarot Cards, mainly our boys and the four girls though.

Yuto did have a premonition of a pretty spooky possibility.

Yuya is represented by the _Magician_ Tarot card, meaning action, and the power to manifest. What manifests, is ultimately his choice.

Yuto is represented by the _Moon_ Tarot card, representing mystery, subconsciousness, and dreams.

Yuto's last name translates into: _Like the Moon._

Kisaragi is also the month of February on the Japanese calendar.

Several major characters in this story will be represented by tarot cards, as it fits with the overarching theme of Arc-V and with the theme I gave it.


	27. Chapter 27: Hand to Hand

Chapter 27: Hand to Hand

 **{Sakaki Household: July 15** **th** **, 2014, 7:20am}**

Yoko hummed as she finished fixing breakfast, and set the plates on the table, covering them so that the cats or dogs didn't get any ideas while she headed up the stairs and went to get Yuya up for the day. All of his work and determination had finally paid off, and today, was the start of the week-long Arc League Championships. She happily smiled as she came to her son's door and knocked a bit before opening the door carefully as she peered in to see the boy settled upon the bed, legs crossed, and eyes closed as several cards were laid face down around him. Yoko knew instantly that she was seeing him do his own divination via his tarot cards, in a rather unusual manner. Yoko slowly entered the room, being careful not to break his concentration as he remained where he was, dressed and ready for the days events minus his goggles at current.

He was wearing an orange t-shirt, dark green pants, his red-black sneakers, a brown belt about his hips, and his wrist warmers to hide the scars present there. The boy took in a steady breath, and he rose one arm forward, fingers stretched out as several cards moved forward, seven to be exact before he closed his hand, the cards flipping over one by one as he slowly opened his eyes and looked at the cards there. In an instant the boy winced as he looked at the first one, and then down the line presented before him until he took in a shaky breath and gave the cards a defeated look.

"Why won't you ever give me something good?" he asked.

"Maybe because you aren't touching them?" Yoko's interjection surprised him, causing the cards to quiver a bit as he turned his attention back to them, willing them to stay where they were.

"Like I said… I'm not good at divinations," he said, keeping his gaze upon the cards.

"Well… they aren't moving or flying all over the place… that means your magic is improving." Yuya looked away, the cards remaining where they were.

"Hopefully… I get the feeling I'm going to have to use a lot of it to get through this tournament," he admitted.

" _He's gotten so strong in such a short time… a week ago those cards would have clattered to the ground the second I broke his concentration… testing how strong his magic has gotten will be the safest thing I can do to help him…"_ Yoko came over to the boy, looking at the cards present.

"Hmm, the magician, the wheel of fortune, judgment, the hanged man, death, the devil, and the star… that's a strange reading," Yoko stated.

"I know… the magician represents the power to manifest, and action… the wheel of fortune ups and downs, judgment rebirth, or an inner calling… the hanged man represents surrender, death is change, the devil is destruction, and the star is hope… I'm so confused…" the woman smiled, looking at the cards and their arrangement.

"Your reading it a bit wrong," she admitted.

"I am? Then how is this supposed to be read?" Yoko laughed a bit.

"The magician represents you, and your ability to create, to manifest incredible things that others cannot, the wheel of fortune shows that you've experienced many trials since you manifested something – alluding to your pendulum summoning – judgment means the trials you are still going to face will change you, but you will become stronger from them," she said.

"What else?" Yoko put an arm around him.

"The hanged man also shows you will gain a new prospective on things as time goes on through this journey, death means change, so something more will change from your experiences, maybe you or how you view things. The devil means you'll face something dangerous and it can destroy you, but you have the power to change it and stop it's reach from claiming you… you have hope, good fortune. This is a good fortune," she told him.

"Mom… I'm not good at tarot readings, but I know for a fact that seeing death, the devil, and the hanged man in a set isn't great…" Yoko looked to him.

"You have to choose what these cards ultimately mean to you, Yuya. Are you going to let them be misfortune? Or will you change it?" Yuya stared at her for a moment.

" _Such failure and bleakness… I'll change it!"_ his mind echoed a memory of his duel against Aura Houchun and he took in a steady breath.

"I'll change it of course," he said with a bright smile as Yoko smiled, musing his hair a bit.

"Well, come on and get yourself downstairs, breakfast is ready, and we've gotta be at the Duel School by eight in order to get to the stadium by ten. Every school has to check in before the ceremony starts at eleven." Yuya nodded and hopped off his bed, grabbing his pendulum crystal off his desk before he slipped it on over his head alongside his goggles while following his mother down the stairwell and into the kitchen.

" _Today's the day… here goes!"_

 **{You Show Duel School: 9:00am}**

Shuzo stood in front of the Duel School on the bright, beautiful morning that greeted them for the open ceremony and the start of the Arc League Championships. It was a nerve-wracking, but enthralling day as he looked at his students with pride, and took in a steady breath knowing that Yoko would be meeting them at the stadium, and Gongenzaka would walk out with them as a member of the You Show Duel School due to the fact that his dojo had elected not to participate this year. He took in a steady breath as he looked at the children.

"Yuya, Yuzu, Sora, Tate, Allie, and Frederic. The day has finally come! The fact that every member of the You Show Duel School is participating in the Arc League Championships makes me so… so p-proud of you kids!" he started to tear up as Yuya gave him a sheepish smile while Yuzu prepared to dodge her father's traditional freak outs. In the meantime, the children were watching Shuzo with rapped attention, and Sora was eating a lollipop that he had pulled out of his Mary Poppin's bag of a jacket.

" _We better stay on our toes, or he's gonna pounce on us for a group hug,"_ Yuzu thought.

The moment she thought it, her father lunged forward, and the six of them parted like the red sea. Yuya, Yuzu, and Sora on one side, while Allie, Tate, and Frederic were on the other, leaving the man to fall in the middle of the sidewalk, mumbling about them dodging his hug as he slowly climbed back up and Yuya gave the pink-haired girl a long look and she sighed.

"Dad, you're way too hyper!" she said as Allie nodded.

"Yea, we aren't even at the stadium yet."

"Y-Yeah… I guess that's true. Then I'll move onto the explanations instead. As I'm sure most of you know, the Arc League Championships are broken down into three classes: Junior which is ages seven to twelve, Junior Youth which is ages thirteen to sixteen, and Youth which is ages sixteen to nineteen. Tate, Allie, and Frederic are competing in the Junior Class, and Yuya, Yuzu, and Sora are participating in the Junior Youth Class," he stated as Yuya nodded.

"And I guess it goes without saying, that the Arc League Championships are sponsored by Industrial Illusions, Kaiba Corp, and Leo Duel School. At this tournament, there won't be just students from Duel Schools in our city, or just in Japan, but internationally." Yuzu looked to the others.

"So long as they met the qualifications. That's what can make this kind of tournament so difficult," she explained.

"Correct, so, in order to show off the appeal of You Show Duel School's Entertainment Dueling, no matter what happens, you should all aim to win and have a blast doing it. Because, starting from right this moment, you're no longer friends studying together as you have been. Rivals competing against one another! Fight with your all, kids! Don't waver! Have no regrets! Believe in everything you've learned and get fired up! GET HOT BLOODED!" Shuzo gave his speech, seeming to burst into flames himself in a prideful yell as the children started to head towards the bus.

"Do you think if we ignore him enough the flames with extinguish themselves?" asked Allie.

"Um… I've known Yuzu's dad since I was a baby… it's never worked before…" Yuzu sighed at Yuya's statement, patting down the pockets of her jean shorts to be certain that she had everything she'd need.

"Believe us… we've tried." The two long-time friends nodded as the group started to the car, Shuzo soon following after his flames were put out.

Everyone was soon settled in and buckled up, Shuzo checked for everyone to be set to go, and started to leave as everyone cheered, excited about the tournament, and sharing their concerns when it came to the chances of facing a foreign Duelist. However, as they prepared to depart, heading down the road, Yuzu turned to speak with Yuya, asking if he was ready to showcase the Pendulum Summoning method and win the tournament, but she was met with an empty seat, much to her confusion as she had been positive that he had been present not a moment ago.

"Ah! Dad!" Yuzu called to him, and the car lurched to a halt.

"Yuzu? Is something wrong? Did you forget something?" he asked this as the girl shook her head.

"Yuya's gone! He isn't in the bus!" Shuzo turned to see the seats behind Yuzu entirely vacant, Tate, Allie, Frederic, and Sora seated behind him.

"WHAT?! HOW DOES HE KEEP DISAPPEARING LIKE THIS? AN INVISIBLITY CLOAK?!" Sora hummed.

"It's probably a spell… or he's learned slight of hand," he mentioned off-handedly.

"We've gotta find him!"

It was in that exact moment that the group drove as quickly as possible to the stadium, hoping to find that Yuya had elected to walk while in the meantime, Yuzu began calling him and his house, but every time she tried, she never received an answer. While she knew he was anxious, knowing that he would need to use his magic to maneuver himself and put on a proper flare with the duels he would encounter, Yuzu didn't expect Yuya to run away or be scared of not being capable of controlling his magic during these events. The pink-haired girl was somewhat concerned as she thought of the different reasons that Yuya would choose to just vanish on them.

At first, Yuzu thought that perhaps it was the pressure that Reiji Akaba was placing on him with his job of showcasing the Pendulum Summoning method; however, the last she had heard, Yuya was looking forward to the opportunity, and had prepared himself for the task. Her next worry fell back to the possibility that Yuya was anxious about using his magic during the tournament. She knew there was an air of risk involved if he was caught using it that could result in either him being disqualified under the presumption of him cheating, or it could have disastrous results with him being exposed to a vast majority of Maiami and the world as a real-life witch who could use actual magic.

With nothing to go on except for the stadium and the tournament's opening ceremonies, Shuzo elected to head to there and locate Yuya after he'd registered everyone else. The opening ceremony was at eleven sharp, any school or Duelist that was not registered by then, would be pushed back a day on their possible duels, or would be removed from the tournament all together. It was only when everyone was out of the car that the children realized how massive the tournament was though. Yuzu stood nearby the registry kiosk, knowing that she would be able to keep an eye out for Yuya and see who was in the tournament.

She saw Julia, Yaiba, and Hokuto walk by, some people in full blown armor, several glamorously dressed people, and finally Gongenzaka who came to stand by her, having received a call from Shuzo about Yuya missing. He was naturally concerned, but there wasn't much that could be done. As Yuzu received her registration card, and Shuzo gathered up Yuya's – making sure to explain that he had to run back home to get something he'd forgotten – to have him ready to go when he arrived, someone cleared their throat, and Yuzu looked towards the sound, seeing none other than Sylvio Sawatari.

"Why hello there, are you having a good morning so far? Miss Yuzu?" he asked with a pleasant smile while Yuzu frowned. She crossed her arms over her chest, not in the mood to talk to the blowhard before her.

"I'm fine." Gongenzaka kept a sharp eye on Sawatari who nodded.

"As I assumed you would be. Now, where on earth is Yuya? I heard he'd gotten into the tournament with some landslide victories," he stated.

"He had to run back home to get something he forgot." Sawatari rose an eyebrow.

"Forgot? What did he forget?" he probed.

"Why is that important to you? I thought you just wanted to put on a _show between two entertainers_?" the brunette-blonde nodded.

"I did indeed say that… however, I heard from a little birdy that Yuya has a few special tricks up his sleeves, is that true?" he inquired. Yuzu felt a whirl of fear go through her.

" _Oh God… please don't tell me that he knows about Yuya being a witch!"_ Gongenzaka looked to Sawatari.

"What did this _bird_ tell you exactly?" he demanded as the half-Italian teenager looked up at his towering form, feeling a tad nervous as he swallowed around a lump that had formed in his throat.

"Personally, I don't want to stir up trouble for Yuya if the story is true… but they alleged that he…" Sawatari leaned closer to Yuzu, Gongenzaka bending down to hear.

"Is a witch…" the two teenagers who heard this word come from Sawatari's lips felt as though someone had stopped their hearts.

"Witches aren't real Sawatari. They're just make-believe stories to scare little kids," Sora pointed out as Sawatari looked at the blue-haired candy addict.

"Really? This person witnessed Yuya's Duel at… what was it again… oh yes, the Umino Fortune Duel School against the proclaimed Witch Aura Houchun, who happens to be dueling here today as well. Yet your telling me that the story is just that?" Yuzu nodded.

"Of course, it is! Umino is a school full of fortune tellers, that's all! None of them are actual witches! If you believe that sort of hocus-pocus nonsense, then you're thicker than I thought," she stated as Sawatari sighed.

"Fine, I suppose it is a rather bizarre fable. I suspect I believed what they told me because… truth be told there is something _magical_ about Yuya Sakaki. However, I'll believe what his friends say… unless I'm proven wrong." With that Sawatari walked away and the others went into the main building before Yuzu, Gongenzaka, and Sora took in a deep breath of relief.

"That was way to close!" Sora admitted.

"No kidding… who do you think told Sawatari that Yuya is a witch?" Gongenzaka shook his head.

"I am unsure, but at some point in the near future… I intend to discover this _little bird_ and clip their wings," he stated sharply.

"Have fun bird watching then." Yuzu sighed at Sora's statement.

"Listen, we've gotta find Yuya right now. Let's split up, Allie, Tate, Frederic? Can you guys go search this area? Sora stay here with our sign incase he comes back here, Gongenzaka, can you act as look out in the registry area? Dad, I need you to look for the stands on the left side, and I'll look on the right side, okay?" she got everyone into position and Shuzo nodded.

"Sounds like a good plan, Yoko said she's going to search for Yuya in some of the places he goes to sometimes and see if he's there. We'll meet back up here five minutes before the opening ceremony. Let's hope someone finds him," he said as everyone broke up and started searching for him.

Yuzu began her search using the hallways in the stadium's right side to search high and low for the boy. Throughout her years of knowing Yuya, she had been highly aware that the boy was a basic master of hide and seek, and finding him was nigh impossible; however, at this point, she needed to find him. She ran through corridors and in and out of rooms for what felt like hours before she finally had to take a break, and leaned against a wall with a defeated sigh.

She was beginning to wonder why it was that Yuya always did something like this out of the blue. Ever since they were little kids, he would just disappear without a trace, leaving nothing behind to find him – this was also something that Gongenzaka had experienced on several occasions as well – but when she desperately needed to find him, he'd just appear out of thin air, as if he'd been right by her side the entire time, and she'd just never noticed. It was a strange thing, to see him just materialize out of nothing, and have that same brilliant radiance that reminded her of the sun, with all of his warmth and compassion seeming to soak into those who came close enough and learned about him.

Once more, Yuzu huffed, looking at the clock on the wall and knowing that they were running out of time she started to move, her pink sneakers making faint patting sounds across the cement floor as she walked down the hall and turned a corner. Her thigh-high stocking-clad legs starting to burn from all the running she'd done as she started to consider that maybe it would be better to let Yuya come back to them on his own instead of exerting so much energy searching for him when she already could tell he wasn't here. It was a definitely strange thing, but she could always sense if Yuya was nearby her or not, and the moment they'd gotten out of the car, she knew he wasn't with them.

"What am I going to do?" she asked herself as she heard someone walking towards her and looked up, causing the person to pause as she stared at familiar gray eyes.

"It's you!" they said at once before silence overcame them once again. Yuzu stared at the familiar black-and-lilac-haired boy before her, dressed in the same attire he was in back when she'd first seen him several weeks ago and now easier for her to see. Yuzu rose an eyebrow, looking him over and noticing the pendulum crystal around his neck that rested upon his chest, the exact same as Yuya's but black and violet in color.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Keeping an eye out on things…" Yuzu felt the same sense of discomfort that she had gotten from Yuya since he'd turned fourteen and felt her eyes grow wide.

"You're a witch…" the gray-eyed teenager looked to her in alarm.

"How did you know that?" he asked.

"The feeling you give me… that slight sense of unease… Yuya gives me the same feeling sometimes… that's how I know." He sighed.

"Honestly that's not surprising to hear… mortals get that feeling when witches come of age," the boy stated.

"Then you're also a witch… you must be pretty powerful to copy someone's appearance." The teenager gave her a bland look.

"I didn't copy anyone's appearance! This is how I really look!" he defended as Yuzu stared at him.

"Ah! I'm sorry… I'm still not used to being around this kind of stuff… even though I've been around it my whole life…" the other sighed.

"You've just become aware of it recently, right? That would explain how confused you seem to be. Anyways, I have to get going, see you around – "she looked to him.

"Wait!" Yuzu called to him and he paused.

"Yea? What is it?" the girl swallowed nervously.

"Who are you?" the gray-eyed teenager sighed, giving her a slightly reluctant expression.

" _He looks so much like Yuya when he does that… it's kind of weird…"_ Yuzu thought.

"Like I said before Fusion girl, it's not really safe for you to –" the pink-haired girl moved a bit closer to him, and thumped him on his forehead, causing him to wince.

"It's not Fusion girl! I use Fusions, yes, but my name is Yuzu Hiiragi!" she corrected him with a frown.

"Jeeze your just like Ruri…" he rubbed the sore spot on his forehead and sighed as Yuzu smiled.

"Tell me your name. Please?" she asked as he looked to her.

"My name is Yuto Kisaragi. There, are you happy now?" Yuzu looked him over once more.

"That's a nice name. Okay then, Yuto… I guess you can go and get back to whatever it is your doing, and I'll see you later." She move to leave and Yuto sighed.

"By the way…" he started, causing Yuzu to pause.

"Yes?" Yuto looked to her with a faint smile.

"I'm not insulting your reason for learning Fusion Summoning. What I'm guess is that you've done it for the sake of those you love…" he said.

"For them and myself… I hated being weak, so I sought to get stronger… so I can… stand by their side." Yuto looked her over.

"You mean by Yuya's side?" Yuzu looked to him.

"How did you – "he shrugged.

"It's obvious that you're doing this to help protect him too. It's fine getting stronger and doing what you have to for the sake of those you love… becoming stronger for them… isn't a bad thing. I did the same many times… anyways, you shouldn't worry about Yuya… I don't personally know him… but I get the feeling that he's gonna be fine," Yuto pointed out as Yuzu glanced down.

"He's definitely strong… but I want him to know that someone's there for him… that he doesn't have to fight everything by himself. So… I wanted to get stronger… for everyone's sake… but especially for Yuya… someone who's always stood by me." She shook her head and the other smiled a bit.

" _I'm going to become strong enough to stand by your side Yuto! Both as a witch and a Duelist! No matter what, I'm going to stand right by you through everything… no matter how hard it might be."_

"You remind me of Ruri… she's that precious person to me. But don't worry about him, he's fine… now go on before you're late to the opening ceremony. And good luck, Yuzu," Yuto stated as he walked away, and Yuzu smiled.

"Thanks… even though I don't really know you… you've cheered me up." Yuzu glanced at the clock on the wall and paled.

"AHHH! I'M GONNA BE LATE!" Yuto laughed just a bit as he heard Yuzu's frantic shout and shook his head as he kept walking.

 **{Main Building: 10:40am}**

"How'd it go?" asked Tate as he looked at Allie and Frederic who shook their heads.

"No sign of him."

"Something told me he wouldn't come," Allie admitted as Yuzu came rushing up.

"Any luck guys?" the children shook their head.

"Maybe Sora's seen something?" suggested Frederic.

"I haven't seen him either…" they looked as Sora came over to them, holding their school's sign and a lollipop in the other.

"What should we do, Big Sis Yuzu?" Allie asked as the pink-haired girl shook her head.

"I tried calling his house, but he hasn't gone back home. And I even tried calling him directly, but he didn't answer. From what I know, his mom hasn't found him yet either," she admitted.

"This is why mortals shouldn't try and get so buddy-buddy with witches you know, they can never keep up." everyone turned to the source of the voice and saw a familiar orange-haired, green-eyed girl in a black and violet dress. A medallion around her neck and a crystal apple in her hand.

"Ah! You're that witch from Umino!" said Sora.

"That was rude… anyways, is it true that my darling hasn't come here yet?" Yuzu looked at the girl.

"My… _darling?!"_ the others watched in confusion and terror as Yuzu seemed to become a raging inferno.

"B-Big Sis Yuzu!" Sora whistled.

"She's gone super nova on us… run for your lives!" he stated as he started backing away with the other children while Aura gave the pink-haired girl a broad smile.

"Ah! Could it be that my darling went to see my mother and father without me? He was raised so well, he's a fine proper pureblood witch after all… he knows all of our standard customs and etiquettes so well." She smiled dreamily, and Yuzu summoned forth her ultimate weapon: the fan.

"Like he would ever do that!" she snapped only for Aura to smirk at her in a coy manner.

" _Why do I get the feeling that Yuzu's going to go mount Vesuvius on us?"_ Sora thought.

"Silly mortal girl, why would you think that a pureblood witch would want you?You have no magic, so you'll never understand his world." the blue-haired candy addict sighed as he watched the flames become a raging inferno of red energy around Yuzu as she brandished her fan as if it was an executioner's axe.

" _Oh yep! I called that one! Now I need to find high ground before she blows her top!"_ Sora's thoughts were only stilled as the children tried to calm Yuzu down.

"What did you say you half-pint demon?!" Aura looked her over.

"Now, as for finding out where my darling is, I'll use my crystal apple to find his whereabouts in no time!" Yuzu started to move towards the girl as she laid out a satin violet cloth and sat her apple down upon it.

"Do you think she's pushed it to far?" muttered Tate as he looked to the others.

"Well…" Aura smiled.

"Darling! Darling! Wherefore art though?" Yuzu raised her fan up high.

"Yea… we better try to keep her from committing voluntary man slaughter," stated Sora as they started to try and keep Yuzu from slaying Aura.

"Darling~ dear darling!" Yuzu prepared to swing.

" _I'm going to kill her! This little bitch doesn't know what she's talking about!"_ Yuzu began to swing.

"I see him!" everyone paused.

"Seriously?" asked Sora as he looked at the crystal.

"S-So, where is he?" Allie looked at Aura who pointed straight across from them at a bridge in the distance.

"That way!" she stated.

"Eh?! That way?" Aura puffed out her cheeks.

"That's what I said! Darling is over there, he's probably trying to get prepared for this. Witches with his amount of power being in such a large area with this much energy can sometimes make us feel a bit woozy or even make our magic over-burst, which means it gets to hard for us to handle due to the output and input of energy amongst the crowds and ourselves," she explained as she stood, putting her apple away.

"Do you really think that's why he isn't here yet?" Aura nodded confidently.

"He's gotta prepare himself, in these kinds of situations if we use our magic and we're caught it could be cataclysmic for our society here in Maiami. Believe me when I tell you this: none of us wish to experience a witch hunt again," she stated before starting to walk away.

"Witch hunt again? Do you really think that – "Aura turned on her heels and looked at the You Show students.

"Not everyone will be as lax about a witch being around mortals like you guys are. Yuya knows that perfectly well. Of course, all of you more than likely don't know a single _ounce_ of the kind of fear we live in on the prospect of being tortured or murdered just for being what we are… and as for you, Miss Hiiragi, that is what I mean: you will never understand what his world is like, simply because _you don't have to live in it."_ With that Aura walked away and Yuzu glanced down, putting her fan away as Sora stuck his tongue out at the girl.

"That was beyond rude! Don't listen to her Yuzu, she doesn't even know Yuya," he assured her confidently.

"Sora's right, Aura doesn't know a thing about Big Bro Yuya like you do!" the pink-haired girl nodded.

"Right… we better hope he shows up soon, or we're going to be in serious trouble…" Yuzu took in a deep breath as she looked at the area across the water and thought on what Aura had just said.

" _Do I really not know Yuya like she can? No, don't start thinking like that… she's just trying to psych me out."_

 **{Bridge: 10:52am}**

The wind rushed off the sparkling ocean as Yuya sighed, looking onward at the stadium in consideration of how far he'd come since the beginning of all this mess. It wasn't a mess per se, but it wasn't what he would consider an easy road that he'd just traveled on to get where he was now. From the moment he'd Pendulum Summoned for the first time, he had a distinct feeling that his life was about to get interesting; however, he couldn't have foreseen or divined any of the things he'd experienced. All of the incredible, and somewhat strange people he'd met, the challenges he'd faced, and the lessons he'd both learned and taught were memories that Yuya was positive would stay with him forever. As he thought of the past, his mind considered the present, and where things would lead from here.

" _It's finally about to start, dad… a tournament that will bring me one step closer to being like you…"_ as he thought this though, the image of himself sitting on this very bridge as a small child, eleven years old or so with his father next to him came to mind. His memories recalled him asking if his father believed that he could defeat Strong Ishijima, and him being assured with a kind smile that there would be no need to worry about the Duel and that he would do his best, no matter how strong the opponent was. Yusho had told his son to do his best in the junior tournament, and to hold his head high. Yuya smiled a bit as he remembered telling his father that he would win and become a Duelist just like he was only for his father's gentle hand to be placed atop his head as he smiled to him.

" _ **Yuya, that's a bit different. You are not me… you're just you, and that's what makes you so incredibly special."**_ He hadn't understood it then, and he still didn't now.

" _But I'm not special… I'm just one accident after another that either makes my life turn upside down or hurts me… none of the things I've done are genuinely special or incredible… they're just a bunch of haphazard mistakes…"_ his father's laughter rang in his ears.

" _ **No, your wrong Yuya. You shouldn't view anything you've done as a mistake or accident. It wasn't an accident that you were born, or gifted with magic, or anything else… so instead of viewing anything as a mistake… view it as what shapes you into the person you want to become… cherish what makes you who you are."**_ Yuya sighed as the words rang in his mind, as he held his pendulum crystal before him, watching it swing to and fro as he contemplated his father's statement.

"I should cherish what makes me… _me?_ What does that even mean?" he thought aloud.

"Hey, you'll be late if you don't get going soon, kiddo!" the boy turned to see his mother standing next to him.

"Mom?" she smiled to him.

"I got a call from Yuzu a bit ago. She said that you up and disappeared on them. I guess that means you were trying to reign in your magic and think about what to do huh?" she asked.

"Kind of… mom…" he glanced down and Yoko sighed.

" _He looks to much like her when he gets this pensive…"_ she thought.

"Yuya, your ready for this. I know that much… but if you want to tell your father something, you're in the wrong place," she stated as she placed her hands upon his shoulders, feeling a faint tremble there as she attempted to ease his nerves while he looked to her, his goggles still down over his eyes.

"I am?" she nodded.

"If you have something you want to say… then you need to be over there in the stadium, stepping out with all the others at You Show Duel School and being proud of who you are. Both as a Duelist and a Witch," Yoko stated as Yuya looked forward, pulling his goggles off and putting them atop his head as he looked at the stadium.

"Then… I guess its time to go."

 **{….}**

 _Gotta get up, so back off…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Whew, the start of the tournament chapters are, always going to murder me, I just know it. Yuya and the gang are about to go to proverbial – and literal – war in these upcoming chapters. If you've seen the Arc-V anime – and hopefully watched the Japanese version – you'll know that these events were not peaceful, they were not ho-hum, they were not easy, or even remotely relaxed: they were full blown chaos. Without thinking about it too much, I know that I imitated Genie's infamous jaw-drop from Aladdin at least ten times during this arc alone, and they were really stressful at some points to witness what happened in them. As I said before, this is where the story starts to live up to the reasons behind it getting the M rating. Well, tell me what you guys think, and I look forward to your reviews.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Yuya is represented by the Magician tarot card in this story, and it was the first one he drew when he did his divinations at the start of the chapter.

Two cards will show up continuously in any reading seen after this point, I'll let you guess which ones.

The Invisibility Cloak was a reference to Harry Potter.

This was the first time that Yuzu was ever told Yuto's name; however, in the anime, he told her his name when Shay was battling Julia, Yaiba, and Hokuto.

There were three historical references here: the parting of the red sea, Pompeii, and the Salem Witch Trials.

Yuzu Hiiragi's name translates as: Sweet Holly or Citrus Holly.

Yuzu is actually the name of a Citrus fruit in both Japan and China.

Yuto calling Yuzu Fusion Girl is a slight reference to his and Shay's English and Japanese nickname for Hugo: Fusion-Trash or No-Go as the English dub claims him as. **Thanks 4Kids! -_-#**


	28. Chapter 28: Opening Ceremony

Chapter 28: Opening Ceremony

 **{Main Building: July 15** **th** **, 2014, 10:55am}**

"Seems Yuya Sakaki turned tail and ran. No one's seen hide nor hair of him," stated a girl.

"Eh? He's just like his dad then… and here I thought he had more of a backbone." Yuzu shot the brown-haired boy who spoke a death glare.

"Say it to my face why don't you?" she growled as Sora sighed.

"Calm down, we'll think of something," he stated.

"Big Sis Yuzu? What are we gonna do?" Yuzu glanced down.

"I wish I knew… Yuya… where are you?" she whispered the last part, almost as if it was a desperate prayer.

"Ah! There you are!" Yuzu felt her eyes widen as she looked up and to the right of here where low and behold, Yuya was rushing up towards them.

"Y-Yuya?!" asked the children as Sora looked to Yuzu.

"Whoa, did you summon him or something? You say his name and poof, here he is…" Yuzu gaped as the boy waved to them and finally was just within touching distance of her.

"Sorry I kept you guys waiting! I had to –" Yuzu took his hands in hers, preparing to chew him out as he smiled to her in a sheepish manner and she held onto his hands tighter.

"Yuya, where were you? We were all worried," she said.

"I'm sorry… there were some things I had to take care of before coming here." Yuzu stared at him.

" _He's not making me feel as uneasy… he must have drawn in his magic, so people wouldn't notice it as much… but that means..."_ Yuzu thought this bitterly as the boy smiled to her, scarlet eyes warm with a trace of humor.

"We should go before we're late," he stated, dropping her hand and walking away as the pink-haired girl felt a small ache develop in her chest.

" _Aura was right… she knew about what he was doing more than I did… the only thing that crossed my mind was that he was nervous… not that he was trying to reign in his magic, so it wouldn't lose control or draw to much attention to him…"_ she sighed.

"You're the reason we're almost late! Next time try and be on time, okay?" she scolded.

"Alright, I said I was sorry now let's – "just as Yuya started walking, he went face first into someone and winced before looking up. The others gaped in surprise as Yuya flinched, all of them noticing that this person was as big as Gongenzaka, perhaps even a tad taller as Yuya looked up into all too familiar eyes.

"Long time no see, freak show. How have ya been?" the tall, tanned teenager growled out as Yuya felt his magical energy curl about his skin, invisible but quivering in anticipation as he looked at the person before him.

"Y-You're…" the other laughed.

"Since this is a major event, I thought you woulda run away before it started. Just like your old man. Or maybe you want to be gawked at… put on as a spectacle like the little side-show attraction you're supposed to be," he stated sharply as Yuya glared.

"I'm not a coward, or did you forget that I beat your _so-called hero?_ " the tan teenager narrowed his eyes and looked down at the petite boy before him.

"I refuse to accept that a twilight-zone outcast like yourself could beat Strong Ishijima! Come on, I saw what you did… some sort of devil-workings that made you win," he snarled.

"It's actually got a name: _witchcraft._ But no, I didn't need anything like that to pummel him into the ground." The teenager smirked.

"You've got quite the mouth on you, maybe someone will come along to teach you how to put it to good use one of these days," he stated as Yuya bared his teeth a fraction.

"Who's that?" Sora muttered to Tate.

"No idea… but I don't like how he makes me feel…" Yuzu looked to the tall teenager.

"Hey! Back off!" she stated, stepping forward as the teenager looked to her.

"Oh-ho! You've gotta little tramp all to yourself now, do you? How'd you land a fox like that? Huh? Did she feel sorry for you? Or maybe you did something to her that made her stay with you? Pulled some kind of side-show spellcraft that made her want to be around some little _demon_ like you," he said as he pointed a finger towards Yuya who hissed under his breath.

"You better remove your finger from my face before I bite it off, got it Ankokuji?" the other rose an eyebrow.

"Hahaha! Oh! Look everyone, the little _vampire_ wants to act tough!" he shoved Yuya back a bit with one finger planted firmly in the center of his chest.

"Yuya…" Yuzu came to him and placed a hand to his shoulder as Yuya settled a rather unnerving look upon Ankokuji's form.

"Watch it!" he warned.

"Please, little _demon-spawn_ like you don't scare me. If you want, I can show everyone right here and now _what you really are_ , how's about that? let even your little girlfriend see what kind of _beast in human skin_ she and those kids have been following around, how about that?" Ankokuji suggested as he leaned down a fraction.

"You sure do talk a lot for someone who wants to make a point. If you want to do something, then _fucking do it!_ Don't stand around chatting about it!" the other smirked at Yuya's retort.

"Fine then, let's show everyone what you really are… what you really look like when you lose all sense of recognition… show them the _real you…"_ Yuya narrowed his gaze, pupils retracting into fine slits just a fraction as he bared his teeth at him.

"That's enough, Gen Ankokuji!" came the strong voice of a familiar face as Yuya felt his tense form relax as Gongenzaka placed a firm hand upon Ankokuji's shoulder.

"Gongenzaka!" Yuzu stated in relief.

"Heh, addressing an older disciple without an honorific? You're pretty awful, Noburou. Then again, I see what kind of netherworld trash your hanging out with and I get why you are." Yuya hissed, sounding greatly like a cat as Gongenzaka sent Ankokuji a narrowed glower.

"You're no older disciple of mine anymore. And I would appreciate it if you would step away from Yuya," Gongenzaka stated.

"Ha! I knew it! You're still defending that little beast, even after what he did?" Ankokuji turned to Gongenzaka who narrowed his gaze once more.

"The two of you were children, eleven and twelve years old. That was almost four years ago, and it is long-since time to let the past go, Ankokuji," he said as Yuya watched, somewhat tensed and prepared to retaliate if needs be.

" _This is gonna be a clash of the titans if these two start a brawl right here."_ Sora's thought lasted on a second as the announcers turned the speakers on.

" **Attention all contestants! the opening ceremony will commence in three minutes, please head to the entrance ways under the stadium in an orderly fashion. Thank you."**

"Hmph. If you want to stand up for that deceptive demon who you call a friend just because you think _it's the right thing,_ be my guest. Just don't say I didn't warn you when he sinks those teeth into you. He won't be so alluring once he shows you what he really looks like…" he started to walk off, the others looking after him.

"Bastard…" Ankokuji looked to Yuya.

"And I hope you and Noburou put in a little effort, so I can crush one or both of you into oblivion later!" with that he left and Yuya visibly relaxed as Gongenzaka looked to him.

"Are you alright?" he asked while the others moved closer.

"I'm fine… I just didn't expect to see him here of all places." Yuzu frowned.

"What was he talking about?" she questioned.

"We need to start walking down, come on…" Yuya started moving and the others followed, Sora holding the sign in front of him.

The group remained silent for the time being, knowing that the subject was sensitive; however, they were also deeply confused by Ankokuji's statements towards Yuya. Yuzu frowned as she thought of the conversation that had just occurred before her eyes, the tone Ankokuji had towards her long-time friend, and the things that he declared him as. He had called Yuya a demon, a beast in human flesh, a vampire, and seemed to have a severe grudge against him that she couldn't quite understand. Gongenzaka glanced towards Yuya, the look within his eyes reading as concern as the red-green-haired boy kept his gaze down while they headed further into the underground area of the stadium.

Yuzu wanted an explanation, because she found her memory hazy as she tried to think of a point when she and Yuya were eleven and something had happened that would warrant Ankokuji's wrath upon her friend. It was a confusing thing, something that made little to no sense, and yet, she somehow had the feeling that it made perfect sense all at once. It was as they grew further back from those who were lining up at the entrance, that Gongenzaka took in a steady breath and looked towards the others who seemed as though they could no longer remain silent.

"Care to explain?" asked Sora.

"When Yuya was eleven, about three months after his father disappeared… Ankokuji dragged him off into an alleyway and beat him up… daring him to fight back. I'm not sure what happened… but according to him, Yuya suddenly attacked him, and he emerged from the alleyway covered in bites, gashes, and bruises… some of the cuts looked like claw-marks, and he still swears that Yuya went wild and tried to kill him." Tate, Allie, and Frederic looked at Gongenzaka in confusion.

"That doesn't sound like Big Bro Yuya… he wouldn't do that to someone! Ankokuji was asking for it when he struck first! If Yuya defended himself, he shouldn't have made a big deal out of it!" Allie stated.

"Yea, seems to me that he got what he deserved. And making up a big story like that doesn't help him." Yuzu glanced to Yuya who had stilled, his back oddly tense as she looked to him.

"Yuya, it wasn't wrong for you to defend yourself. And him making up that story shouldn't –" the boy shook his head.

"He didn't make it up though…" the others looked to him in surprise.

"Wait, you mean that you actually attacked him?" Tate asked as Gongenzaka watched his friend.

"He attacked me first… but… I began to panic… and I lost control of my magic. That was the first time I was told that my magic was different than most witches… and I understood one basic thing about it…" Yuzu looked to him in concern.

"What did you learn?" Yuya glanced her way.

"When I feel threatened, my magic becomes highly aggressive… and I hurt the people who make me feel like I'm in danger. Ankokuji saw what happened, saw how it caused me to behave because I was losing control of it… and he thinks that I'm some kind of demon or something…" Gongenzaka stepped forward, looking to his friend.

"Don't think for even an instant that you are even one-half of what he says you are. The way I view it, your magic aided you in defending your life… that is nothing to be ashamed of, Yuya! Be proud, hold your head high with honor and dignity as a witch for it is part of who you are," he stated as Yuya gave him a slight look.

"I'm grateful for all of my crazy friends who seem to be able to cheer me up even when I feel like beating myself up over these kinds of things." Yuzu smiled as she came and took his hand.

"We're always going to be here to back you up! One-hundred percent," she said.

"Yea!" Frederic jumped a bit.

"Being your friend gives me the goosebumps!" he stated cheerfully.

"Besides, you've always helped us when we needed it too!" Tate nodded.

"So, we're all gonna stick together," he said matter-of-factly as Sora grinned.

"Now, let's go kick some ass out there!" Yuya thumped him on the back of his head.

"There are kids present! No swearing!" he scolded as the others laughed.

"Fine, let's go kick some butt then, how's that sound?" the group nodded collectively and stood in line as Nico Smiley came to stand upon a podium, microphone in hand as he rose an arm into the air.

"EVERYONE! THANK YOU FOR WAITING SO LONG!" the crowds erupted into cheers, the noise so loud that it felt as though the ground was shaking.

"Whoa! This is like an earthquake!" Sora stated, balancing himself a bit.

"Just wait… it gets louder…"

"THE FESTIVAL OF DUELISTS THAT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE A YEAR!" the roaring cheers became even louder, starting to make the opening everyone was in feel like a drum with how thunderous it had become.

" _Here we go!"_ Yuya thought.

"IT'S THE OFFICIAL START OF THE MAIAMI CITY'S ARC LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP!" the earsplitting cheers caused Yuya and surprisingly Yuto who was watching from the roof to cover their ears to help block out the sound.

" _Wow! And I thought that the tournaments at heartland were loud during the opening ceremony!"_ Yuto thought of this as he heard the crowds cheers slowly die down.

"I, NICO SMILEY, WILL GLADYING PRESIDE OVER THE OPENING CEREMONIES! SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADEIU! THE CONTESTANTS WILL ENTER ONTO THE FIELD!" once more the crowds erupted, sounding more like a fierce storm than the voices of thousands of people as everyone grinned, anxiety pumping through their veins as they prepared for the entire ordeal to kick off. Fireworks went off, as smiling fairy duel monsters began to fly about wildly within the shower of sparks, the banner of the Arc League Championship appearing in a flourish of color as Nico prepared for the first of the competitors to enter while Yuya and the others watched on the small screen upon the wall for who would be in the tournament.

" **The entrance march is now beginning! First up! is the winner of every Championship Class last year, the Leo Duel School. They have once more sent in the largest number of contestants, and is one of the most prestigious schools in the world next to Duel Academy, created by President and CEO of Kaiba Corp; Seto Kaiba,"** stated one of the female announcers. As the LDS students were lead into the arena Yuya looked to the young man present with blue-hair and tawny-eyes.

"Ah…" his sudden intake of breath caught the other's attention as they eyed him.

"What's wrong?" asked Sora.

"That person in the dark purple coat…" Yuzu eyed him.

"The guy with the blue hair?" she questioned as he nodded.

"Yea…" Tate frowned.

"What about him?" he probed as Yuya narrowed his gaze a fraction.

"He's a witch…" Gongenzaka looked to his friend.

"You can tell from here?" he interrogated incredulously.

"Yea, I can. Judging from his demeanor, I'd say he's a Risulian witch…" Yuzu frowned.

"Risulian? Wait a second… why are there all these different kinds of witches?" she asked.

"They're based upon magic that the person is skilled with… this is also referred to as the skill of the witch. It's what they've honed over the years or had a natural affinity towards. Aura and my mother are Fortuna Witches, ones who use divination and fortunetelling in their magic…" Tate looked to Yuya.

"So, what's a Risulian Witch like?" he questioned.

"They're a type of warrior-witch… Risulian's are commonly associated by personality rather than just their own magical basis. They're fiercely loyal, protective and true to themselves. They have a keen eye for their own kind or those who may possess inhuman blood just by looking them in the eyes… their magic is highly combative and ranges from weaponry, summons, elemental, and energy manipulation skills. Their magic also leaves a trace on them," he explained.

"A trace?" Yuya held a single finger up to his eye.

"They have three distinct eye colors: yellow, pale green, or greenish-blue. They're very athletic in build and are always on the taller side. So judging by his appearance and the way he carries himself, I'm confident in saying his a Risulian Witch," he stated.

"Sounds like they'd be a blast to fight…" Yuya shook his head.

"Not if they feel as though your trying to harm others. They're ferocious and lethal when that happens. Personally, you better hope none of you get paired up with him for a match… it'll be like war otherwise," he said.

"G-Great… glad I'm younger than the rest of you!" Allie stated nervously as everyone turned their attention back to the screen.

" **Next up is the central school of Martial Arts Duelists, Ryouzanpaku Duel School! Their ace duelist, is Isao Kachidoki, who was second place in last year's junior youth tournament."** The camera zoomed in to show a youth with tanned skin, slightly scuffed up clothes with long, and while violet hair, and fiercely cold blue eyes.

" _Yea… I am not liking the vibes off that guy,"_ Yuto thought as he continued to watch.

" **Our next team comes from overseas in England! They are the Knights of Duels!"** the armored trio was led out of the tunnel and into the open while Reiji watched from above, thus far liking the selection he was seeing.

"It appears we have quite the splendid crop of duelists to choose from, right Reiji?" his motherstated. He nodded to her.

"Yes, it does. However, I highly doubt any of them save for a handful will surpass the few I have already chosen as Lancers." The woman smiled.

" **And now! The school that specializes in Trick Duels, Surprise Duel School! This school's ace, Yuuzou Tanegashima, uses an ever-changing phantasmagoric Deck. A tricky slight of hand archetype known for turning the opponent's cards against them."**

"You mean Yuya Sakaki? Why are you so interested in that boy?" she probed, half-listening to the announcer bringing in the contestants.

"He's a rather fascinating youth… and I see his potential and wish to see it flourish." She sighed.

"Very well, let's see how he fairs here."

" **Arriving with a ton of cheers are the Idols who learned how to Duel, Duelkko Club! Most notable, is the natural Idol Duelist, Miss Mikiyo Naname!"** crowds erupted and finally the You Show Duel School was up, the group clustering together as they came into the arena with the girl holding their school's sign just ahead of them. The audience began to cheer and murmur, voices speaking about who was within the line-up.

" _Alright Yuya, this is where you have a spotlight on you, so I suggest you thrill our guests with your Pendulum Summoning today,"_ Reiji thought with a small smile, looking forward to seeing what would happen during this tournament.

" **Next up is the You Show Duel School, which carries on the legacy of Entertainment Duelists!"**

"YUYA! HAVE FUN AND SHOW THEM WHAT YOU'VE GOT!' Yoko cheered from the stands.

"GO GET'EM KIDS! FIGHT! FIGHT!" Shuzo shouted as the kids gave them a wave while the announcer looked to her cue card.

" **Of note is Yuya Sakaki, a member of the You Show Duel School, and inventor of the new Pendulum Summoning method that will be showcased here at this tournament."**

Yuya glanced to Reiji who nodded towards him and he slightly returned it, a swift response between two people who would now be business partners before Yuya turned his gaze forward, focusing on what was at hand. Ten minutes later, everyone was assembled for the rest of the opening ceremony, listening to the chairman of the board of directors over the Arc League Championship give his speech on the tournament at hand while the teenagers present watched with half-attention.

"A-hem, those of you here are the elite who rose from the sea of Duelists around you. And as such, I expect you to duel with fair play in mind…" everyone politely clapped, all knowing how vital fair-play was considered in tournaments.

" _This guy has some serious lungs, he's been talking for at least ten minutes without a single breath… he puts Mrs. Kashiwagi to shame…"_ Yuto thought as he recalled a red-haired, amber-eyed teacher he had his first year at Heartland Academy. She had been a beautiful woman with a sweet demeanor, but by lord did she have a set of lungs on her when she wanted to. Yuto frowned, wondering why she had retired after that year before Nico stepped up to the stage.

"Next up, the Contestant Pledge. This years Contestant Representative, is You Show Duel School's Yuya Sakaki!" he stated, all eyes going to Yuya who instantly felt the bottom of his stomach drop out.

"W-What?!" Yuzu looked at her friend in concern and confusion.

"Yuya is the representative?" the scarlet-eyed boy resisted the urge to use a spell to turn invisible, and had to put quite the mental reign on his magic to keep it from doing it for him.

"W-Wait a second! I think I heard that wrong!" he stated as he started to back away.

" **Yuya Sakaki, please come to the stage."** For the first time in quite a while, Yuya felt stage-fright appear as his most present emotion.

"U-Um maybe someone else should Ah! – "before he could say another word, two people came over who worked for the commissioners and grabbed him, dragging him over to the stage.

"Yuya, if you're a man, you'll score a hole-in-one!" Sora pulled a sucker out of his jacket before looking to the giant next to him.

"I don't think that advice is going to help him, Gongenzaka," he said.

Yuya was shoved onto the stage, panic lacing through him as Nico came forward, pushing him further towards the microphone as he swallowed around the knot that had formed in his throat while Nico leaned close to whisper to him so not to disrupt the attention of the audience.

"My boy, this is another step as both an entertainer and a pro duelist. Yugi Muto even had to make a speech similar to this like during the KC Grand Championships. Now get, up there and show them how wonderful of an entertainer you are," Nico stated as he pushed Yuya towards the Microphone.

"Yea, and you failed to mention that he was caught off guard too! What is this? Some kind of joke with you announcers?" he asked just before he turned to face the entire audience and his body froze up.

" _Well… this ought to be entertaining at least,"_ Yuto thought as he sat down on the roof, propping one arm up on his knee while resting his head in his palm.

"U-Um… I… I… t-to the b-battleground… um…" everyone nearly fell over.

"Big Bro Yuya…" Tate said in defeat.

"Oh no… he's got stage fright…" Yuzu took in a deep breath.

"Yuya! Get a grip! Everyone's watching!" she called to him and he jolted, taking in a look at the audience, some who were snickering, others looking at him in understanding before he closed his eyes, grasping his pendulum crystal as Shay and Yuto watched in curiosity.

" _Is he going to cast a spell?"_ they thought.

"Is Yuya okay?" Shuzo asked.

"He's fine. You don't need to worry." With Yoko's assurance, Shuzo watched, hoping that she was right. Yuya opened his eyes, taking in a steady breath and raised his arms up in a flourish.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" he spoke loud and clear, somewhat startling the others.

"Yuya?" Yuzu asked in questioning.

" **I deeply beg your pardon for earlier. The honor of being the Contestant Representative was sprung upon me unexpectedly, and I found myself taken aback by the situation."** The group stared at him.

" _Interesting… his entire energy just changed from fear to joy in the blink of an eye,"_ Shay thought as he watched the boy.

" **From this moment on, I'll be pulling myself together for this speech. At the very least, that is what I am supposed to be saying; however, if you would indulge me, please listen to my story…"** the others watched him somewhat surprised by his statement.

"Yuya… what are you up to?" Yuzu questioned.

" **As I am sure you know, my father was one of the pioneers of Entertainment Duels, and as his son, I hope to walk in his footsteps and make something of the legacy my father left the world. During my time preparing for this remarkable tournament, I encountered some amazing and unique people, and it started when I created Pendulum Summoning by a chance of being able to believe my capabilities as a Duelist."** Yuto smirked a bit.

"He's being pretty bold using a personal twist on a fair-play speech," he muttered.

" **In this journey here, I learned something important. That when we duel, we're speaking with our hearts, not with our minds or thoughts, but with what we feel deep within. Tournaments such as this are designed to aid us in learning from one another, whether we lose or win, whether we are the best or lucked out getting here. It doesn't matter what school we study at, what walks of life we come from, or even where we've come from in this amazing world we live in."** the entire stadium was giving him their undivided attention as Yuya steadied himself, staying focused on his train of thought.

" _I can do this… just keep yourself calm."_

" **The job we've all been given here today isn't to outclass or out show people because we have better cards, or went to a school that's considered the best out of the lot. Our job, is to make someone smile, to make a single person happy and excited to see what will happen next. Here today, in this stadium, we're all going to embark on an adventure, to become better Duelists, to make someone happy if they're hurt or feel alone, and most of all we're here to inspire those who are watching us. So, all I ask from each of you here today, is to think of those watching you, and the example you're setting for the next generation of Duelists who will come after us… and remember that today, is your chance to shine as an inspiration to them all."**

The stadium remained silent, and Reiji smirked just a fraction, clapping as the audience began to cheer. Gongenzaka tearing up while Aura laughed as Yuya looked around at the people present, a faint blush coming to his features as he bowed a bit and walked off the stage, rejoining his friends who clamored to hug him as he laughed while up in the stands Shuzo started crying, cheering as loud as he could while Yoko looked down at the boy who was talking with Sora who seemed to be hopping about in excitement.

"Well said Yuya! Yoko! Yuya will definitely become a great Duelist! He had so much heart in what he just said… he would have made his father so proud! He's certainly worthy of following in his footsteps!" Shuzo exclaimed.

"You're joking, right?" the man looked to her in confusion.

"Eh?" Yoko smiled in a knowing manner.

"Yuya won't follow my husband, he'll surpass him. If he doesn't have the will to do that, he won't be able to win here. But I'm not worried about that one bit, he's strong and gets stronger every day… his speech showed me that much," she said.

"Yoko…" the woman watched the boy as he looked towards her with a smile, and she returned it.

" _I wish you could see him Yaya, he's becoming someone you and Ira would be proud of."_

"NOW THEN! AFTER THAT WONDERFUL, HEART-FELT SPEECH. WE SHALL ANNOUNCE THE PAIRINGS FOR THE FIRST ROUND!" Nico stated, gaining the attention of everyone present.

"This is where things will start to get interesting. We've selected each person in just the right way to push the limits of the Duelists whom you believe will become your prime choices for Lancers," Henrietta stated as Reiji nodded.

"Then let the games begin…"

"ALL PARTICIPATING PLAYERS, PLEASE INSERT YOUR REGISTARTION CARDS INTO YOUR DUEL DISKS!" Nico's voice boomed over the crowds and Yuya pulled the card out of his pocket that Shuzo had managed to give him when he'd arrived with his mother earlier.

"These are our registration cards, right?" he asked as Yuzu held her own up and nodded.

"We got them when we entered the stadium and registered." Yuya nodded, sliding his card into his duel disk at which point his information came up.

" **As for how they work: your registration cards receive radio signals from the tournament management computer, and will guide you and your opponents. Of course, it will track others wins and loses to be able to update the pairings."** Once the female announce informed them on how the cards worked, the system started up, splitting Yuya's information to the side as he looked at the screen of his Duel Disk.

"Let's see… my opponent is… what?!" Yuya looked at the screen in surprise as did Yuzu, Sora, and Gongenzaka.

"What's wrong guys?" asked Allie.

"My opponent is Sawatari," Yuya stated showing them the screen.

"Then I guess you guys won't have to wait till the finale to duke it out…" Yuzu sighed.

"What about yours Big Sis Yuzu?" questioned Frederic.

"I've got Julia…" they looked to Gongenzaka.

"And you?" Yuya inquired.

"It seems fate has played a hand in these events… Ankokuji will be my opponent." The others nodded and turned their attention to Sora.

"Who did you get Sora?" asked Tate as the blue-haired candy addict looked grimly at the screen.

"Him…" he turned the duel disk over and showed them the image of the blue-haired tawny-eyed Risulian Witch Yuya had pointed out prior to the start of the opening ceremony.

"Who is he?" Yuya interrogated.

"Says his name is Shay Obsidian… he's listed as an Xyzs user… but according to the records, there isn't much on him… you don't suppose…." Yuzu glanced towards Yuya while Gongenzaka and Sora looked to them.

"That he's the one who was attack the LDS a couple weeks ago," Yuzu stated.

"It doesn't surprise me if that's the case. Risulian Witches are known for being brutal… but they don't just attack people… their warriors… the ones that a long time ago, the councils called upon to fight in wars and battles to aid in victory… they're noble and refined soldiers who wield combative magic… something must have happened to cause him to feel the need to attack the LDS." Yuya's statement had the group somewhat concerned.

"Great, so Sora's gonna fight a warrior-witch who's out for blood against Fusion users. This outta be a blast," stated Tate.

"Don't worry, I can handle myself just fine…"

"Are you sure?" asked Allie.

"He did beat all his opponents in three turns or less…" a moment of silence overcame the group before Sora sighed.

"Anyways, my duel is tomorrow." Yuya nodded.

"Mine is too… what about you Gongenzaka?" he asked.

"Same, Yuzu?" the girl shook her head.

"Mine's today," she stated.

"What about you guys?" the children looked at their Duel Disks.

"Mine's today," said Allie.

"And mine starts right after this." Tate shook his head.

"At four-thirty today," he explained.

"Then we'll cheer for Yuzu and the kids today, and it'll be our turns to battle it out tomorrow," Yuya stated.

"Sounds like a good plan…" Sora smiled.

"I'm totally gonna mop the floor with this guy!" Yuya took in a deep breath, hoping that Sora understood what he was getting himself involved in when it came to going toe-to-toe with a Risulian Witch.

 **{….}**

 _This is a warning, like it or not…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** And, so it begins! We're officially in the third arc of this story, and the start of the Arc League Championships. This is indeed where things become interesting and life is about to become all kinds of crazy. Needless to say, you guys should probably buckle up, things are gonna become more and more intense from here, and there may be a trigger warning or two. I'm not certain, but just in case. Now, I look forward to seeing what you guys have to say about some of our new cast additions, and how everything is going. Let me know and I'll be looking forward to your reviews.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Ankokuji Gen is known as Grizzlepike Jones in the Arc-V English Dub.

Yuya and him have a not so pleasant history, as you can see. To me, he reads as an old-fashioned prideful bully who think's he's better than everyone else because he's never been put in his place.

Yuya's contestant speech was changed to the one in here, because I felt that in the anime, it was a little more self-serving, which didn't quite fit with Yuya's attitude about it being important for others to be happy as well as ones self.

Risulian is the type of Witch Shay is, the word is a made up one from a language I actually created.

Risulian translates into: Lion-Like. Meaning the witches with this type of skill-naming are considered noble, fierce, powerful, and skillful combative magic users.

Yuto's teacher Mrs. Kashiwagi, is a reference to the anime _Miira no Kaikata_ or _How to Raise a Mummy._ The last name of his teacher is also the last name of the protagonist: Sora Kashiwagi. If you haven't seen it yet, I recommend it as the anime and manga are adorable and very sweet.


	29. Chapter 29: Crystal Song

Chapter 29: Crystal Song

 **{Maiami City Stadium: July 15** **th** **, 2014, 12:04pm}**

The day had been somewhat crazy after the opening ceremony had concluded. Frederic had won his duel with little trouble; however, Allie had been defeated by a boy named Riley Akaba, whom, judging by the last name, meant that he was more than likely Reiji's younger brother. Yuya was currently sitting on the ground near the water eating a quick lunch that his mother had made for him and the others as they took their break before the next rounds in the tournament would begin. While Allie was a bit put out about not winning her duel when she had been doing so well at the start, she was determined to look at it from a bright perspective that would grant her something to take from it to further herself. She was rambling on and on about what she would do to be better next time and make sure she didn't let her Monsters down, while Frederic and Tate were giving her ideas and pointers as Yuzu sat beside him and Gongenzaka dealt with Sora's antics.

"Nervous?" he asked as Yuzu looked down at her sandwich with faint dismay.

"Terrified…" Yuya smiled as he reached towards her and placed a hand upon her own.

"You'll do fine. Just put your heart into your deck, and trust it to come through for you. None of your fairies will let you down if you believe in them," he assured her.

"That's easy for you to say… your Performapals, Dragons, and Magicians are really hard to beat…" the scarlet-eyed boy nodded.

"Maybe so… but _you did beat my deck after all._ Or did you forget the trouncing you gave me after I beat Strong Ishijima?" Yuya questioned. Yuzu stared at him for a moment before glancing down.

"I guess your right…" he nudged her with his shoulder, a smile on his face.

"Of course, I'm right! I've known you since before we were crawling. So, come on, don't start to think you're gonna lose… not with the training Sora gave you, and the good luck charms I gave you. Between those, and your faith in your deck, you'll mop the floor with Julia Crystal," he pointed out as Yuzu smiled.

" _We're so different… but similar… like mirrors facing one another or the reflections in water. I see him, and he sees me… and we're close… but there's something that keeps us from truly touching one another… is it because he's a witch and I'm just… a mortal? Or is it because I'm afraid of what he'll say if I tell him I love him?"_

"Yuzu?" the pink-haired girl looked to Yuya who gave her a small smile.

"Hmm?" he laughed just a bit, the sound feeling like the warmth of the sun that beat down on them, and the breeze off the ocean.

"Just smile… and trust me when I tell you that there's nothing for you to be scared of. You're brave and strong, so take a chance and just believe you can do it, alright?"

Yuzu stared at him, seeing the person she'd always known right beside her where he had always been. His eyes seeming to glow in the bright sun that radiated the warmth of his smile, the gentle touch of his hand upon hers that felt like the cool ocean breeze that had always surrounded their town and the soft tone of his voice that reminded her of the waters that sparkled in the brightness of day. It was always him, the one person who seemed to help her when she least expected it, who just appeared when she needed him most.

When she couldn't find him, and needed him there, if she called, Yuya came to her as if summoned by a whisper and his assurance was there with him, the radiating warmth and light that accompanied this strange boy no matter where he was. It was something Yuzu always could count on, and as she sat next to him, on the little knoll just outside of the duel stadium, the ocean crashing and the wind lightly blowing, she felt her anxiety vanish in the blink of an eye.

"Thank you, Yuya…" he nodded.

"Anytime, don't worry… I'm always here, just give a call and I'll be there, alright?" Yuzu nodded.

"Okay…"

The rest of their lunch was peaceful; however, as Yuzu stood in the arena preparing to begin her duel, all her panic started to resurface as she glanced towards Yuya who had taken a seat in the stands, and the moment she looked to him he sent her a beaming smile, giving her a thumbs-up as he did so. Yuzu nodded to him, returning the gesture before facing towards the field where she would soon enter, knowing that she had to show everyone what she was capable of not only as a Duelist who had learned to Fusion Summon, but as a member of the You Show Duel School, and as a practitioner of Entertainment Duels.

Around her, the crowds roared, buzzing with conversation as Julia stood on the other side, looking confident as she always had while her sharp pink-ruby eyes looked her over, unimpressed as she appeared to constantly be while Yuzu sent her a sharp glare. The last time they'd dueled, Julia had overwhelmed her with Fusion Summoning, costing You Show a victory that at the time they had desperately needed. Now, Yuzu was fighting for herself, to prove that she wasn't weak, and she could more than hold her own against Julia, and stand beside Yuya who had always stood by her. Nodding to herself the announcer began his introduction.

"THE MAIAMI CITY ARC LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP! A FESTIVAL FOR DUELISTS ACTING AS A GATEWAY TO THE PROS! RIGHT HERE, PASSONATE HEATED FEELINGS WILL CLASH! LET'S BLAST IT!" the doors opened, and Yuzu stepped out into the arena while Julia just before her, a coy smirk upon her features as Yuzu scowled, unwilling to relent to anything Julia threw at her.

"Go for it, Big Sis Yuzu!" called the children.

"I'm expecting a shiver-worthy Duel!" stated Frederic.

"Keep calm and get on out there! Show her what you're made of! Yuzu!" Yuya called to her, his voice somehow reaching her with the most clarity as she looked at him once more before facing Julia on the battlefield.

" _No matter what happens, I refuse to let her win! Right here and now, I'm going to prove myself!"_ Yuzu thought as Julia smirked.

"There isn't an ounce of light in your eyes," she stated snidely. Yuzu tensed before shaking her head furiously.

"No, no, no, no! I lost last time because I was thinking to hard about Yuya and Yuto! I'm not going to let my eyes get clouded again! Julia! I'll use this Duel to show you how much I've changed since then!" the half-Indian girl hummed.

"Sounds good! This is our long-awaited tournament, after all. So, it wouldn't be a good feast if you couldn't add some flavor!" she said.

"Did you skip lunch or something? You should a little hungry." Julia rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, the only thing that can sate my appetite is your defeat, fairy-girl," she said as Yuzu glared.

"Then bring it on!" Nico Smiley appeared upon the jumbotron and grinned brightly.

" **So sorry to keep you all waiting, dearies! Starting off, we have Yuzu Hiiragi, a student of You Show Duel School and practitioner of Entertainment Dueling! She's pitted against Julia Crystal, who hails from Leo Duel School which, as usual, sent the most participants to the tournament!"** As Nico went about his task of introducing the two duelists, Sora glanced to the side to see Shay and Yuto standing off to the side, unknowing who the second, shorter person was as he frowned, noting that the person favored Yuya somewhat.

" _So that's the person who was mistaken for Yuya? They do seem to favor quite a bit. His hair's wrong though, and his eyes are a different color too. I guess they're accomplices. Okay, then this should be good to see how they react to my incredible student and teaching style!"_ he thought.

" **We now begin by setting the Action Field! The Field Spell Card is picked at random by the machine… I wonder what will it be?"** the card was selected, appearing as a spell card with the image of thousands of bridges and posts all around it.

" _I know that field spell… Yuzu's going to have to rely on her Monsters to win this one,"_ Yuya considered as Nico swung into action.

" **ACTION FIELD ON! THE STAGE FOR THIS GRAND SHOW WILL BE: INFINITE BRIDGES! NOW ACTIVATE!"** The field generated, the series of dizzying bridges forming as Yuzu braced herself for the insane stunts she was going to have to pull and counted her blessings that she had been smart and worn shorts today.

" **One wrong step and either of these lovely girls will take a nose dive straight to the bottom! Which is a terrifying six stories down. Inside this field filled with nothing but tension, which of these two beauties from the Junior Youth Class will capture the spotlight and bloom into a dazzling flower? Now, the action cards will scatter, and the match shall begin. DUEL!"** The orb of light above them shattered, dispelling the Action Cards around the area as Julia stepped forward.

"I'll be taking the first turn! I activate the spell card Gem-Knight Fusion! This allows me to Fusion Summon using _Gem-Knights_ from my hand!" Julia played the card, revealing a dazzling art of gems and two figures, one of red, the other blue swirling around together.

" _I figured she'd use Hand Fusion on her first turn just like she did before. Sora said that's always the easiest and safest way to Fusion summon without losing your materials. Not to mention Fusion Summoning is the only method that allows you to summon from your hand other than Advance Summoning,"_ Yuzu thought as Julia continued her turn.

"I'm fusing together the three Gem-Knights from my hand: Sapphire, Garnet, and Crystal! _O Firm Blue Will! O Crimson Truth! O Vision of Clarity! Swirl together in the light to become one and form a new radiance! Fusion Summon!_ Come Forth! _The supreme radiance that illuminates all that exists!_ Gem-Knight Master Diamond!" the towering monster made of silver and golden armor with touches of the stone he was titled after appeared, his cloak of black and red with blue trim flowing behind him as the broadsword he wielded shined in the light around them, the rainbow fuse of crystals embedded into it sparkling.

"So, you played yoru Ace right off the bat?" Yuzu asked.

"Master Diamond gains one-hundred Attack Points for each _Gem_ Monster in my graveyard!" Yuya tensed in his seat.

"Her opponent has three _Gem-Knights_ in her Graveyard. That means that twenty-nine-hundred attack point Monster is going to go up to thirty-two-hundred," he muttered.

"I set one card and end my turn! Now it's _your turn._ Give me a good look at your supposed changed self! Or are you still going to prove to be the weakling I know from my last duel with you?" Yuzu took in a steady breath, preparing to begin her turn by placing the tips of her fingers on her cards.

"My turn! Draw! You wanted a look at my new self! Well so be it! I activate the spell card Polymerization, from my hand!" Yuzu declared as Julia felt her eyes grow wide.

"P-Polymerization?!" the girl held the card out, Julia staring in disbelief as Sora smiled in a proud manner.

" **WHAT A TURN! HIIRAGI USES FUSIONS!"** Nico's remark was left hanging in the air as Yuzu took in a steady breath.

"I fuse together from my hand Sonata and Aria the Melodious Divas! _Oh, sweet song of the world, guided by the maestro's hand, resonate with a new melody! Fusion Summon!_ Come forth! _The prodigy that guides wistful hearts!_ Shuberta the Melodious Maestra!" the orange-haired, blue-skinned fairy creature in her lavish black, gold, red, and white gown appeared, her gloved hands brandishing her baton elegantly as she appeared upon Yuzu's field. The monster stood at twenty-four-hundred attack points, and was a level six monster. Julia looked it over, humming a bit.

"Big Sis Yuzu did it! She brought out her Fusion Monster!" the children cheered as Shuzo stood to his feet, tears welling in his eyes.

"Nice one, my little fairy! You're shining bright today!" he said

" _Okay, come on Yuzu, show her how you shine…"_ Yuya thought as he smiled, relieved to see the Maestra on the field.

"Once per turn, Shuberta the Melodious Maestra can banish each card used to Summon one Fusion Monster from the Graveyard! I chose Master Diamond's Fusion Summon Materials! Therefore, I banish Sapphire, Garnet, Crystal, and the spell card Gem-Knight Fusion, from my opponent's graveyard! _Chorus Break!"_

"With all three of Master Diamond's materials banished, his attack points go back to twenty-nine-hundred," Tate mentioned as the others cheered Yuzu on while she nodded to herself.

"So, what? Your Shuberta is still to weak to defeat my Master Diamond!" Yuzu looked to Julia.

"During this turn, for each banished card, my Maestra's attack points go up by two-hundred!" the Gem-Knight Duelist stared at the sight of the pink-haired girl's monster's attack points going up.

"That's an eight-hundred raise…" Yuzu nodded.

"Meaning my Maestra has thirty-two-hundred attack points to your twenty-nine-hundred," she stated while up in the stands the others were watching in excitement as the children considered the situation.

"Not only did she lower the opponent's attack points, she even raised her points by eight-hundred!" Sora nibbled on his lollipop for a moment.

"And that isn't all. Gem-Knight Fusion, even while in the Graveyard, after being used for a Fusion Summon, is a card that can be added back to your hand by banishing a Monster in the Graveyard. What Yuzu did there was her way of stopping that from happening," the candy addict explained as he glanced towards Yuto and Shay.

" _They should understand that much, at least."_ Yuzu steadied herself as Sora turned his attention back to the duel.

"I battle! I use Shuberta the Melodious Maestra to attack Master Diamond! _Wave of the Great!"_ the fairy's hair seemed to turn into flames as the scores on her dress lit up and she raised her hands into the air, her baton at the ready to unleash the attack which struck in a matter of moments as Julia leapt down to a lower bridge as her Life Points dropped from four-thousand to thirty-seven-hundred.

" _She knocked her life points down by three hundred, but Yuzu needs to keep blocking her otherwise Julia will use this as a reason to attack with far more powerful Monsters,"_ Yuya thought as he bit the corner of his lip, knowing that the Duel was about to get harder.

"I set two cards face-down and end my turn! At this point, Shuberta's attack points return to normal," Yuzu stated as she followed through with the action and Julia frowned.

"Whoa man, You Show Duel School's not doing half bad!" Yaiba pointed out as Hokuto nodded a bit.

"Julia's hand is at zero… so turning this around will be tricky."

"My turn! Draw! You know, I was surprised to see that you use Fusions. But you're still not even close to me in terms of skill," Julia stated as Yuzu frowned.

"You're bluffing! You only have one card in your hand! You won't be able to use Fusion like that!" the girl laughed.

"You sure about that? I activate the continuous spell, Brilliant Fusion, from my hand! This card lets me Fusion Summon one _Gem-Knight_ by using the Monsters in my deck as the Fusion Materials!" she explained.

"From your deck?!" Sora whistled a bit.

" _Seems she's deciding to be tricky… good thing I prepared Yuzu for this kind of thing… and with Yuya giving her an extra hand, she just needs to rely on her deck to pull through for her,"_ he pondered as Julia continued with her turn.

"From my deck, I'll perform a Fusion, selecting the Gem-Knights Alexandrite, Emerald, and Obsidian!" Yuya, observing this sight started to feel a tad anxious.

"She's doing a Fusion by selecting three Monsters from her deck and not even Summoning?!" he asked as Sora chewed on another lollipop.

"Uhuh, she's pretty crafty." Scarlet eyes glanced to the blue-haired boy.

"You knew this would happen, didn't you?" he questioned as Sora looked to him.

"Maybe you can read minds or something, because yea, I did and Yuzu's prepared to do what I've taught her."

" _O magical stone with the visages of night and day! O green radiance bringing good fortune! O sharp jet-black darkness! Become one in the light and bring forth a new radiance! Fusion Summon!_ This is my true Ace! _The woman of radiance, Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond!"_ the monster that sprang forth was in cream and silver armor with a red cloak and diamonds upon her knees, hips, chest, and head while she wielded a traditional templar sword. Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond was a level ten earth attribute monster with a terrifying thirty-four-hundred attack points. Yuzu tensed, knowing that Julia was about to run her over with the monster she'd just summoned.

"Yeah! Show 'em what LDS' Fusions are all about!" Yaiba called while those who were supporting Yuzu knew things were getting more and more intense.

"And monster I special summon using Brilliant Fusion, has its attack and defense reduced to zero. However, if I send a spell card from my hand to the graveyard, its attack points return to normal until my next turn!" Julia began to move, and Yuzu followed her, knowing what her intentions were.

Up in the stands Yuya found himself explaining to the children what Julia's scheme was, and that by sending an action card to the graveyard, Brilliant Diamond's attack would return to it's original thirty-four-hundred, leaving Yuzu to receive a rather nasty hit to her life points; however, he had a firm belief that Yuzu had a plan in mind that would let her bounce back from this if Julia were to succeed. As of this moment though, all he could do was sit there and hope Yuzu had foreseen this and had something that could combat it.

"I won't let you! I activate the Trap, Melodious Melody of Divine Punishment! This card deals eight-hundred damage for each _Melodious_ Monster I control on my field!" the aurora borealis formed in the sky above and not a second later, bright green and blue lightening came tumbling down and struck right where Julia was, sending her flying as her Life Points dropped to twenty-nine-hundred. However, the girl used the pole nearby and swung herself around, catching the Action Card and turned to Yuzu.

" **That was a truly impressive recovery! She is indeed one of LDS' elite! With a beautiful performance, she got her hands on an Action Card!"** Yuzu bit her lip as Julia prepared to do what she had hoped to prevent.

"I send one Action Spell to my graveyard to return Brilliant Diamond's attack points to normal until my next turn!" she stated as the monster's attack went up to thirty-four-hundred again.

" _This isn't good…"_

"Battle! I attack your Shuberta with my Brilliant Diamond!" the Maestra attempted to withstand the Gem-Knight's onslaught, but ultimately, it was of no use and she was cut down while Yuzu was thrown backwards.

"YUZU!" periwinkle eyes opened to see that Yuya was on his feet, worry clear in his expression as she took in a deep breath and turned mid-air, catching the railing and preventing herself from falling.

" **OH MY! THAT WAS A CLOSE CALL! HIIRAGI BARELY DODGED A FALL BY GRABBING THE HANDRAIL!"** Yuzu took in a deep breath as she started to pull herself up and back onto the bridge while her life points dropped to three thousand.

"I was worried for a bit, but now things are back to normal," Hokuto stated as Yuzu stood up and got her bearings again.

"Do you understand now? This is the difference between me and you, Yuzu Hiiragi. You'll never be able to beat me, but I'll save the trash talking for after I grind you into the ground. So, on that note, I'll end my turn." Yuzu glowered at Julia.

" _I know I can do this… all I have to do is put my faith in my deck and it'll pull through for him… just like what Yuya told me," s_ he thought.

"My turn! Draw! I set one Monster in face-down defense position," Yuzu stated as Julia gave her a uninterested look.

"Looks like that's all you can do." The pink-haired girl looked at the card in her hand.

" _If Julia is the kind of Duelist I think she is, she'll definitely do what I think she will."_ Yuzu nodded to herself.

"I set one card face-down and end my turn!" she said.

"Eh? That's all she's doing?" asked Frederic as Sora smiled.

"Like I've been saying, there's no need to worry about any of this. When I was training her to Fusion Summon, I expected her to handle this much in an actual duel. She'll be fine… I made sure to teach her how to deal with fighting Fusion users." Yuya tensed.

"I hope your right," he muttered. Julia started moving again, Yuzu's heart hammering in her chest as she followed her opponent.

"My turn! Draw! Now, Brilliant Fusion's effect returns Brilliant Diamond's attack points to zero." Julia continued to move, and Yuzu kept pace.

"I won't let you get an Action Card!" she stated.

"And I won't let you stop me! I summon Crystal Rose!" the rose cut from crystal emerged onto the field, glittering in the sunlight as it hovered near Julia.

"Five hundred attack points?" Yuzu questioned as Julia kept running.

"While on the field, Crystal Rose can serve as a material for a Fusion Summon! So, I'll have Crystal Rose count as Gem-Knight Tourmaline! Next, I activate the effect of Brilliant Diamond! I can perform a Fusion Summon by sending one of the materials on the field needed for a Fusion Summon to the Graveyard…" Brilliant Diamond held her hands to the stone in her chest and it floated outwards, followed by two more, the three diamonds glittering.

"A Fusion Summon using only one material?" Julia smirked.

"You don't know as much as you think you do. Whoever taught you is a hack!" she said as Sora fumed.

"Hey! I resent that!" he snapped as Yuya sent him a slightly concerned look before looking back to the duel.

"This is the power of my Brilliant Diamond! I Fusion Summon Gem-Knight Zirconia using the Crystal Rose that currently counts as Gem-Knight Tourmaline! _Grind Fusion!_ Come forth, Dazzling Radiance! _Gem-Knight Zirconia!_ " the giant of a monster with glittering gems for fists adorned in silver and copper armor appeared, it's gray cloak billowing behind it as the creature landed in front of Yuzu and Julia snagged another Action Card.

" _Okay, now I know what she's playing at…"_ Yuzu thought as Julia raised the action spell miracle in the air.

"I send one Action Spell to the graveyard! Returning Brilliant Diamond's attack points to their original value!" Yuya bit his bottom lip at the sight.

"And with that, Brilliant Diamond's attack points are back to their original value until the opponent's next turn comes. Julia keeps blocking Yuzu at every turn, I just hope Yuzu has a plan," he stated, never once taking his eyes off the field.

"Battle! First, my Zirconia attacks your face-down defense monster!" the giant knight smashed the card, revealed to be Canon the Melodious Diva. Yuzu went tumbling down the bridge, only stopping a moment later as Julia came to stand near her.

"Ouch…" Yuzu muttered.

"Now, with this you have no Monsters to protect yourself with. This ends it! My Brilliant Diamond attacks you directly!" Julia stated sharply as Yuzu remained on the ground as the monster's blade started to head towards her.

"Not this time! Trap, activate! Fusion Cycle! I can special summon, in attack position one Monster from my opponent's graveyard, that was used in a Fusion Summon this turn to my side of the field!" Julia felt her eyes grow a bit wide.

"From my graveyard?!" she asked as Yuzu got to her feet.

"Yes, and I choose to summon Crystal Rose! The Monster Special Summoned by this effect cannot be destroyed by battle this turn!" Julia looked at the girl.

"But you still take the damage!" the attack struck the area between Julia and Yuzu as the pink-haired girl was sent flying, skidding across the ground as she came to a halt upon the ground.

"With this, I end my turn. If I hadn't Fusion Summoned this turn, you wouldn't have been able to use Fusion Cycle. Be grateful that you're so lucky," Julia stated as Yuzu started to stand.

"That wasn't luck… just now. Julia, you have the pride of being a Fusion user. If I was you, I'd definitely finish me off by using a Fusion Monster. And knowing that, was what gave me the hope I needed to save my remaining life points!" Julia scoft.

"Don't let it go to your head just because you managed to survive defeat by the skin of your teeth. I mean, be serious, you only have a hundred life points left," she stated.

"I'll show you otherwise!" the other sighed.

"Fine, let's see if you can do more than struggle in vain on your next turn," Julia said.

"I hope I can do this…" Yuzu placed her finger tips to her deck, preparing to draw. Her hand shook, fear of her deck failing her and not being able to prove how far she'd come starting to weigh upon her. As she stood there, panic starting to rear it's head, Yuya's voice broke into her mind, somewhat startling her.

" _Just smile… and trust me when I tell you that there's nothing for you to be scared of. You're brave and strong, so take a chance and just believe you can do it, alright?"_

"Okay, Yuya… here I go… draw!" Yuzu held her card up, looking to it as she realized now was her chance to prove what she had been trying to the entire duel.

"I'll show you just how much I can shine! I summon Soprano the Melodious Songstress!" the red-haired armor-clad Duel monster with pale green skin adorned in a white dress with a bandage covering her eyes appeared on Yuzu's field.

"Fourteen-hundred attack points? Please!" Yuya smirked just a fraction, knowing what she was going for.

"You won't doubt me anymore! If Soprano is on my field, and I would use it as a Material for a Fusion Summon, I can perform that Fusion Summon without using a Fusion Spell!" Julia looked at the other girl's field.

"Do you intend to use my Crystal Rose?" Yuzu gave her a stern look.  
"Yes! Crystal Rose, while on my field, can be substituted for one necessary Fusion Material Monster for a Fusion Summon, I substitute Mozarta the Melodious Maestra with Crystal Rose!" the rock-type monster glowed, showing the silhouette of Mozarta on the field.

" _You can do this, come on!"_ Yuzu nodded to herself once more.

"Using Soprano, the Melodious Songstress' effect, I fuse Soprano herself and Crystal Rose together!" Julia took a step back.

"You can summon a monster if you want, I'll find a way to beat it," she stated sharply as Yuzu took in a steady breath.

" _The voice of angels, the notes of life that form an endless spring of radiant blooms! Come together as one, calling forth the birth of wildflowers inside the soul! Fusion Summon!_ Step onto the stage to perform the song of victory! _Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir!"_

A pink flower appeared upon the field, the petals unfurling as the fairy Fusion monster appeared on the field from the bloom. Upon a golden pedestal, adorned with pink petals stood a slight fairy in a shimmering blue gown while a long ribbon carrying a music score upon it behind her like wings. Yellow flowers were adorned upon her shoulders and into her upward curled blue hair and in her ears, hanging as earrings. Her lace-blue eyes shining with a radiance as she sung a few bars before coming to rest beside Yuzu.

"Look Yuya! She summoned the monster you gave her!" said Sora.

"Yea, I had a feeling that was the one she was aiming for." Tate frowned.

"But it only has a thousand attack points," he pointed out as Yuya shook his head.

"It's not her attack that matters… you'll see soon enough." Yuzu prepared to attack.

"I attack Gem-Knight Zirconia with Bloom Diva!" she declared as Julia gawked at her.

"Even though my Knight is stronger?" Yuzu kept a stern look upon her face.

"Bloom Diva! Attack with _Petal Sonnet!"_ everyone watched as the tiny fairy stood up against the rebounding of Zirconia and the Monster started to struggle against her.

"What?!" Yuzu looked to Julia.

"Bloom Diva cannot be destroyed by battle with special summoned Monsters, and any damage taken by me is inflicted on my opponent instead, and the Monster is destroyed!" she announced as a torrent of golden petals ripped through Zirconia and hit Julia directly dropping her Life Points to one-thousand.

"How dare you do this to me… but that's fine… that move just cost you your life! I activate my Trap, Brilliant Spark! When a _Gem-Knight_ is destroyed on my side of the field. I can inflict damage to my opponent equal to it's attack points!" Gongenzaka found himself startled by the rebound.

"The destroyed Zirconia's attack points are twenty-nine-hundred!" he stated.

"If this connects, Yuzu will lose… but… she has a facedown still." Sora looked to Yuya.

" _He keeps confusing me with how easy he can read Yuzu when she could never quite pinpoint him. Yuya already knows what she's planning with that facedown, but it seems like all the others haven't figured it out yet… must be a witch thing,"_ he considered as the attack headed towards Yuzu.

"You're going to lose here!" Julia stated as Yuzu braced herself.

"No, you are! Trap, activate! Melodious Illusion! During my turn's battle phase, it negates the effect of a Trap my opponent activated, and then enables one of my _Melodious_ Monsters to attack once again!" just as the group thought that Yuzu had blocked the attack, Julia started moving again.

"I activate Brilliant Spark's other effect! By sending a spell card to the Graveyard, it lets me negate an effect that would negate this trap card!" Julia began to reach for an Action Card; however, just as she was about to reach it, Yuzu came flying by, snagging the card as she continued to plummet only to be caught by Bloom Diva.

" **H-HOW DARING! HIIRAGI GOT THE ACTION CARD WITH A DIVING CATCH!"** Nico announced, stunned as the girl was placed upon a bridge by her monster. Yuzu looked towards her opponent.

"You Show Duel School will never lose when it comes to action!" she stated while Julia only could stare in disbelief.

"Absurd! She jumped down from three stories above us?" Yuzu nodded.

"The techniques we're taught at You Show teaches us to rely on becoming one with our Monsters! By trusting them, they always have our backs," she said.

"YEAH! YOU TELL HER MY LITTLE FAIRY!" Shuzo was punched in the side by Yoko.

"Pipe down!" she told him as Yuzu smiled.

"Due to Melodious Illusion's effect, Bloom Diva can attack once more! This is the end! I attack Brilliant Diamond with Bloom Diva! _Reflecting Shout!"_ the fairy lit up bright pink as Julia's Gem-Knight prepared to fight back only to be blasted to pieces by the tiny flower fairy, dropping Julia's Life points to zero.

However, as this happened, the wind caused Julia to be thrown off the bridge and be sent falling through the bridges, six stories down. Yuzu worked fast, pointing towards the girl as Bloom Diva dove down and in a sweep of petals, caught Julia mid-air, saving her from a potentially fatal fall. The moment the Monster caught her, Julia opened her eyes, staring at the beautiful fairy that had her as she looked to it and then to Yuzu who nodded to her, smiling in relief that Bloom Diva had made it in time while up in the stands Yaiba and Hokuto sighed in respite, being happy that their friend was safe as she was sat down next to Yuzu.

"You… saved me?" she asked.

"Of course, I did. I wasn't going to let you fall to your death just because you lost. That's not how Duelists do things… remember what Yuya said in the opening ceremony? We have to work together, win or lose so we can show the next generation how a real Duelist duels." Yuzu held out her hand and Julia took in a deep breath.

"How could I forget your boyfriend's speech… it was pretty cool, and thanks… for saving me, Hiiragi," she said, taking her hand while Yuzu decided not to correct her.

"Just Yuzu is fine." The field dispersed and the winner was declared as being Yuzu, and the two girls parted ways.

The moment Yuzu was in the stands, Yuya and the others were right there with her, congratulating her as they stood together celebrating her victory over the person who had once given her such a difficult time. As she found herself surrounded by her friends and family, Yuzu looked to Yuya who had a small smile on his face, his eyes softened and warm as she came over to him and pulled him into a hug which he returned, the conversation between the two of them being unspoken, but clear as she thanked him for his help while Sora fussed about someone – or two someones – having left and hoping that they at least stayed long enough for the good part.

It was later that afternoon as everyone was leaving for the day that Julia had come up to Yuzu in the parking lot and handed her the Crystal Rose card, telling her that she needed to always shine like she had today, and to continue winning otherwise she'd be angry at her. Yuzu took the card gratefully, telling Julia that she would remember her words, and cherish the card as a gift from a new friend who helped her become stronger. Julia had smiled and told her goodbye, casting once glance towards her and Yuya before walking away to meet up with Yaiba and Hokuto as they all departed, returning home to prepare for the events that would unfurl themselves tomorrow.

 **{…..}**

 _I'm tired of listenin' I'm warning you, don't try to get up…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Well, Yuzu's duel with Julia is officially over, and up next, we have more fun duels, but in the middle of these duels, we have some serious conversations going on, and a bit of back story work. Well, let me know what you guys think, and I'll look forward to your reviews.

Trivia:

There are several types of Fusion Summoning: Field, Hand, Deck, Graveyard, Effect, and Non-Poly.

Field Fusion is when all materials for Fusion Summoning is present on your field.

Hand Fusion is what Julia did as well as Yuzu, meaning you have your monsters and the Polymerization card in your hand. It is generally the best way to go seeing as it doesn't allow your opponent to blast your monsters or the polymerization card.

Deck Fusion is what Julia did by using a spell or trap card effect to fusion summon. Interestingly enough, it's almost identical to Effect and non-poly Fusion Summoning.

Fusion Summoning is the only Summoning Mechanic in the game that lets you summon a Monster from your Extra deck from your hand: Rituals, are the second closest thing, allowing you to use materials in your hand or on the field to Ritual Summon; however, less than half of Ritual Monsters can actually be summoned this way.

Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir's effect is actually a little different in the anime. The actual card states: _Cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects, also you take no battle damage from attacks involving this card. If this card battles a special summoned monster, after damage calculation: you can inflict damage to your opponent equal to the difference between the original ATK of that opponent's monster and this card, and if you do, destroy that opponent's monster._

Bloom Diva can be destroyed by cards that do not target her though, and she can also be stopped effect wise by _Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon_ once per turn negates the effect of your opponent's monsters during the battle phase.

Gem-Knights are one of the few archetypes to include both Fusion, Xyz, and Link for itself. The next one is the Odd-Eyes archetype which has a dragon for every single summoning format and card type save for Link.


	30. Chapter 30: Clash of Giants

Chapter 30: Clash of Giants

 **{Maiami City Duel Stadium: July 16** **th** **, 2014, 10:20am}**

"Man, yesterday was something else," Yuya admitted as he stood in the main atrium area.

He had been excited when he'd gotten up this morning, looking forward to facing off against Sawatari and seeing Gongenzaka, and Sora duel against their opponents. The feeling of elation had been carried over from Yuzu's victory yesterday, and now, he was looking forward to seeing what would happen next during the first duel of the day for the Junior Youth Class: Gongenzaka's duel against Ankokuji Gen. Scarlet eyes narrowed towards the floor, his mind replaying the encounter from yesterday with the teenager who had bullied and harassed him until the day that he had chosen to try and beat him up, resulting in Yuya's magic loosing control. The fourteen-year-old witch recalled that day with a frightening clarity that he never let anyone know about in fear of what would come of those around him knowing so much about the ordeal.

The second Ankokuji had laid hands on him, Yuya knew he was going to hurt him, and he had tried to just curl up and let the other get it out of his system, or hope someone would do something to stop him; however, when the other teenager's steel sandals connected with his ribs, effectively cracking them, something within Yuya had woken up, and according to his memory it wasn't anything good. He remembered his nails sharpening and his teeth doing much the same, his entire form radiating the same magical aura it always had, but it was stronger than normal, violent, and aggressive.

In that single moment, Yuya had learned something new about his magic that he hadn't ever thought he would: that it was dangerous. Growing up in a family of witches, Yuya had known that when used in a vengeful manner, magic could become darker and lethal depending on the amount of malice within the user; however, his own magic at that moment wasn't particularly malicious, but it sent a signal to his brain that registered Ankokuji as a threat to his safety, and that he had to be put in his place. That had been the exact moment he had attacked the other, clawing, biting, and doing his best to hurt him, _to show him how it felt._

Yuya tensed, his form becoming almost impossibly still as he considered that now every time someone like Ankokuji came around him, he reacted in a similar fashion to how he did then. He became aggressive, territorial even, and would behave in a more brutal manner; however, he had never hurt anyone like he did Ankokuji that day. Now that he was faced with being around him again though, he wondered what would happen, and if his magic would react in such a manner again. As his mind mulled through these thoughts, someone bumped into him, knocking him to the floor. It was a bald youth in a dark blue school uniform from one of the local high schools that Yuya recognized.

"Ouch!" he said as he started to get up, the person looking towards him.

"That's the Young Master… Gongenzaka's duel sash!" the other stated as Yuya looked to the white strip of fabric lying next to him.

"This is his? Wait what are you doing with it?" he asked.

"I'm trying to get it away from – "another teenager in a similar uniform with a purple shirt on underneath and a half-shaved head grabbed the sash and took off, surprising Yuya somewhat.

"Ah! Hey! Wait!" Yuya was on his feet in a heartbeat, racing after the other teenager at full speed while the person who'd bumped into him followed. Just as he started to rush out the door, the others came running into the building, knowing that Gongenzaka's Duel was about to start.

"Hurry! Gongenzaka's match is starting in five minutes!" Shuzo stated as he started running ahead of the other children.

"Huh? Where's Yuya? He told me he'd be waiting here…" the others looked around and saw Yuya chasing a person around in the courtyard.

"There he is! He's running away at top speed, though," Tate said.

Meanwhile, Yuya and the person who had run into him were chasing the half-bald person in front of them carrying Gongenzaka's Dueling sash at full speed. Yuya had proceeded to ask why they were playing keep-away with Gongenzaka's sash, and the other had replied that the people were more than likely siding with Ankokuji and that it was a means to do anything in order to win the Duel. Yuya, in the second that the other said that got the distinct feeling that something was off with this situation; however, he decided to follow if only for the fact that he couldn't base anything on just a feeling all the time.

"You're Young Master Noburou's friend, Yuya Sakaki, right?" the person asked.

"I am, who are you?" the other gave him a sheepish look.

"Sorry, I'm Jun Matabana, I go to the local high school near the Gongenzaka Dojo. My cousin used to attend there before he moved," he replied.

"Alright, thanks for trying to help my friend… it's a tradition at their Dojo to wear one of those sashes during tournaments and duels. It's considered a part of their steadfast method." Jun nodded.

"I know… but doesn't your match start soon as well?" Yuya shook his head.

"That doesn't matter if Gongenzaka needs my help. I have plenty of time as it is, so I'll take back his sash and get back in time!" he stated as they kept running all the while, Jun smirked just a fraction.

 **{Arena: 10:35am}**

" **HELLO EVERYONE! I am truly and humbly grateful that you took the time to come and cheer through the second day of our championship! So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce the two Duelists who will battle as our first match today!"** the crowds cheered as a tan-skinned towering youth came into the arena.

" **This young man reached six official victories, despite not belonging to a Duel School. He splendidly achieved admission to the Junior Youth Championship! Gen Ankokuji!"** the giant of a teenager came to stand within the stadium while Nico continued to go about his business.

" **His opponent hails from the Gongenzaka Dojo, and came under the banner of the You Show Duel school to this tournament this year. He is the successor of the famed steadfast Dueling style! Noburou Gongenzaka!"** Gongenzaka came to stand not far from Ankokuji, a black sash tied about his upper body as he stood before his former disciple with a disapproving scowl upon his features.

"That's a nice sash you got there. Your Pops give that to ya?" Ankokuji asked.

"Being presented with a new sash by the sensei before important matches, is one of the traditions of the Gongenzaka Dojo." The white-clad giant of a teenager looked to Ankokuji who smirked in a sinister manner.

"It'd be a shame if someone were to abuse that tradition," he said.

"What did you say?" the other laughed a bit.

"You'll find out soon enough, Gongenzaka," he stated as Nico called forth the field spell.

" **What will our field be this time?!"** the group got seated as Gongenzaka kept a stern glare upon Ankokuji before glancing towards the seats, and noticed that Yuya wasn't present. Thinking that he was potentially running a bit behind, he thought nothing more of it as Nico announced their field.

" **That's it! Now then, Action Field, on!** _ **Solitary Island in a Faraway Sea!"**_

The field generated, a towering island with a series of areas that had ropes and bridges, cliffs and was surrounded by sparkling waters. From an above view, it favored the fabled island of Neverland; however, Gongenzaka knew that this place would be nowhere for child's play. He turned his attention to the person who abandoned the teachings of the Gongenzaka Dojo, and more importantly, the _vile mongrel_ who had dared to hurt his friend. In the burly teen's mind, Ankokuji was a dangerous insect that would need to be exterminated as soon as possible.

"A jungle? What a coincidence. By now, that little demon-spawn is probably also in a forest," Ankokuji stated, and warning bells began to go off in Gongenzaka's mind.

"What did you say?" the other smirked.

"Yuya Sakaki fell for a little trap I laid with the help of a few outstanding citizens at my school. By now, he should be in a forest nearby being treated in whatever way they see fit," he stated.

"What are you planning?" Ankokuji shrugged.

"He's a pretty thing, I told them to be gentle with whatever they do… don't want him going feral on them like he did me," he said with a vile smile upon his features as Gongenzaka snarled at him.

"You lowly bastard…" he started to turn and leave but Ankokuji spoke up.

"If you leave and don't duel me, they'll do more than just break a few bones. It would be a crying shame to have such a pretty little thing get cut up." Gongenzaka turned to him, a crashing step being placed upon the ground as he looked to Ankokuji.

"Leave Yuya out of this! Duel me and let him be!" he ordered.

"Don't think so… if you want that little monster to be left at least partially unharmed, then you better duel me… otherwise, with one button I can tell them to do whatever they so please with him… and I know just what they have in mind for that little freak…" Gongenzaka narrowed his gaze.

"I will duel you! But know this, Yuya is not weak, and he will not let anyone get away with deceit," he warned as he activated his Duel Disk.

"Spare me… he's nothing but that… if you had witnessed what I did, you wouldn't stand by that demon any more than I am now!" Gongenzaka closed his eyes.

" _Stay safe Yuya, don't let them gain the upper hand…"_ with that, he steadied himself.

"DUEL!"

 **{Forest Area: 10:45am}**

Yuya and Jun came to a stop in the middle of the forested area of the park, where the person who had taken the sash had run to. Now that they were in this area, Yuya anticipated several different things: they would fight them, both he and Jun would be ambushed, or the entire ordeal was a set up. keeping his guard up, Yuya watched as three figures emerged, the first being the person who had stolen the sash, another who looked a bit like a rat in the face, and another with a broad grin and glasses on his forehead. They all wore the same uniform, leading Yuya to believe that they attended the same school as Jun, but what happened next, caused Yuya to feel a bit foolish for following the person standing beside him.

"An ambush?" he asked as Jun laughed and walked towards the others.

"Not really…" Jun turned to face him.

"What's going on?" he questioned.

"You're an idiot! You followed the two of us right into our trap!" Yuya tensed a bit.

"I'm guessing you work for Ankokuji?" Yuya inquired.

"Yep… and… he told us all about what you did to him. It seems kind of weird, seeing as you're such a tiny thing and he should have had the upper hand, but he swears you're some kind of demon or something…" the four teenagers circled him, and Yuya took in a deep breath.

" _They'll do whatever Ankokuji told them to do… so they won't be playing around, which means I have to act quick and be careful of what I'm doing,"_ Yuya thought as the four teenagers started moving closer.

"Now, as far as we see it, Ankokuji's explanation seems about right, but a little weird. You're just a scrawny little thing… although…" one of them came closer than Yuya was comfortable with and grabbed an end of his hair, rubbing it between their fingers.

"You are kinda nice to look at… Ankokuji said we could do whatever we wanted, just so long as you weren't hurt to bad… so, how about we have some fun?" Yuya looked at the person standing closest to him and glared.

"How about you just give me back the sash and I'll pretend I never met any of you instead?" he suggested.

"Wow, he was right, you've got quite the mouth on you…" the person who he'd chased was the closest, and that let Yuya know one thing had to be done.

"Come on, just listen to what we're saying. If you do what we say nothing to bad will happen to ya," stated another as they came closer.

"Besides, your outnumbered, four to one… what can you possibly do?" Yuya sighed.

"Do you think that makes any difference?" the person who had stolen the sash laughed.

"As tiny as you are, fighting four of us won't give you any room to argue, so do what we say, and maybe we'll be gentle. Otherwise…" the person reached towards him and he reacted.

In an instant, Yuya grabbed the person's arm and headbutted them directly between the eyes, the resounding crack of the other's nose letting him know that it was broken as they yelled, only for Yuya to ram his knee into their sternum, causing them to hit the ground. The other three backed away, and Yuya jumped, cutting a flip over one of their heads as he landed in a crouch just behind them.

"Cal you alright?" the others looked to their friend.

"W-What the fuck?" asked Cal, his broken nose pouring blood. Yuya remained where he was.

"There's a lesson I think you four bastards need to learn…." They looked as the scarlet-eyed teenager stood up tilting his head a bit to shake out the slight soreness of the headbutt he'd just given before looking directly to them.

"He's got some fight in him," said Jun.

"All the more fun for us…" Yuya laughed, the sound cold and threatening as opposed to his normally sweet laughter as he tilted his head back just a bit.

"The four of you aren't going to be getting any fun out of this situation… the only person who's going to be having a good time is me… when I show you why no one messes with my kind when they know what we are…" the four teenagers looked at the boy.

"H-Hey Cal… there's something wrong with this kid," stated the rat-faced person.

"Are you high or something? He's just trying to scare us!" Yuya looked towards them.

"Scare you? Oh, right… people used to fear us… and hunt us because of that fear… okay then…" the four teenagers stared onward as Yuya allowed his magical aura to appear, the color twisting and churning about in sharp blacks, whites, and crimsons with flecks of gold dancing around it.

"T-The fuck?" Yuya remained where he was.

"Get him!" the four teenagers rushed him, and he reacted.

Using his magic, Yuya braced his body, knowing that he would have to use a form of magic that he had taught himself, and rarely used as he ducked a swing and cut a flip, spinning mid-air and landing a sharp kick to one of the teenager's heads before doing a series of hand-springs before he landed in a crouch. The teenager went down, pain ebbing through his skull as Yuya waited for the next person to move. The one he'd just kicked in the head was helped up and the four of them charged him again, and he chose just as they became closer to release the restraint on his magic. The sheer force of it all shot them away, causing them to tumble across the open area and into the nearby trees as Yuya remained crouched where he was.

Despite not knowing what kind of witch he really was, Yuya knew his magical aura was massive, and due to him not feeling up to fighting, he responded in the best way he knew how to: releasing it. The trees and grass whipped about wildly, almost as if a storm had started to come in as Yuya remained crouched, the energy from his magic scorching the area he was settled at, turning the grass a charred black shade while the other four people slowly got up and looked at where he was while Yuya bit the inside of his cheek, the magic seeming to try and overthrow his control as he took in a rattling breath that sounded terrifyingly like a feral hiss to the four teenagers across from him.

"Ankokuji was right… he's a demon!" the four of them started to stand shakily, backing away as Yuya started to try and reign in his magic.

"I'm not doing this shit! I'm out!" the teenager with the broad grin and glasses, the one he'd hit over the head, ran for it.

"What's the matter? Scared?!" he asked, as the leader, Cal looked to him.

He stared into the boy's eyes, seeing him crouched, the energy around his form radiating power and a level of strength he couldn't hope to match as he kept his gaze locked with searing scarlet irises. Everything inside him told him that the second he took his eyes off this boy, he would be on him, attacking him, leaving a reminder that he had no power over him and to always fear what he didn't know. Cal shook his head, dropping the sash before he ran for his life, Jun and the other following swiftly behind him as Yuya found himself relaxing a bit, his magical aura pulsing as he started to try and reign it in.

"Calm down, calm down, calm down…" he muttered to himself, curling into himself as he wrapped his arms around his shaking form.

Yuya never resorted to doing something like this when it came to having to fight, mostly because he never sought a fight before that he couldn't handle with his deck. However, he knew that these four wouldn't duel him, and in the time it would have taken for him to try and do so, they would have had him pinned and gagged, taken him off somewhere to hold it over Gongenzaka's head to keep him from defeating Ankokuji. Scarlet eyes, glowing with the amount of magical force he'd let free, looked to the white sash knowing that he still had something else he had to handle before he could try to rest and recover his energy before his own duel. However, as he started to try and pull in his magic, desperately attempting to get control on it, a series of footsteps caught his attention, causing him to look up at the person standing there.

"That was intense, are you okay?" they asked, coming a bit closer. Yuya looked them over, seeing gray eyes, black-lilac-hair and features similar to his own.

"W-Who are you?" the other shrugged.

"Doesn't really matter right now, are you alright?" he asked, crouching.

"I… can't make it… stop…" the other watched his trembling form, seeing the fact that his body was struggling with itself right then as he glanced around the area.

"You must be pretty damn strong to do this much damage just by releasing your magical aura. What are you? A Risulian? Or maybe a Dyren?" he questioned.

"D-Don't know…" Yuya bowed his head, trying to control the output.

"Judging from the fact that you're struggling to reign it all back inside yourself, I'm gonna guess that you're not used to using magic in combat, huh?" the person questioned.

"N-No! I don't fight… I use my deck… less of a risk…" a sigh came from them.

"Alright then, I'm going to tell you how to reign it back in, okay Yuya?" the red-green-haired boy flinched.

"How did you – "the other cut him off.

"Listen to what I have to say, okay? Close your eyes and think of a small orb of energy deep inside yourself, it has a color and feel to it… can you tell me what you see?" he asked.

Yuya closed his eyes, trying to listen to what the stranger had to say as he focused his entire mind on finding that orb of energy. As he focused, he felt a pulse, like a faint beating near him and soon saw a light appear within his mind, a small orb of light, almost like a star presented itself. It was warm, and glowed with an untouched brilliance that he had never seen before.

"If you see it, grab it and pull it towards yourself. That's the core of your magic, your heart… so by holding onto it, you're pulling it back within yourself. The magic of a witch is in their heart and spirit… by holding those things to you, it gives you control on them," they told him as within his mind, Yuya reached forward and grasped the star he saw, pulling it forward, and held it to his chest, cradling it as though it was a fragile creature. In that moment, the energy around him faded and he collapsed to the ground, breathing hard as the other looked him over.

"Hey, you did it. Good job… now you can reign in that kind of output so long as you don't forget what I told you." Yuya glanced towards them.

"Who are you?" the other sighed.

"I really shouldn't tell you… but… it's pretty clear you're Yuzu's special person, so… I guess I should help you out." Yuya felt an arm wrap around his side, and another slid under him before he was being hoisted to his feet, his arm being draped over the person's shoulder.

"Gongenzaka's sash…" the other nodded and helped him over to grab it before they started their walk towards the stadium, just a ways away from where they were.

"Yuto…" the scarlet-eyed boy looked to him.

"What?" Yuya questioned.

"That's my name… Yuto Kisaragi…" scarlet looked to gray.

"You're the one who Sawatari mistook for me. What the hell were you doing?!" Yuya pushed away from Yuto only to sway where he stood.

"Hey! You're too weak to move on your own right now and – "Yuya settled a strangely disturbing glare onto the other.

"Do you know how much trouble you caused for me and my friends? How much we could have lost because of what you did?" Yuya snapped.

"Believe me when I tell you that I regret doing that. Honestly, I'm so used to fighting that to me… not doing it seems wrong now." The odd-eyes duelist looked at the other boy.

"What do you – "Yuya felt his legs give out, Yuto catching him before he hit the ground.

"Careful, you have a duel coming up. Yuzu would be disappointed if you were too injured to do it," he told him as he helped him back up.

"Why are you helping me?" Yuto sighed.

"I saw what happened with those other guys… and I know why you were so willing to put yourself in harms way. So, I guess I wanted to help you because you looked like you could use it," he admitted.

"Yea, well… I guess witches have to stick together…" the Xyzs duelist looked to him.

"Uhh… I guess its foolish of me to ask how you know when I knew about magic cores," Yuto stated as he started helping the other back to the stadium again.

"Naturally…"

Yuto looked at the boy he was helping in confusion. Yuya was vastly different from what he expected him to be if he were to be honest. He had this glow to his aura, like stardust, as he had seen prior to this close encounter, but there was this underlying shadow to him, a darker more ferocious side that had only reared its head when he had seen him fighting off the four thugs that had been sent after him, and that was what confused him. As a Shadow witch, Yuto was accustomed to darker aspects, but seeing Yuya's fighting style, and then his magical energy output, it felt as though he had witnessed something wild and unhinged come through inside the boy at that point.

" _He's pure light… I can feel it because I'm so close to him… but his behavior when fighting… it was like some kind of wild animal… like how I fight when I start to use my strain… I wonder if maybe he…"_

"Yuto!" the person in question looked up to see Shay heading towards him and Yuya, causing the scarlet-eyed boy to look at him as well.

"Shay, I'm glad you're here, I need your help," Yuto stated as the older witch looked at the person he was holding up.

"What the hell happened to him?" Yuya looked to him.

"I'm gonna guess you're the other attacker…" the red-green-haired boy pointed out.

"He knows?" Shay asked his friend who shrugged.

"Um… yea… he kinda put that together by himself. I um… found him fighting four high schoolers in a clearing nearby." The other huffed.

"So, I'm gonna guess they saw him use his magic, huh?" the two boys looked to him in confusion.

"How did you know?" they asked as Shay shook his head.

"It's weird enough that you look alike, don't start that creepy talking at the same time thing too." He eyed the two fourteen-year-olds who gave him a puzzled expression before Shay decided it was best to step in and help Yuto.

"Anyways, he's not injured, just tired," Yuto stated as Shay crouched down a bit, startling Yuya as he was pulled onto the other's back.

"W-Wait! Hey!" Shay glanced to him.

"Stop protesting. We need to get you back to the stadium, so you can recover before your duel," he told Yuya.

"O-Okay but is this really…" Shay stood up and frowned a bit as Yuto started to walk alongside his friend.

"You're really light," he commented as Yuya frowned.

"Hey, you're a complete stranger, you don't get to make those kinds of comments!" Yuto snickered a bit.

"How did you know they saw him use his magic?" Yuto questioned.

"I felt the energy pulse from down the street. Whatever kind of witch you are, kid, you're powerful." Yuya frowned.

"That's what I keep being told. I'm the only child in my family's seventh generation so…" Shay almost tripped at the statement.

"Then you're technically what's known as a Doctorial Witch. The seventh generation of a family that produces only one child, normally results in that child having a lot of power," he explained.

"Or it's because of the red in his hair… scarlet witches are usually pretty strong." Yuya eyed the two people.

"Probably, but we've gotta hurry. My friend Gongenzaka is dueling someone who tried to… use me as a means to make him throw the match… the sash I have… it's important to him," he stated.

"Alright then, hang on." Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"What do you – Ah!" Shay started running, not being certain why he was so willing to help this boy who looked like his best friend; however, he was doing so all the same. As they rushed towards the stadium though, Shay began to feel that Yuya's magical aura was replenishing itself rapidly, the faint pulse starting to feel like a heartbeat in a matter of moments as he continued to run.

" _Just what the hell is this kid?"_

 **{Stadium Duel Area: 11:27am}**

Gongenzaka had been trying desperately to have faith that Yuya would be safe, and that he could handle himself; however, at current he was beginning to lose hope, having been pushed to the edge of a cliff with next to nothing to defend himself he had struggled up until this point, when he had started to find himself questioning if Ankokuji was right in some form or fashion. He swore that there was nothing in this world worth believing in, and he had attacked Gongenzaka with his own monster, pushing him down to five-hundred life points, and resulting in Gongenzaka becoming desperate to fight off Ankokuji's attacks.

The ordeal had put him in dire straits, leaving him struggling to stand and searching for a will to keep fighting. It was then that he recalled everything he had done to better himself, and how much one of his dearest friends had endured to become stronger as well. Yuya and Yuzu had put themselves in the thick of situations to grow as Duelists, and they had flourished under the pressure. Yuzu had shown that by defeating Julia Crystal, proving that she could shine with twice the radiance of any gem the other girl could summon, and then there was Yuya. The boy had went toe to toe with people who had challenged him, putting him in situations where he had to truthfully think, and even be willing to take major risks.

In his Duel with Aura, Yuya had removed his façade, and stood before them just as he was, unafraid and willing to change fate itself if it meant he could do something with his gifts as both a duelist and a witch. As those thoughts came to him, Gongenzaka stood, and activated the effect of his Superheavy Samurai Gloves from the graveyard, drawing another Samurai card, and stopping Ankokuji's Mad Shaman. As he stood there, with his opponent's turn at an end, he prepared to face possible defeat gracefully, but refused to surrender.

"So, you managed to buy yourself some time, big deal! After this turn, it's game over!" Ankokuji stated.

"Not so long as I believe in my deck and in Yuya. He will return here safely, having avoided your petty attempts." The other laughed.

"Doubtful, that little demon is probably having a real fun time being the hostage at the hands of my comrades," he said, Yoko narrowed her gaze having sensed something off some time ago and now was using a spell to listen in on Ankokuji's statement.

" _If he thinks Yuya is easy prey, he's going to be sorely mistaken."_ Gongenzaka shook his head.

"I believe that he is safe! Yuya isn't weak, and he is no longer afraid to stand up and fight!" he declared.

"We'll see. I'll end my turn here!" Gongenzaka looked down to his feet, where the black sash his father had given him now lay torn. It had been a sense of pride, but it now was nothing more than a piece of ripped cloth; however, where his pride did lay, was in the belief he had in his friends.

" _The battle sash, my father gave me isn't want I need now…"_ he thought.

"What I need right now is – "suddenly he heard someone call his name.

"GONGENZAKA!" the giant of a man turned to look upwards near the entry way where Yuya stood, on his feet and holding his white battle sash in the air.

"I knew you would come!" the boy grinned to him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting! Catch!" Yuya used up a small portion of his magic and gathered it around the sash, the item was then launched and went flying towards Gongenzaka who caught it with a firm grip.

"Yuya! I accept this sash from you with pride! I had faith in you and here you are! Therefore, from now on, this is my battle sash!" Gongenzaka declared.

"Go get him…" Yuya glanced towards Shay and Yuto who nodded to him as he silently thanked them and went to bounding down the stairwell to get to where he could be right in view of Gongenzaka's duel.

"He's definitely interesting, just like you said," Shay stated.

"Yea, and I get the feeling that he's going to be a valuable asset to the Lancers…" the Risulian witch, nodded as he continued to watch from the shadows.

"I'm pretty sure he's a Waking Witch though… that kind of power isn't natural," he said as Yuto sighed.

"I thought that too. He's going to have a lot of trouble learning to control something like that." Shay shrugged.

"He'll be fine… he's stronger than people think he is…" down below, Gongenzaka had just drawn his next card and nodded to himself as he prepared to bring it out.

"I Summon the Level Two Tuner Monster Superheavy Samurai Battleball, from my hand!" Gongenzaka declared as the little machine bounded onto the field.

"Tamashii!" Ankokuji laughed.

"That little small-fry Tuner won't save you, idiot!" he stated as Gongenzaka looked him square in the eye.

"Wrong! Battleball can Synchro Summon by using one Machine-type Monster my opponent controls as material!" Ankokuji felt his jaw drop.

"Say what?!" the other nodded.

"I Tune the Level Eight Big Benkei on your field with the Level Two Battleball on my field! _Ranging deity, in unison with the roar of a thousand blades! Appear now in a spiraling sandstorm! Synchro Summon!_ Come now before us! Superheavy Samurai Warlord Susano-o!" the level-ten thirty-eight-hundred attack point war machine sat down upon the field, imposing and powerful in all its might.

"He did it! He pulled off a Synchro Summon!" Yaiba cheered as Gongenzaka continued.

"I then equip Susano-o with Superheavy Samurai Soulburst Gauntlet from my hand! It raises his Defense Points by four-hundred!" the monster's defense points shot up to forty-two-hundred.

"Y-You don't mean he can attack like Big Benkei?!" fear became apparent on Ankokuji's face.

" _I hope you relish this feeling of insecurity… this sensation of fear because you've been outdone and overpowered… that is what it feels like to be treated how you treat me and others, Gen Akokuji!"_ Yuya thought with a slightly pleased smirk on his face.

"That's right! He can attack using his Defense Points! _Here goes! Battle!_ Susano-o attacks Mad Shaman Battleguard! _Decapitating Kusanagi Sword!"_ the monster swung, destroying Mad Shaman in an instant as Ankokuji was sent sailing as his Life Points hit zero and the field dispersed.

" **AND THAT'S IT! THE FIRST MATCH OF TODAY'S JUNIOR YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP GOES TO NOBUROU GONGENZAKA!"** The crowds erupted as Yaiba looked to his pupil.

"He managed to pull off a Synchro Summon in the end, he had me kind of worried for a moment though," he admitted.

"You did good in teaching him. It shows that what we've learned can be passed on to other people." Hokuto nodded.

"Exactly!"

Gongenzaka walked steadily away from his defeated opponent and towards Yuya who was standing at the side of the arena with a bright smile upon his face. He had succeeded in victory, and done so because of his belief in the boy that was standing before him. He stopped right in front of Yuya who seemed relieved that he had won while Gongenzaka himself was busy looking the boy over for any signs of injury. Scarlet eyes caught the concern in his gaze and Yuya gave him an assured smile.

"I'm fine Gongenzaka. They didn't get a chance to hurt me," he said.

"How did you manage that?" Yuya gave him a sheepish look.

"My magic… and I fought them physically. I know some combative magic, so I put it to good use," Yuya told him only for Gongenzaka to reach forward and hug the boy, startling him somewhat as the others came down and the giant teenager continued to hug his small friend in relief.

"I'm so glad your safe… I wish I could have helped you, but I the manly Gongenzaka salute your power and pride as a warrior, Yuya!" he said, setting the petite boy down.

"N-No it's fine! I just used combative straight magic, it's really basic. No need to praise me or anything like that! I swear!" he tried and failed to get Gongenzaka to stop apologizing and telling him how honored he was to know his friend was capable of taking care of himself.

"Yuya! Where were you?!" Yuzu and the others came up to them and the scarlet-eyed boy looked in their direction.

"Sorry, I had to deal with some people Ankokuji sent my way. They stole Gongenzaka's sash, and I had to do something about it," he stated.

"The main thing is that you're safe. Now, come with me for a moment Yuya, I need to talk with you before your match begins." Yoko grabbed her son by the arm and dragged him away, the others somewhat confused by the action.

"Do you think it's serious?" asked Sora.

"Who knows… but congratulations Gongenzaka, you did it!" the teenager nodded.

"Thank you, Yuzu. Now, all that remains is for Yuya and Sora to win," he said.

"No sweat, we've got this in the bag."

 **{….}**

 _There's a war going on inside of me tonight, don't be afraid…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** So, Gongenzaka and Yuya kicked some ass in this chapter. I gotta say the whole thing with those people Ankokuji hired was a scene I debated about writing because I wasn't sure if it would fit or not, but those four goons always gave me the creeps and I wanted Yuya to show that he can fight and that his mother didn't just teach him easy going stuff. He would have learned how to adapt his Action Duel training and his magic together for a unique fighting style. Well, up next is Yuya vs. Sawatari, let me know what you guys think, and I'll look forward to your reviews.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Noburou Gongenzaka is known as Gong Strong in the Arc-V English Dub.

Noburou is a traditional name meaning: Rise or Ascend.

I actually couldn't find a translation for Gongenzaka's last name. Weird.

Combative Straight magic is a branch of a magical form talked about in another story of mine: _Kingdom Hearts: Genesis._

Yuya's magical aura would probably be something similar to what you see in some of Hayao Miyazaki's works.

Doctorial Witches are witches born in the seventh generation of a family of witches – how their generations work is a little different from how ours work – and are usually the only child born in that timeframe.

Witches in this story don't have magic like most people do that comes from an unexplained source. It ebbs from their very being, tied to their heart and spirit, and if either dies, their magic is severally stinted.

When Yuya starts to release his magical aura, he does become a bit more wild; however, he also is still mostly aware of his actions, which keep him from acting out to much.


	31. Chapter 31: Pith & Pendulum

Chapter 31: Pith & Pendulum

 **{Back Hallway of Stadium: July 16** **th** **, 2014, 11:50am}**

Yuya stood in front of his mother who was rummaging through a bag she had carried with her. It wasn't that uncommon for her to do things like this; however, it was a somewhat confusing situation seeing as he was about to start his match in five minutes. The woman pulled out a small vial and shook it a few times, the red liquid churning about in it as she turned and held it out to him, causing him to look at her in confusion. At first, he was willing ignore the reason behind her giving him this strange red potion again, but the look on his mother's face told him it was a serious situation and that he needed to do as she said.

"Mom? What's going on?" he asked.

"You're about to go out there for a showcase duel. Reiji Akaba explained it to me before Gongenzaka's duel started. You and your opponent will both be using Pendulums to fight in this duel…" Yuya sighed.

"Something told me it was going to be like that. Reiji is going to have someone explain that, right?" he questioned.

"Yes, he said Nico's already gotten the cue card to have at the start of the duel. But that's not what I'm concerned about." Yuya took the bottle that was held out for him once more.

"Then what are you concerned with?" he inquired as Yoko looked him over.

"I know that you released your magical aura earlier to get those people off your back. I also happen to know that you came back with two young men, one of which favored you quite a bit." Yuya swallowed nervously.

"My energy's back to normal," he assured her.

"Doubtful after that. I felt it all the way here in the stadium… there's no question about it that any other witch here worth their salt also felt your aura's pressure. Yuya, you've got to be more careful, and you've also got to do what I say when I tell you to take this potion and use your magic during this duel," she said, causing him to give her a surprised expression.

"M-My magic? Mom! If I mess up and it becomes obvious, then the people in the stadium will now about – "Yoko nodded.

"Yes, I know. However, Yuzu warned me earlier that Sawatari already has been made aware that you may be a witch. He asked them in person during registration yesterday morning," she told him.

"Sawatari… knows that I'm a witch?" she glanced to the side.

"Not entirely. Yuzu and the others did a good job of covering for you and he let the topic slide, but he said someone tipped him off that you were a witch. I'm telling you right now that this will be like in the duel with Aura Houchun, if you start trying to repress it, you'll end up making yourself sick or getting caught off guard and get yourself hurt," Yoko explained as Yuya looked down.

"So… I have to duel Sawatari… _who's a mortal…_ as a witch?" she nodded, and he groaned.

"Take the potion, it'll replenish your energy and give you a better hold on your magic," she informed him as he popped the cork on it and turned the bottle upside down, drinking it in one go.

"That's nasty! It tastes like blood!" he rubbed his mouth across his arm and Yoko gave him a concerned look.

"Yuya…" the woman was met with the boy's scarlet eyes.

"Yea mom?" she reached out and placed a hand to his face, brushing her thumb under his eye.

"Go out there and fight, be strong and have a good time," she told him.

"Okay… but are you sure everything's okay?" Yoko nodded.

"I'm only worried about you trying to hide who you are. Be proud that you're a witch, and let it show today… just be careful, alright?" Yuya slowly agreed to her statement, getting the feeling that this duel would be hell.

 **{Stadium Arena: 12:00pm}**

" **AND NOW! WE'LL BE CONTINUING WITH TODAY'S SECOND MATCH!"** Yuya swallowed nervously as Nico whipped the crowds into a frenzy.

" _Just stay calm, use your magic and stay focused on winning your duel no matter what Sawatari says or does. If he learns the truth, then it was meant to be… and I'll deal with that later. Right now, I'm going to deal with beating him."_

" **IT'S A FIGHT BETWEEN YOU SHOW DUEL SCHOOL'S YUYA SAKAKI, THE CREATOR OF THE PENDULUM SUMMONING METHOD, AND THE LEO DUEL SCHOOL'S SYLVIO SAWATARI!"** everyone cheered as their names and pictures came onto the screen and Yuya swallowed nervously.

"Creator of Pendulum Summoning? You mean that it's true Yuya Sakaki created it?" asked a person in the audience.

"Apparently so, I heard that Leo Corp has a contract with him to distribute and create the pendulum cards."

" **TODAY, THE DUEL BETWEEN THE PENDULUM CREATOR YUYA SAKAKI AND ONE OF LEO DUEL SCHOOL'S ELITE STUDENTS, SYLVIO SAWATARI, WILL SHOWCASE THE POWER OF PENDULUM SUMMONING. FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS EVERYONE, THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET INTENSE!"**

The door of the arena opened and Yuya stepped onto the field, taking in a steady breath as he prepared to begin his duel against Sawatari. It was a long awaited event, something he had willingly agreed to, and knowing that his and Sawatari's duel was supposed to showcase the summoning method he'd created, made him both terrified and excited at the same time. Yuya steadied himself, knowing that he didn't need to relax his strangle hold on his magic until the field was chosen, at which point he would let his magic free to let him do what he needed to in this duel. As he stood there, a distinct musical note came floating through the area, and Yuya looked up, noticing the tune from something he'd heard his mother sing to him as a small child.

Sylvio Sawatari walked into the arena dressed in what Yuya suspected to be Edo period samurai clothes, a leaf placed to his lips that the note of the music came from. As he stood there, adorned in the old-world attire that reminded Yuya of the Barmian Iron Witches typical clothes, the music continued to float around the arena while Yuya just watched, wondering what Sawatari could possibly be up to. He knew that the other duelist wanted to become an entertainer, and he suspected that this was his first attempt to doing so, putting his own flare on how he entered the stage and began his performance.

" _At least he won't be forgotten if he loses… that is quite the entrance I'll admit,"_ Yuya thought as Sylvio stopped playing the leaf flute.

"The cards called me here. They called me to draw them. The lone star twinkling in the sky! Look! The first Duel star of the evening! Do you realize who I am?" Yuya sighed.

"Sylvio Sawatari, my opponent…" he answered.

"Wrong! I am Neo New Sawatari!" the other ripped the clothes off, revealing his normal attire beneath it as Yuya watched him for a moment.

"O-Kay…" Yuya stated in disinterest.

"I am here to duel you! Yuya Sakaki!" Sawatari declared.

"Why else would you be here?" the brunette frowned.

"Today! I will take part in the showcase of your Pendulum Method, with my own Pendulum cards. Doing so, means that I will prove that not only you have the power to use them!" Yuya crossed his arms over his chest.

"Um… I hate to burst your bubble, but I've long since accepted that fact," he pointed out.

"Whether you have or not! I will do more than just defeat you with the method you created! I will expose you!" the statement caused Yuya to flinch.

" _My life is about to get very difficult…"_ he thought, coming a bit closer to Sawatari.

"What are you talking about?" he muttered, knowing that the entire area was rigged with a speaker system. Nico began to choose the field, giving Yuya the chance to get a straight answer out of the other teenager.

"A little birdy told me you have a special gift…" scarlet-eyes looked the other over.

"And that would be?" he inquired.

" **WHAT KIND OF DUEL WILL THIS BE?! THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT, AND THAT IS TO SET THE STAGE FOR THESE TWO SPLENDID ACTORS!"** Nico kept preparing the crowds, unknowingly buying Yuya more time.

"That you are a real-life witch." Yuya sighed.

"Witches aren't real Sawatari. But that was a really good rendition of _In search of Mother_ I applaud you for it," he said, clapping his hands a bit.

"Thank you, I spent the last few weeks learning how to play – Oh! Don't change the subject Sakaki! Here and now, I will learn the truth about if you are a witch or not!" Yuya took in a deep breath.

"If that'll help you sleep at night, be my guest," he said as Nico tapped the microphone.

" **OUR ACTION FIELD FOR THIS SPECTACLE OF PENDULUM SUMMONING, WILL BE… SUNSET STRONGHOLD!"**

The field generated, the bright light of mid-day vanishing as a slightly gloomy sunset overcast the sky, and before them, stood a tower-like structure built into a high hill that had most certainly seen better days. It reminded Yuya somewhat of the ancient war temples built during the feudal era; however, here, he was positive the battle he was going to end up in was going to be anything but distant memory. If Sawatari succeeded in revealing him as a witch, he would have quite a struggle from here on out, but if he used his magic in just the right way, it would potentially reveal to his opponent that he was a witch, but it would also give him the kind of leverage he would need to make this duel into the showcase it was supposed to be. The action cards dispersed, and Yuya tensed, looking around himself as Sawatari activated his duel disk and he followed suit, before looking directly to his opponent.

" _I'm just going to release the hold I have on my magic, I know how to use it well enough not to give me an overwhelming advantage, but it'll let me move quicker and avoid getting hurt to much. I know how strong Pendulums are… so I'm not taking a chance of something going wrong…"_

"I'll let you go first," Sawatari said, watching him intently as Yuya took in a steady breath, and released the hold on his magic, a faint pick-up of dirt spiraling about his feet before being pushed outwards as he nodded while up in the stands, Yoko only hoped that things went well during this duel.

"Sounds good to me! Now, this card, when neither player has a Monster on their field, can be Summoned from my hand by lowering its level by one!" Yuya held up Performapal Drummerilla which he summoned to the field.

"Alright, a giant monkey, fine…" Yuya frowned.

"I then set one card face-down and end my turn!" he stated.

"Now, Sylvio Sawatari's legendary reveal duel begins! I'm going to show everyone who you really are, Yuya Sakaki!" the fourteen-year-old witch tensed.

"You can try… but you'll just make yourself look like a fool," he said as Sawatari drew a card.

"We'll see… now, I activate from my hand the Continuous Spell, Yosen Training Grounds! This card, every time a _Yosenju_ is normal or special summoned, lights one _Yosen Counter_ for each one!" a small shrine appeared in the sky, supported by purple clouds with a wind-style emblem at the top of it and two shelves where twelve unlit candles were placed.

"Yosen counter? Then that's your deck's archetype, huh?" Sawatari nodded.

"And now, I summon Yosenju Kamaitachi from my hand!" in a whirl of wind, a weasel in traditional garments wielding a chain scythe appeared, his shaggy silver hair tied back. It was a wind attribute monster, level four, and stood at sixteen-hundred attack points.

"Weasels?" Yuya questioned.

"When I successfully Normal Summon Kamaitachi, I can Normal Summon one _Yosenju_ from my hand, other than Kamaitachi! So, come, Yosenju Kamanitachi!" a female weasel in blue robes appeared, holding a katana to her back as she crouched. Yuya frowned, seeing that this monster was also a level four, but had eighteen-hundred attack points.

" _Two level fours, if I didn't know better, I'd say he's aiming for an Xyz Summon, but I doubt these monsters have anything but Pendulums in their mechanics… that's kind of sad if you think about it though…"_

"And! When Kamanitachi is successfully Normal Summoned, I can Normal Summon one _Yosenju_ from my hand, other than Kamanitachi! Join the party, Yosenju Kamamitachi!" Sawatari played another Yosen monster, also a level four, standing at fifteen-hundred attack points. It was wearing it's robes down around it's waist, its arms bandaged, and holding daggers in its hands. The weasel's attire was completed with a pale green scarf around it's neck and brown pants.

" **S-Somehow, Sawatari managed to Summon three times in a row!"** Nico exclaimed as Sawatari smiled.

"Summoning multiple Monsters at once isn't just a Pendulum Monsters' thing anymore. I've summoned three Yosenju so far, so three candles light up in the shrine!" the candles did just that, Yuya looking at the three monsters and the shrine above them.

" _Okay, I'm not an expert on counters or anything, but I know for a fact that when a certain number of them are added up, things get bad quick…"_

"I activate the effect of my Kamaitachi, when I control a _Yosenju_ other than this card on my field, one time only, it can return a card on the opponent's field to their hand!" Sawatari pointed out.

"What?!" Yuya stared, somewhat surprised when the blue-robed weasel used the chain-scythe to strike Drummerilla and the card was returned to his hand, causing Yuya to tense as he realized that Sawatari was more than likely going for a triple direct attack.

"Here I go! Battle! Kamaitachi attacks directly!" Sawatari declared as Yuya moved.

" **Sakaki's in a pinch already!"** Nico pointed out as the scarlet-eyed boy huffed and kept moving, trying to find a way to not need to use his magic to lessen the physical damage of the hit he was about to take.

"Continuous Trap, Performapal Pinch Helper! This card can be activated by negating an opponent's direct attack! Then, I can special summon one _Performapal_ from my Deck that has eight-hundred or less Attack Points, but its effects are negated." Yuya skidded to a halt just as he played Kaleidoscorpion in Defense Position.

"That little insect…" Sawatari muttered.

"Actually, their arachnids, and Kaleidoscorpion's Defense Points are higher than Kamanitachi or Kamamitachi's Attack Points! Which means, you can't attack!" the other laughed.

"Hah! No matter, 'coz I activate Kamanitachi's effect! I can halve this card's Attack Points to allow it to attack directly!" he explained as the female weasel's attack dropped to nine-hundred.

Yuya took in a steady breath and started running, knowing that he had two options before him at this point – technically three if he considered it better – and that meant he could take the hit full on, find an action card, or take the hit, but lessen the physical pain he would feel by using a personal shield spell. Option one wouldn't hurt as bad as it would have if the monster could attack at her full power, but it would still be a painful tumble, option two was his best one, but slightly unlikely, and his third one was straight out dangerous for his secret. As he ran though, Sawatari began to respond to his movement.

"I ain't gonna let you get your hands on an Action Card! Time to battle! Kamanitachi attacks directly!"

Yuya moved to jump on the closing bridge, and the moment he started to get up onto it, a large burst of wind came and swept him off it, causing him to tumble downwards. Quickly, Yuya activated a shield spell, and landed head-first on the ground, but quickly recovered, landing in a crouch as he felt a tremble of pain lace up his spine from the sheer force on the impact. He had saved himself from severe physical damage; however, it still had hurt to the point that his body almost didn't want to respond to him. His life points dropped to thirty-one-hundred, and he remained where he was in the ditch where the rest of the area was above him. It was a bad place to be, any attack from Sawatari would end up making the dried out moat a proverbial death funnel for him with nowhere to run or hide to lessen the damage.

"Too bad! And now, I activate the effect of my Kamamitachi. When a _Yosenju_ other than this card inflicts battle damage to my opponent, I can add one _Yosenju_ to my hand, other than Kamamitachi. And the card I choose to add is my Yosenju Ooyamabiko," Sawatari told him as Yuya stared up at him.

" _That fall stunned me even with the defense spell I had to take some of the impact. I want to stand to start looking for an Action Card, but… my legs won't move… my body's still in too much shock from the impact to respond…"_ Yuya thought on this situation as he tried to figure out what the best course of action would be for him to do.

"Next, I activate the effect of my Yosen Training Grounds. Once per turn, by using three of the Yosen Counters on this card, I can add one _Yosenju_ from my Deck to my hand. So, I add my Mayosenju Daibakaze," Sawatari told him.

"Ninja Weasels… and a wind demon… great…" Yuya heard his opponent laugh a bit.

"Sadly, this match won't be interesting if I finish you off too quickly. I set one card face-down. Turn end! At the end of a turn in which the three Kamaitachi monsters were Normal Summoned, they all return to the hand," Sawatari stated as the other relaxed a fraction.

" _His card effects return all of his Monsters to his hand… leaving his field completely empty… similar to how Spirit monsters work… but that doesn't mean they don't have effects that can be used from the hand. I need to be careful…"_

"Well, let's continue the show already. Entertainment Duelist, Yuya Sakaki!" Sawatari taunted with a smile as Yuya took in a shaky breath and started to try and stand.

" _My legs are still shaking from that impact… so I'm going to have to release more of my magic, so my body won't start to wear out on me if I get hit again… because, if that happens… it won't be good…"_ Sawatari watched Yuya struggle to stand and looked him over, internally hoping that the boy hadn't gotten hurt to badly by the direct attack he'd sent his way.

"Can you stand up?" he asked.

"I'll be fine… it's my turn now! Draw!" Yuya looked to the cards in his hand and nodded with a smile as he held two cards up.

"I set my Scale One Stargazer Magician and my Scale Eight Timegazer Magician as the Pendulum Scales!" he announced.

Yuto who was standing in the entry way of the stadium next to Shay, felt his eyes grow wide as he watched the stardust pillars appear, arcane numbers of one and eight appearing bellowing their respective monsters while a moment later a pale blue and silver version of his own Pendulum crystal appeared above them in the sky. His gaze went to Yuya, his pendulum crystal shining with a brilliant light similar to a star as he prepared to summon forth his monsters. As he stood there though, Shay glanced down and reached towards his friend who looked to what he was doing in time to see his own pendulum crystal shining with a sharp purple light, similar to how it had been doing since their arrival in this Zone of their world.

" _Is Yuya causing this? And if he is… how? It doesn't make sense,"_ Yuto thought as Shay looked back to the arena.

"Now I can Summon Monsters between Level Two and Seven at the same time! _Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light Across the Sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Come out, my Monsters!" Yuya rose his hand towards the sky, a web of stardust having formed as a portal of crystal appeared and lights flashed from it.

"Appearing now on the field, is Performapal Drummerilla! And, the one with dazzling heterochromatic eyes! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Yuya's monsters appeared around him and Yuto felt a strange pulse come from the pendulum crystal he wore and from within his duel disk. He looked to it as he opened his extra deck slot, and pulled a purple glowing Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon from the slot, causing his friend to give the card and him a confused look.

"Yuto? What the hell is happening?" Shay asked.

"I wish I knew… it's like Dark Rebellion is calling out to Odd-Eyes or something… it's weird… but I feel it… like a thread being pulled tight between me and Yuya…" the other looked him over.

" _Doppelgangers can be drawn to one another, but they're not like this… one is always sinister, and Yuya's magic is so pure… just like Yuto said, and I know for a fact that Yuto isn't evil… so it's not that… but… how are these two connected? And what's causing Dark Rebellion to respond to Odd-Eyes?"_ Shay put his mind to work as he watched the duel between Yuya and Sawatari continue, knowing that things were getting stranger by the second.

" **IT'S HERE! THE METHOD THAT YUYA SAKAKI CREATED, AND IS SHOWCASED HERE TODAY! PENDULUM SUMMONING! THE VERY METHOD THAT DEFEATED STRONG ISHIJIMA!"** Nico cheered as loud as the crowd did, and Yuya felt his body ease a fraction.

" _This doesn't mean the duel is going to get easier…"_

Yuya had perceived the possibility of a trap, and was proven correct when he tried to attack directly with Odd-Eyes. Sawatari had activated the effect of Yosenju Ooyamabiko from his hand, sending a Yosenju to the graveyard, and summoning the towering monster to the field in Attack Position. It was a menacing looking beast, reminding him of some of the more sinister spirits that Witches had summoned in the past to do their bidding. It had a grim frown and large yellow eyes, it's arms outstretched as it stood, high above him and stretched into the clouds.

At first, the Monster's attack was unknown; however, that changed swiftly when it matched Odd-Eyes' twenty-five-hundred Attack Points due to the effect the Monster possessed. As the Monster remained towering on the field, a Yosen Counter lit up in the shrine, causing Yuya to hiss a bit under his breath. Yuya reacted quickly, activating Drummerilla's effect, and increased Odd-Eyes' attack by six-hundred, giving it an edge over Ooyamabiko. With thirty-one-hundred attack points, Yuya's Ace Monster attacked the eerie beast, doubling the damage due to it being a level six monster.

Sawatari's Life Points went down to twenty-eight-hundred; however, it wasn't over then. Ooyamabiko had another effect that caused Yuya even more trouble, adding another one of itself to Sawatari's hand. The duel continued much like that for quite some time, Sawatari rebuttling every single attack Yuya could throw his way or the Yosenju would take out his cards at every chance they got. Eventually, Sawatari set his own pendulum scales, using effects and other cards to deal damage to Yuya left and right. At current, Yuya was staring down the level ten Daibakaze that Sawatari had added to his hand earlier, and he was beginning to wonder if anything could be done to stop it and the spells and traps that kept firing wind at him like a hurricane.

" _This is starting to hurt. He keeps blasting me with all these wind attacks… this feels more like what I've been told a straight witches duel feels like rather than a Duel Monster's game. I've got to act fast…"_

"I end my turn! You know, maybe this would be easier for you if you used magic," Sawatari pointed out as Yuya looked up from where he was still in the trenches.

"Why do you think I can?" the brunette smirked.

"Don't think I haven't noticed… I have this feeling of immense unease around you. Like something terrible could happen to me if I crossed you the wrong way. Tell me that feeling of foreboding isn't abnormal," he stated.

"Ha! You probably feel that way because you know deep down that I'm still going to win!" Sawatari gaped at him.

"How the hell do you plan on doing that? You'll keep repeating this useless cycle of getting toss around constantly, and for what? To be shown that you're a second-best performer and duelist at most… ultimately, the power you have isn't going to amount to anything," he told him firmly. Yuya kept his head bowed, his mind going through what needed to be done.

"But if he doesn't get to use his Pendulums like this… what'll happen to Big Bro Yuya?" asked Frederic.

"My… turn…" Yoko and the others looked at the boy in concern, not being certain how he could overcome this situation.

"Yuya! Don't give up! Let yourself get fired up!" Shuzo called.

"Show him what a real man's like!" Gongenzaka started yelling his support alongside the others while Yuzu watched, concerned by the fact that he wasn't looking up.

"Big Bro Yuya! Keep fighting!" the children called. Yuzu was beginning to think he had actually started to admit defeat, and the second it crossed her mind, she saw something.

"Hold on! Yuya's smiling!" she said, causing the others to look at her.

"Wait… why would he be smiling?" on the field, Yuya kept his head bowed, his entire form still as his mind processed everything happening around him.

" _I'm completely cornered. So… I wonder why… I'm feeling so excited! My entire body's shaking with the thrill of it all… like a long battle with an opponent who can outwit me just as easily as I can them… my magic's pulsing like crazy… and I feel like my heart's about to burst… is this what it feels like to just let it all go? To take a deep breath and just be who I really am… in front of every person here? To be a witch and a duelist without worrying about keeping it underwraps? If it is, I want to feel more of it…"_

"You're never going to beat me, not with these monsters at my side," Sawatari stated.

"It's funny… the way this duel is going right now… I should be scared… but instead…" Yuya looked up to Sawatari, a smirk upon his features.

"Eh… what the hell's with that smirk?" he asked as Yuya laughed a bit.

"This is the most alive I've felt in months! So, don't think for a second that this duel is over… it's my turn, so I draw and set two cards face down! Turn end!" Yuya followed through with his choices, surprising everyone present as Yoko looked at the boy.

" _He's excited… I can feel his magic's pulse from here…"_

"Hey man, you went through all the trouble of saying something like that, and then do something so plain and boring?" Sawatari asked as Yuya bounded up the pegs in the way and cut a flip, landing gracefully before he started running again.

"I meant what I said! I'm entirely enthralled with every bit of it! So, come on, show me what you can do, let's make this a _fun game_ for everyone to see." The brunette looked to the petite boy across from him with a slight frown. There was something off with how the boy was responding to the situation, naturally, he assumed it was just adrenaline; however, there was this gleam in Yuya's eyes that told him it was a bit more than just that. No, there was an almost dark joy he was getting out of this circumstance, like a sadistic pleasure, but not nearly as twisted. Sawatari frowned, deciding it was best not to try and reason why this psychopathic _midget_ was so excited about the way the duel was going, and instead chose to focus on the duel.

"Well, your Pendulum Summons have been stopped, and with no hand, you can't help it right? Choosing such a simple action as a Duelist," he stated as Yuya glanced his way.

"Maybe, or it could be that I want to see what you'll do instead of just dogging me the entire time. And if I don't have any cards in my hand, then I'll just have to look around and get my hands on one!" Yuya started rushing towards the tower, Yuzu and the others somewhat startled by his behavior.

"Yuya… what in the world…" Gongenzaka looked to Yuzu.

"Do you see it? He has such fire in his eyes… I haven't seen that in such a long time…" he stated.

"So that means he… really meant what he said?" Yoko nodded at Yuzu's question.

"Yuya's never been fully recovered from what happened back before his birthday… but seeing his responses right now… I can tell that he actually feels alive. Since that day, he's only been half-awake, not really here or there… a part of him has always been sleeping… unable to wake up… but right now, I see a lot of the person I knew before the accident," Yoko admitted as Yuya raced up the slope he was on, jumping swiftly onto the nearest crumbling wall as he spun on his heels and looked to the audience.

"Here comes the fun part!" he declared this to them, his breath leaving him swiftly, his heart racing as they cheered, and he cut a back flip, using a series of randomized acrobatics to get to the tower as quickly as possible while putting on a show for them.

It was intense, the feeling he had coursing through his veins like white-scalding fire. Everything about him felt different than it had prior to this duel, and as he rushed up the path ways, finding areas he could utilize his magic and propel himself up into the next area without it seeming to strange, the elation of the situation continued to become something that fueled him to move faster, and find a way to fight back. Every fiber of his being felt like a live wire, and instead of it being something he didn't acknowledge, he reveled in it, letting it push him onward as he bounded up one of the walls, and kept moving.

" _It feels like all the weight I've had pushed on me has just disappeared. My magic doesn't feel heavy anymore, but light… kind of like a feather… and my body's stopped feeling tired and run down. It feels like I've been brought back from the dead almost… like I'm taking in a breath of fresh air for the first time in a long while…"_ Yuya used these elations to drive him, never knowing what Sawatari would throw his way, but he nonetheless found himself excited about it.

"Hmph! Putting your hopes in getting an Action Card. I've gotta at least applaud your tenacity. Maybe I was wrong to think you were more than just a weird Duelist though. All the same, normal or freak, all that awaits you is despair and defeat. My turn! I summon Yosenju Kamaitachi from my hand! Upon successfully Normal Summoning Kamaitachi, I can summon Kamanitachi, and then use her effect to Normal Summon Yosenju Kamamitachi! At the same time, I get three Yosen Counters from the Training Grounds!" Yuya kept racing about the area, jumping over gaps and places that he needed to propel himself with magic to get across while Sawatari kept talking.

"Yea, I know all that! It's the same old song and dance, don't you got anything better Sawatari?!" Yuya asked in a near breathless manner, a smirk on his face as he turned to face his opponent for a moment before turning back to keep running.

"B-Better?! Why you little… hmph. While you search for Action Cards, I'll put the finishing touches on my field. So, it's about time to finish things here, Yuya Sakaki."

Yuya ran into the tower at long last, looking around the area as he started up the stairwell. Sawatari watched him keep going, somewhat impressed by his stamina as he considered what the younger boy was planning. It was most plausible, that the two Set cards on his field, were a distraction, meant to keep him from attacking on the off-chance that they could do something if someone attempted to get rid of them; however, he had no intention of falling for the waiting game trick. He knew for a fact, that Kamaitachi's effect couldn't bounce Yuya's set cards, he did have something that could help him out.

"I activate the Pendulum Effect of my Urenshinchu! If there's a _Yosenju_ in my other Pendulum Zone, until the end of the turn, it's Pendulum Scale switches from Five to Eleven! With this, I can Summon any Monsters between Level Four and Ten at the same time! _Pendulum Summon! Clad yourself in the storming winds, leader of the Yokai! Savagely unleash your garb to pull the rivers out of their beds and gouge the earth itself!_ Come Forth, _Mayosenju Daibakaze!"_ the giant wind demon appeared on the field, giving the Yosen Training Ground's shrine six lit candles.

" _Yuya… what are you planning?"_ Yuzu internally questioned as Yuya kept rushing through the tower.

"The effect of my Daibakaze also works against face-down cards!" Sawatari explained.

"Ah! He plans to get rid of all of Yuya's remaining cards!" Shuzo realized this as Yuya's opponent activated his monster's effect.

"I activate the effect of my Daibakaze! I return two cards on the field back to the hand! At the same time, Dizzying Winds of Yosen Village's effect activates, returning those two cards back to your Deck. This is the end! Yuya Sakaki!" the two cards had been blown off the field, most believing Yuya to have lost his last line of defense; however, things were never quite what they seemed.

" _Boy are you in for a surprise, Sawatari,"_ Yuya thought with a smirk.

"What a shame! Those cards you put all that effort into Setting have been wasted!" Sawatari stated.

"No! That was a good thing!" Yuya cut a flip out of the hole in the roof of the tower, landing on the half-demolished roof as he looked to his opponent.

"Huh?! What are you talking about?!" Sawatari asked in confusion as Yuya smiled.

"When this Set card – known as nameless – leaves the field during this turn, all my opponent's Monsters become _Nameless."_ A few beams of light shot towards Sawatari's duel disk, rendering his summoned monster's without their archetype names.

" **WHAT A TURNAROUND! SAKAKI HAS FOILED SAWATARI'S STRATEGY BY ERASING THEIR NAMES!"** Sawatari pulled up a video call to Yuya's Duel disk, having a bitter look on his face.

" _ **You bastard! No… you witch! You were planning this from the beginning!"**_ Yuya smirked.

"Now, is that anything to call someone? But, you are correct! The effect of Dizzying Winds of Yosen Village doesn't affect _Yosenju_ Monsters. So, I decided to _clear the air_ you could say," he explained. Sawatari glowered at him for a moment, and then sighed.

" _ **Not bad! For a witch…"**_ Yuya elected to ignore the statement, knowing that Sawatari was attempting to trip him up.

"Only because I was able to use the effects of your own cards against you," he pointed out with a small smile.

" _ **Hah! But do you think you'll safely reach the end of this turn? I'll end this Duel before it gets to that!"**_ Sawatari's Daibakaze sent a whirlwind that the duelist jumped atop before he cut a flip and landed atop his Ace's back, and Yuya prepared himself, knowing now would be the time to use his magic to keep the damage to himself at a minimum as Sawatari prepared to attack.

"Battle! Daibakaze, attack him directly! The rest of you weasels follow me!" the monsters came into an attack, Yuya pulling his goggles down.

" **SAWATARI IS LAUNCHING AN ALL-OUT ATTACK! HE LOOKS LIKE A FIERCE ROWDY WARRIOR INVADING THE ENMY CASTLE!"**

" _I won't let this end here… time to get this pendulum to swing my way!"_ Yuya cut a backflip and dropped down into the hole in the roof as Sawatari's attack hit.

"THE END!" the tower began to collapse, falling straight down while Yuya began to use his magic to evade the physical threat, speaking the spell swiftly as he closed his eyes, trusting his magic to do its job.

"Keeper of the realm of life and death! I call unto thee, whispering elegies unto your most exalted name _Izanami no Mikoto!_ Consecrated ground that is bestowed unto you within my very veins, and unbreaking sanctity unto your most humble of followers! I call forth the scared mantel of which you bestowed upon those who speak your name! Protect those who descend from your boundless blood!" a silver-gold hue covered his form as he grabbed one of the beams and spun quickly, moving out of the side as he took in a deep breath, cutting a mid-air flip as the spell continued to keep a shine to his form as he bounded away from the collapsing building, his heart pounding in his ears.

"YUYA NO!" scarlet eyes looked up towards Yuzu, the spell having heightened his senses momentarily as he saw the girl's horrified look, tears welling up in her eyes as he tore his gaze away from her and to Sawatari.

"You lose, Yuya Sakaki!" he stated.

In the next second Yuya flipped away from his hiding spot, and with a snap of his fingers drew attention to him from the audience. A spot light put upon him while the spell began to wear down as he looked at the area around him. He was standing upon one of the watch towers, both arms up in the air as he looked to everyone.

" **OH, MY GOODNESS! WHO COULD THAT BE? IT'S SAKAKI! HE'S PULLED OFF A STUNNING ESCAPE TRICK THAT COULD RIVAL HOUDINI!"** Nico slumped in his seat a fraction, wiping his brow as he considered how terrified he had been as he was certain the boy's friends and family were as well.

"He did it! Yea!" Yuzu took in a breath of relief.

"Thank goodness…" she muttered.

"Impossible! That Direct Attack should've finished you!" Sawatari exclaimed as Yuya looked his opponent dead in the eyes.

"Did you honestly think I was running around aimlessly all this time? Not only was I looking for Action Cards, but I also lured Daibakaze into attacking. Granting me this! The Action Spell, Big Escape! This, forces the Battle Phase to end!" the crowds cheered, and Yuya took a bow, and Sawatari growled.

" _There was no way in hell he could have escape that normally. I don't care who you are…"_ he thought.

"What the actual hell?! Did you use some kind of spell to get out of that or something?! I don't care about the damn Action Card! I want to know how you escaped that building!" Sawatari snapped as Yuya looked to him.

" _Actually, it was a Goddess Edict Prayer… it's basically a spell… so I guess he wouldn't be to far off…"_

"A magician never reveals his secrets," Yuya replied as Sawatari glowered.

"I activate the effect of my Yosen Training Grounds! I can remove three counters, and add a _Yosenju_ card from my deck to my hand! I add Kamamitachi to my hand and end my turn." Yuya looked to Sawatari.

"Now then, can I ask that your Monsters leave the stage?" he inquired as the monsters vanished.

"If no Yosenju Monsters are returned to my hand during the end of my turn, Yosen Whirlwind is destroyed. Then, Urenshinchu's Pendulum Scales return to their original values." Yuya took in a steady breath, knowing that it was time to end the duel.

" **Due to the effect of Dizzying Winds of Yosen Village, Sawatari's Monsters return to the deck instead of the hand."** Nico's explanation greeted the silence of the arena as Yuya looked down towards Sawatari.

"Our fields look really lonely now, huh?" he asked.

"Hmph. When my next turn comes, I'll make sure it gets crowded. It's gonna be the main event that mean your defeat…" Yuya smirked.

"I thought you were gonna expose me as a witch or something like that," he mentioned.

"Right now, kicking your ass is all that matters. If you are a witch… I'll expose you as soon as you lose." Yuya smiled removing his goggles.

"Sorry, but I don't intend to lose! My turn! Draw!"

Their duel became a moment of pendulum swings, backs and forths that never seemed to end, the crowds chanting for the Pendulum Summons to begin again and again as Sawatari and Yuya took the moment to entertain them all. Yuya chose to forget if the other found out if he was a witch or not, and chose to focus on winning the duel and letting everyone have fun. Eventually, it became more about giving the crowds a good show than who was winning or losing, but ultimately, something would have to be done to declare a winner. Yuya prepared himself, knowing that it was time to find out who would win or lose.

Sawatari proposed a challenge to him, telling him to give it his all as his turn was now up, and he had to draw and decide the outcome of their fight. Yuya smiled to him, his eyes having a shine to them that several of his friends hadn't seen in a long time as he prepared to take Sawatari's challenge and overcome it. He took in a steady breath, raising his arms up into the air as he prepared to give everyone the show they were asking for. So, with a smile upon his face, he engaged the side of him that was an entertainer, that had no qualms on whether or not he was just a witch or duelist at that moment.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! As you can see, not only do I lack Monsters on my field, but I have no Set cards either. My next draw will define how the stage is shaped… a _Destiny Draw_ if you will! And so, if I do this right, there will be much to applaud for! Draw!" Yuya looked at the card in his hand and smiled.

"Got something good?" Sawatari asked.

"Prepare to find out! Now then, witness the magic that is rarely seen in this world!" the brunette stared at him in momentarily disbelief as Yuya held the card out to him.

" _I keep getting this feeling that he's used magic off and on during this entire duel, but I've missed it… oh well… maybe next time."_ Sawatari thought with a wiry smile as Yuya began to explain.

"I can activate this card only when I have no cards on the field, and this is the only card in my hand! So, I activate the spell card, _Magician's Card!_ I draw cards up to the number of cards my opponent controls, and then I reveal them. There are currently five cards residing in Sawatari's field, thus I draw five cards!" Yuya stated as he drew his five cards.

"This should be interesting," Yuto stated, still clutching his Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's card, the glowing having long since stopped, but the strange pull still being present.

"And the cards I drew are Performapal's Skeeter Skimmer, Trump Witch, and Turn Toad, and then Timegazer Magician, and my always faithful Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Shay swallowed nervously.

"If he's bringing that Dragon back out, maybe you should leave," he told Yuto who smirked.

"What? And miss the fun part? No way!" Shay sighed.

"I had a feeling you'd say something like that," he muttered.

"I set the Pendulum Scales using the Scale Four Performapal Trump Witch, and the Scale Eight Timegazer Magician! Now I can Summon Monsters between level Five and Seven at the same time! _Swing Pendulum of Souls! Draw and Arc of Light Upon the Sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Come forth, my Monsters! From the extra deck, comes Performapal Drummerilla, and our dear friend, with the beautiful heterochromatic eyes! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" just as Shay had thought, the moment Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon was on the field, Yuto's Dragon's card started to glow again, his pendulum crystal glimmering just as Yuya's had done during the summoning.

"Now's the time to finish this!" Sawatari stated.

"Yea! Battle! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, attack Daibakaze!" the brunette laughed.

"You ain't got enough attack points!" he pointed out.

"I activate the effect of Drummerilla! When one Monster on the field battles, he increases their attack points by six-hundred until the end of the battle!" Odd-Eyes' attack struck home as Yuya maintained a steady plan.

" _That's gonna smart,"_ Yuto thought as he watched the scarlet-eyed witch continue his attack.

"And now Odd-Eyes' effect! When it battles a Level Five or Higher Monster, the battle damage is doubled!" Sawatari raised his hand.

"Sarenshichu's effect! When a Yosenju would be destroyed, I can destroy this card in its place!" the pendulum monster vanished, lowering Sawatari's life points down to twelve hundred.

" **WOW! SAWATARI MANAGED TO PREVENT HIS ACE MONSTER'S DESTRUCTION! WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?!"** Yuya gritted his teeth, hoping he wouldn't have to resort to the next plan he had as Sawatari looked to him.

"Seems you won't be winning this time, Sakaki," Sawatari stated as Yuya smirked.

"Oh… well, time to pull a trick out of my magician – oh! I'm sorry, I meant _witch's hat!"_ the brunette glowered.

"What are you up to?" Yuya raised his hand up.

"I activate the Pendulum Effect of Performapal Trump Witch! Once per turn, during the Battle Phase, I can use Monsters I control for a Fusion Summon!" he announced.

"W-WHAT?! A FUSION SUMMON?! SINCE WHEN CAN YOU USE FUSIONS?!" everyone in the audience watched, on the edges of their seats to see if what Yuya had said was true or not.

" _Wise forest beast stirring the sounds of thunder from deep within, great dragon of the sacred ancestors. Become one, uniting power and wisdom so that you may call forth a newfound power! Fusion Summon!_ Come forth, ferocious dragon whose eyes glitter like those of the wild children of Mother Nature! _Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"_ Yuya had raised his clasped hands into the air above his head, the summoning forming a feral looking dragon covered in patches of blue fur with wolf-like feet and bone-like horns. A single eye an emerald green, while the other was a sharp amber, the color of a wild animal's eyes. The dragon released a howl-like roar, stunning the audience as Yuya stood beside it.

"Did I just see that?" Yuto asked.

"I think so… we've been fighting against Fusion Users for nearly two years… and I've never seen a Fusion Summoning like that one." Yuto swallowed nervously as Nico jumped into explaining.

" **THIS IS YUYA SAKAKI'S SPECIALIZED SUMMONING METHOD THAT BRANCHES FROM THE PENDULUM SUMMONING MECHANIC, KNOWN AS: PENDULUM FUSION."** Sawatari looked at the beastly dragon and took in a steady breath.

"Impressive, but they both have the same attack points, so they'll wipe each other out!" he stated.

"Battle! Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon attacks Daibakaze!" just as the attack started, the roof tiles of the tower revealed two Action Cards, causing both Yuya and Sawatari to rush for them, grabbing them only a second apart as they split up, landing upon the rubble as Yuya looked to the attack that had struck Daibakaze.

" _I better hope the Gods and Goddesses like me today, or this is going to really suck,"_ Yuya thought as the two monsters blew up, and as the smoke cleared, Sawatari played his card.

"I activate the Action Spell, Great Fire Cannon! When a Monster my opponent controls was destroyed by battle, this card inflicts damage to that player equal to half the destroyed Monster's Attack Points!" Sawatari stated as a fireball was sent straight towards Yuya who stared it down, most expecting it to hit only for a pair of white gloved hands wielding a purple sheet to bounce the attack away, creating fireworks in the sky.

" _The fuck just happened?"_ Yuto thought.

"W-What?" Sawatari stared at the fireworks in confusion as Yuya stood amongst the glow of the fireworks and smiled.

"I used the Action Spell, Miracle to prevent Beast-Eyes' destruction, so your effect was negated!" he explained.

"Damn witch… that was too flashy!" Yuya smirked.

"And Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon's effect now activates! When a Monster is destroyed by battle, it can use one of it's Beast-Type Fusion Materials and deal its original Attack Points as direct damage to the opponent! Drummerilla had sixteen-hundred Attack Points! So, it's game over, Sawatari!" the ghostly form of Drummerilla appeared and in a burst of red energy, attacked, Sawatari's life points hit zero, and Yuya was declared the winner.

" **AND IT'S BEEN DECIDED! YUYA SAKAKI IS THE VICTOR OF OUR SECOND MATCH TODAY! AND THE SPECTACULAR SHOWCASE OF PENDULUM SUMMONING!"**

the field vanished, Sawatari slowly getting himself up from the fall he'd taken before he was met with Yuya's outstretched hand. The brunette looked to it and then to Yuya in confusion as the scarlet-eyed boy smiled to him in a sincere manner. However, he got up alone with a sigh, looking a little put out as Yuya watched him, wondering what would happen now that he'd won. Would Sawatari try and expose him as a witch? Or would he merely walk away? Whatever happened, Yuya decided not to leave it at that alone.

"Sawatari?" he asked.

"What?" Yuya smiled as he looked to him.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" he questioned.

"And what am I forgetting Sakaki?" Yuya laughed.

"To take a bow! Look around you and listen!" he stated as Sawatari looked around and saw the entire stadium in an uproar of applauses, standing to their feet as they did so.

"T-Take a bow?" Yuya nodded.

"Win or lose, an entertainer's job is to always take a bow after a performance," he explained as he waved to the audience, and then made a formal bow to them all which Sawatari quickly followed. A moment later they both stood straight and Yuya prepared to leave the arena, feeling exhausted, but almost weightless as he started to depart.

"Yuya?" the boy turned as he saw Sawatari looking towards him.

"Yea? What is it Sawatari?" he asked.

"Thanks for the duel, it was amazing. And, I'll take you on again any time you want. Sound good?" Yuya nodded excitedly.

"Yeah! I'll be looking forward to that!" he said as he held his hand out and the other willingly took it this time.

" _Like it or not, I think this little witch is starting to grow on me…"_

 **{….}**

 _There's a war going on inside of me tonight…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Everyone take a breath! We just got through our third duel in the Arc League Championships! I'm so relieved because honestly, that duel had me super stressed. I must admit that Sawatari is a somewhat troublesome character to write, seeing as we don't see a whole lot of him until after the Lancers are formed. Meanwhile, we're getting some stuff going on with Yuto and Shay watching the duels and getting some of their input, and the characters are getting closer and closer to some of the darker aspects of the original Arc-V story. I mean, let's be serious here, we all thought that Arc-V was gonna be pretty light hearted until about the middle of season 1 when Obelisk Force attacked. Then everything went down a dark tunnel of jaw-drops and moments that you were literally on the edge of your seat because s _omething_ was always scaring the hell out of you. Well, tell me what you guys think, and I'll look forward to your reviews.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

 _In Search of Mother_ is both a song and the name of a story written by playwright Hasegawa Shin in 1931.

Scorpions are part of the arachnid family, due to their eight legs. It's also the name of a German Rock band from the 60s.

According to Japanese myth, there are three Wind Gods: Fujin, one of the eldest Shinto Gods, Shinatobe, the Goddess of Winds, and Susano-o, the powerful storm god of summer, God of the winds, oceans, and snakes in Shinto mythology.

The Yosenju archetype does not change its name for the actual cards. The archetype is also heavily influenced by Japanese mythology.

Performapal Drummerilla is known as Entermate Drumming Kong in the Japanese version.

Yes, the spell Yuya was using where he invoked Izanami's name, is one of the Sacred Spells or Sacred Prayers that witches in this story use. There's a fair blend of multiple cultures when it comes to the practices of the witches here, both European, and some Shinto beliefs as well.

Izanami's Sacred Prayer is known as Sacred Frame, or _Izanami no shinseina kabe no inori._ Which translates into Prayer of Izanami's Sacred Mantel.

There are _Seven Sacred Prayers_ that deal with three Gods and three Goddesses, plus one of the Elder Shinto Gods. You'll see the others later on.

Izanami no Mikoto _(Meaning: She who Invites)_ is the Goddess of both creation and death as well as the former wife of Izanagi-no-Mikoto. She is also referred to as _Izanami-no-Kami_.


	32. Chapter 32: Wartime

Chapter 32: Wartime

 **{Stadium Restrooms: July 16** **th** **, 2014, 1:15pm}**

The sound of water rushing into a sink drowned out the deafening silence as Yuya found himself grateful that the sinks at the stadium were larger than most as he ducked his head under the faucet and let the water run over his head. Letting out the amount of magic he had only a short time apart had gotten to him quicker than he thought it would, and by the time the adrenaline had started to go ebb away, he had started shaking, his entire body protesting the massive output of energy he'd expended now that he was off the arena floor and able to reign everything back into himself.

It hurt, like someone had ran him through with a hot poker pulled straight from a furnace. He had tried to ignore it, but the sensation was there all the same, and while he had expected the pain to fade, it continued, causing him to feel flushed and weak as he stood there, trying to let the cold-water rush over his head in hopes of cooling himself off. It was as he did this though, that he heard someone behind him and while he chose to ignore it, he had the distinct feeling they weren't supposed to be in there.

"Your overspent," his mother's voice said.

"You're not supposed to be in here." She scoft.

"Do you honestly think that I wouldn't notice how you looked once you started to come off the high you were on?" Yoko asked.

Yuya turned the water off, raising his head out of the sink as he took in a rattling breath, his arms shaking with the effort to support himself at this point. The way his mother was speaking, made him uncomfortable, for reasons he himself wasn't even sure of. It sounded as though she was choosing her words carefully, as if she was afraid of what would come of saying to much or to little. Taking that into account, Yuya prepared himself for her to give him advice that he didn't quite feel like hearing – even though he knew it would prove useful later – as he stayed still, trying to ease himself some, and that was when he heard his mother's footstep, causing him to flinch as she grabbed him by his upper arms and turned him to face her, causing his wet hair to mat to his face and forehead, his fingers brushing against his goggles, which were lying on the counter.

"I knew it," she said.

"Knew what?" Yoko sighed.

"Look in the mirror, Yuya," the woman told him, turning him to face it as he did so, confused by her statement.

"What are you so – "he paused mid-sentence, looking at his own reflection, and finding himself spooked by what he was seeing. His hair had darkened due to it being wet, matting it to his forehead and the sides of his face and neck, causing his chalky complexion to appear far paler than he was certain he truly was. However, the one thing he couldn't dispute, were how his pupils had become dilated, almost to the point that there wasn't much left of his original eye color. He gave his own reflection an incriminating look, knowing that something wasn't right, and guessing that it had to do with his mother's behavior.

"This is the cause of something known as a drift… it's when witches become intoxicated from the mixture of their own adrenaline and magic. out there on the field when you were dueling Sawatari, that elation you felt wasn't just because you were genuinely having fun," she explained.

"It was because of something else?" Yoko nodded.

"Drifts aren't that uncommon, and they're harmless, except for how exhausted them make you… plus you're hyper sensitive to magical auras. But you were already, so it shouldn't be a big change," she told him as she turned him around and felt of his forehead.

"Then how come I'm so pale?" she sighed.

"It's your first time dealing with a drift, so just worry about it later. After this duel, you can go home and get some rest; however, there is a quick way to get a little color back in your cheeks," Yoko stated with a smile, pinching his left cheek a bit as he winced, pulling away from her a bit.

"How?" she started pushing him out the door of the restroom, giving him enough time to grab his goggles as he prepared for whatever insanity his mother was plotting.

"Getting a decent meal into you…" a smile on her face, the woman pushed him out the door.

"F-Fine…" he muttered. As they started to exit the bathroom, a full-grown man looked to her in questioning.

"What are you gawking at?" the man shook his head and went into the restroom, and Yuya sighed in defeat, knowing that mother's didn't care who they embarrassed if it was for their child's sake: even if it meant embarrassing their own child.

A bit later, the group was settled down for a bite to eat lunch before the next half of the tournament started for the day. With Sora's duel starting at two-thirty, the group had prepared themselves to relax for a bit, having had a long day already. Yuya was sitting in the shade, finding that the drift had made his eyes sensitive and his paled skin wasn't making it better. Sighing in defeat, he kept his goggles down as he continued to pick at his sandwich, wanting to eat, but not quite having the energy to do so as he slumped against the tree, looking on in a forlorn manner as the others sat in the sunlight. Sora and the kids were looking at him occasionally, much like the others were as he sat there, moved away from them while choosing to hope that he started to feel better before Sora's duel started.

"Hey, Yuya, come over here with us," Sora called.

"I'm good over here thanks…" he went back to eating, trying to recover some of his energy and get the drift to die down.

"But it's boring being alone!" Allie told him this and Yuya sighed.

"Yes, but it's cool over here in the shade next to the water."

At that moment, Yuzu stood up and went over to him with her food, deciding to sit next to him as the others soon followed, settling under the tree while Yuzu tried to figure out why he was so unwilling to sit out in the sunlight, when normally that was exactly where he wanted to be. As she sat next to him though, everyone picking up their conversations, she noticed that Yuya's skin looked strangely pale, almost chalky, in addition to him wearing his goggles down over his eyes, which he only did when he felt embarrassed or was attempting to hide due to feeling uncomfortable.

"Why do you have your goggles down?" she asked.

"I kinda over did myself during the duel with Sawatari… and well… I ended up with this thing that witches call drift… its when we get a little… strung out on our adrenaline and magic mixing together." Yuya received a long look from everyone.

"So, is that why you were acting so strange during the duel with Sawatari? You got a little to hyper?" the boy glanced to the side.

"Pretty much…" Sora pouted.

"Then why are you wearing your goggles like that?" he asked.

"Um… my pupils are dilated right now… because of the drift so the direct sunlight kind of hurts…" the blue-haired teenager looked to him in consideration.

"Why didn't you just say so? I mean, all of us here know you're a witch, so if your magic affected your body like that, just tell us," Sora pointed out as Yuya sighed.

"Right, sorry… um… anyways, are you looking forward to your duel?" the Fluffal Duelist nodded excitedly.

"You bet I am! Your duel has me so hyped! I can't wait to duel the Risulian Witch, I'm betting he's a great Duelist!" he stated happily as Yuya watched him.

"Just remember what I told you, okay? Risulian witches are – "the other cut him off.

"The warriors of the witch community, they're fierce and proud witches whose magic is geared towards combat and blah, blah, blah… I get it! But that doesn't mean I'm not gonna be stoked to duel him!" Sora exclaimed with a fist pump as he ate his lunch.

"Okay… promise you'll be careful though, alright?" the blue-haired candy addict nodded vigorously.

"Gotcha!"

 **{Duel Arena: 2:30pm}**

The entire stadium was buzzing as the group got their seats near one of the entrances. The last duel between Sawatari and Yuya having whipped them all into a frenzy that was now causing several people to wave Yuya down and ask him about the Pendulum method, which he was careful to answer the questions about before excusing himself to his seat, telling them that he wanted to cheer his friend on at this point, and they let him go. He was now in his seat, taking in a deep breath as he considered how grateful he was that the effect of the drift had worn off since their lunch break and that he had a valid excuse to not be talked to death by what seemed to be rabid fans, and when he noticed a few of the girls giving him passing looks, a few winks here and there, Yuya had never been more grateful to have Yuzu Hiiragi sending them silent death threats by brandishing her fan as she walked beside him.

" _If they want to go ahead and make a pass at me, be my guest… but their death report will read:_ _ **Death by Yuzu Hiiragi**_ _and potentially considered accidental. Then again… they might just think she's my girlfriend… and if things go well… maybe she will be once this tournament is over,"_ Yuya thought with a somewhat wiry smile as Yuzu sat next to him, her fan still out and an irritated glower on her face as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Honestly, you think they'd have some manners," she said.

"They're just excited from the last duel." Periwinkle eyes looked to him.

"What? Do you like that kind of attention or something?" Yuzu inquired.

"N-No! That would be creepy! If I was going to start dating, it wouldn't be some crazy fan girl!" Yuya's reply had the pink-haired girl giving him a questioning look.

"Then who would you date?" she questioned.

" _You if you'd let me…"_

"I'm not really sure…" the girl dropped the conversation at that, and the awkward conversation was stopped by Nico.

" **NEXT UP IS TODAY'S THIRD MATCH! YOU SHOW DUEL SCHOOL'S SORA SHIUNIN AND LEO DUEL SCHOOL'S SHAY OBSIDIAN! EVERYONE, GIVE OUR TWO DUELISTS A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE!"** The crowds cheered, clapping for them as Sora walked jovial onto the court floor.

"WOO! SORA! GO AND SHOW THEM WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF!" Shuzo roared as Gongenzaka put his hands on either side of his mouth and began to yell as well.  
"KEEP UP MINE AND YUYA'S WINNING STREAK!" the blue-haired candy addict nodded, giving them a thumbs up as Shay walked onto the arena and the Fusion user skipped forward.

"Everyone! Cheer me on like you did my friend Yuya!" Sora called out to the audience as he waved, causing Yuto to watch the blue-haired teenager as Shay stood there with a stern look upon his face while Yuya watched, wanting to cheer for Sora, but getting the distinct feeling that something was wrong.

"Are you worried about Sora?" asked Yuzu.

"Just because he's facing one of my kind. If this was a normal Duelist… I wouldn't be concerned, but… Risulian Witches… I wouldn't chose one as an opponent, personally." The pink-haired girl glanced down.

"I'm sure Sora will be fine," she assured him.

"Hopefully…" Yoko looked to her son.

"Something told me that boy was a Risulian witch…" she muttered as Yuya came towards the railing nearby him and looked to Sora.

"SORA! BE CAREFUL AND DON'T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN!" he shouted to his friend, being thankful that he hadn't needed to make it amplified in any manner.

"Don't worry about it! It's my turn to entertain everyone now, okay?!" he waved to him and Shay frowned while Yuya glanced towards the entry way where Yuto was watching.

" _I'm not sure I like the feeling I'm getting. Yuto's just observing, so he's reigned in all his magic… but Shay… I can feel it… like a beast bearing its fangs about to pounce at the slightest trigger,"_ Yuya thought as Nico began his final speech for the day.

 **{Viewing Room: 2:32pm}**

"Mr. President, the duel between Sora Shuinin, and Shay Obsidian is about to begin," stated Claude.

"Thank you, now we'll see how these two battle." The man frowned.

"Excuse me for saying so sir, but you put a lot of effort into Mr. Obsidian's Pendulum cards for his archetype. I am aware that Mr. Kisaragi took the pendulum cards created for his Phantom Knights; however…" Reiji smiled.

"Personally, I believe this will be a true test to his skill as a Duelist. Sawatari proved to me, that he has enough skill to become a Lance potentially; nonetheless, it will be interesting to see someone who can stand up to Yuya Sakaki's skill level, and how far it's come by now," Reiji explained.

"You mean the Pendulum Fusions?" the President of Leo Corp nodded.

"Correct, if Yuya can go further than that, and find a way to unite the other forms of Summoning… Pendulum Summoning will prove to be one of the strongest summoning mechanics in this game that will soon be used for combat," he stated.

"Will Sakaki agree to this?" the silver-haired seventeen-year-old thought for a moment.

"Yuya has a strong sense of justice… his moral compass is quite impressive… and if he believes that something can come from this conflict that will benefit people… then I trust he will make the right choice," Reiji said simply.

"And if he refuses?" the other sighed.

"I will not force him… but I have the distinct feeling that Yuya will become a Lancer whether he personally likes the situation or not." Claude eyed his boss.

"How would you be sure?" he questioned.

"Nothing more than a gut instinct… now, let's see what sort of show these two put on for us… Academia and Resistance upon a singular field of war in front of all those who are present."

Upon the jumbotron, Nico Smiley appeared, calling in the start of the duel as he started the random selection of the Action Field, and Reiji pressed a button on his computer, and a card was chosen, an image of a beautiful, glowing futuristic city that was full of color and life, glowing blue diamonds floated near railings, and colored lights present that colored everything in a rainbow fuse. It was something that caused both Yuto and Shay to stare with a sense of distress falling upon them as they looked upon the image, of a place that they knew all to well.

" _I hope that you appreciate my gift, Shay Obsidian of the Resistance."_

 **{Stadium: 2:35pm}**

" **AND OUR FIELD HAS BEEN CHOSEN! FUTURE METROPOLIS HEARTLAND!"** With a snap of his finger's, Nico instigated the field's generation.

The night sky appeared, buildings, walk ways above the ground forming, rainbow colored search lights and florescent glows lit up everything like a futuristic fantasy as a water way with stepping stones of different colors appeared between Shay and Sora. Evergreen shrubs, and grass was present, stairs and platforms here and there with trees that bore lights upon them began glowing, everything appearing like stars while at the top of a tower whose color was ever changing, was a heart shaped object supported by a series of spiraling wires. It was beautiful, like a dream or a place that felt as though it had sprung from a distant future, glowing and shining like every star that hung in the sky. However, for Yuto and Shay, it brought back only painful memories of what they'd lost.

"This is…" Nico grinned broadly.

" **The perfect field for two Duelist who carry the future of Dueling upon their shoulders!"** he stated with enthusiasm while Yuya watched Yuto's expression from just where he was, seeing pain there just as he was seeing within Shay's face.

" _Our home… before it was destroyed… and lost all of its light,"_ Yuto thought as Sora looked around the place.

"I'd honestly feel more excited if we were in a city made of candy or something like that. But, it looks like the audience is pumped up, so, that's all that matters, even if it's not a town made of candy, I guess. Right?" Sora asked as he looked to his opponent, who wore an expression of agony as he clutched the front of his jacket with a tight fist.

" _It seems like this fits you, so… let's hope it ignites your fighting spirit,"_ Reiji thought from his place in the viewing room.

"Why here?" Shay muttered.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling sick or something? Are you gonna be okay to duel?" Sora questioned in concern as the Risulian Witch took in a deep breath as he bowed his head.

"Instead of worrying about _me,_ worry about _yourself!_ If you are a _real Fusion_ user… this will be a hellish experience for you. _"_ the blue-haired teenager looked into sharp tawny eyes that held a terrifying amount of aggression.

"Hey! Chill man! We're supposed to be having fun," Sora defended.

"The second I discover the truth of who you are… I will show you no mercy!" the candy addict looked to him.

"O-kay then… seems your rearing to go, so… let's get this show started!" Sora said, trying to ease the tension while Yuya sat in his seat, looking uncomfortable by what he was seeing.

While most humans couldn't see it, every witch could see the magical aura or _pulse_ of another witch when it flared. Normally, it was calm, almost like the flow of a gentle stream, and had a soothing color associated with the person; however, the pulse he saw around Shay Obsidian was a swirling, twisting mass of chrome, blood reds, and blacks, showing sorrow, aggression, and hatred that was on a level that made Yuya feel sick just watching it. He turned his head, looking away with a sharp pain developing in his stomach.

" _For a Risulian to have such a malicious aura… it's nonsense… I know several like him… and their magical auras are nothing like this… it's so bloodthirsty… the pressure he's starting to release is making me sick,"_ Yuya thought as Sora went to try and keep everyone's spirits up.

"Well then, here I go! From my hand, I summon the super-duper cute Fluffal Bear!" Sora started, summoning the pink fluffy bear with white wings and a red bandana. It was a level three fairy monster with twelve-hundred attack points, and had the children in the audience awing over how cute they thought it was.

"It's so cute!" several of the children exclaimed as Sora smiled.

"I knew everyone would say that! but what I'm gonna bring out next is even cuter! Since I control a _Fluffal_ Monster on my field, I can Special Summon these two fluff-balls from my hand to the field! The sheep Monsters so cute, they'll make your hearts melt! So, I Double Special Summon my two Fluffal Sheep!" with a baa the two orange and pink, fluffy winged level two fairy monsters with eight-hundred attack points each appeared on the field.

" **Is everything in his deck this adorable?! I guess we'll have to find out!"** Nico stated watching as Shay glowered at Sora.

"I set one card face-down, and end my turn! Well, you're up next. The two of us have to show the audience the greatest show we can! So, give it your all, m'kay?" Sora stated as Shay looked to him.

"The greatest show? At one point, in my hometown, Dueling was considered the greatest show, too… that's right, _the greatest…"_ Shay closed his eyes in what was evidently in pain at a memory that had surfaced as Yuya watched and Yuto bowed his head, unable to look at the glowing city anymore.

"Hmm?" the Risulian Witch took in a deep breath.

"All the children and adults, everyone loved and enjoyed it innocently… my friends, family members, and myself included. There, where I grew up, Duelists were the objects of everyone's adoration… and some of them, were considered heroes. Until _that day…_ " he stated.

"That _day?_ " Yuya muttered as Yuzu frowned, glancing to him as he kept his eyes on the two duelists.

"On that day, an enemy suddenly attacked, and our hometown… once as beautiful as this field we're on now, full of life and light… was turned into a ruthless battlefield…" Shay steeled himself against the memories as Sora gave him a questioning look.

"Enemy? Battlefield? What do you mean?" the Xyz Duelist took in a deep breath.

" _A battlefield… and an enemy… is that why his pulse is so harsh? Why he seems so cold and malicious?"_ Sora sighed.

"Good grief… you really suck at reading the atmosphere. I put all this effort into bringing out three super-cute Monsters to liven things up, and then you go and be a wet blanket. It's said that the most entertaining of shows require two people to work together, right? It's a type of call and respond, it's meant to make the audience thrilled and elated to see what will happen next," he stated.

"My turn!" Shay drew a card and Sora sighed.

"Okay…" Shay looked to his hand.

"At the time, we panicked, like anyone would, no matter what sort of training and preparation you had, and because of this, all we could do was prepare a temporary defense system," he stated as Sora frowned.

"Are you even _trying?"_ the Risulian Witch kept a stern look on his face.

"I Summon Raidraptor – Vanishing Lanius from my hand," he said as the green, black, and blue machine-looking falcon creature was summoned, spreading its wings. It had thirteen-hundred attack points, and was a level four monster that made a terrifying echo-trill as it appeared.

" _That noise sounds like a scream of pain… like something's calling out for help,"_ Yuya tensed where he was, a sudden sensation of pain spreading throughout him.

"Battle. My Vanishing Lanius attacks your Fluffal Bear," Shay declared sharply as the Raidraptor tore into the stuffed animal, destroying it in a flurry of fuzz and feathers and causing Sora's Life Points to drop down to thirty-nine-hundred.

"Don't worry kids! I'll save him right away, so no worries. Trap card open! Fluffal Crane! This card lets me return a _Fluffal_ Monster that was destroyed by battle to my hand, and then lets me draw one card from my deck!" Sora followed through with the actions the card allowed him to do, and looked at the one in his hand that he'd just drawn.

" _I won't use this on him just yet. Otherwise it'd be boring,"_ he thought.

"After a _Raidraptor_ battles, I can activate the Spell Card, _Raidraptor – Symbol,_ which lets me add one _Raidraptor_ from my Deck to my hand. I add Raidraptor – Vanishing Lanius, to my hand, and due to the Monster Effect of the Vanishing Lanius I Summoned before, I can Special Summon an additional Vanishing Lanius this turn. Therefore, I will Special Summon this one in Defense Position," Shay explained as he summoned the second Vanishing Lanius to his field.

"While I applaud you for following up immediately, those Monsters are kinda crap no matter what Battle Position they're in." the Duelist watching the candy addict merely sent him a withering look.

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn. It's your move," Shay stated sharply as Sora smiled.

"Okie-dokie! Since we're even right now, I guess the real winner will be determined by who entertains the audience best! So here I go! My turn! Draw! I Summon Edge Imp Scissors from my hand!" the slightly spooky creature made of shears appeared with glowing red eyes.

"And! When this card is successfully Summoned, I can return a Fluffal Monster on the field to my hand. So, the sheep's gonna get some shearing done!" the orange fur of the Monster went flying and in a matter of moments, the Fluffal Bear had returned to the field.

"Now, for those who may not know, when this lil' guy returns to my hand by a Monster Effect, I can add a certain card from my Deck to my hand! So, pay attention ladies and gents, I'm about to give you a real show!" Sora announced.

" _Careful Sora, his pulse is spiking again, and I know for a fact that this isn't going to be pleasant if he loses it at some point and shows you just how ruthless a Risulian Witch can be."_ Yuya bit his lip, clenching his pants legs as he felt a trail of sweat slide down the side of his face, a sudden feverish sensation taking over him as he watched Shay's tawny eyes narrow viciously.

"It's the Spell card, _Polymerization!"_ Sora declared and Yuto hissed, his left eye changing color as he glowered, a spill of hatred coursing through him while in the stands Yuya felt as though he was about to be sick and took in a shaky breath as Shay shot his friend a look that could have killed.

Sora bounded up a series of stairs to the top of a platform, his Monsters appearing nearby as confetti started to fall and he rose his spell card into the air, gathering everyone's attention as he took a swift bow and prepared to do his next step in the duel.

"I ask you all to take a good look at this, the real origin of all Fusion Summoning! Well then, let's go! I activate Polymerization, I'm gonna fuse together Edge Imp Scissors and Fluffal Bear. _Claws of the demon! Fangs of the wild beast! Join together as one within the vortex and emerge as a far stronger entity! Fusion Summon!_ Come on out! The hair-raising beast that tears everything to pieces! _Frightfur Bear!"_ Sora called forth his Fusion Monster, a torn-to-pieces and haphazardly sown together bear creature with scissors sticking out of it in randomized places while magenta glowing eyes were visible from its fanged mouth.

"Who the hell summoned Freddie Fazzbear?!" Yaiba asked as he recoiled at the sight of the level six, twenty-two-hundred attack point monster.

"Oh please, I've seen scary things on the bottom of bus seats." Julia gave him a long look and Yaiba sent her a sheepish look.

"Battle! My Frightfur Bear attacks your Vanishing Lanius!" Sora announced as the Monster followed through, tearing down the Raidraptor and dropping Shay's Life Points down to thirty-one hundred.

"Alright! Sora just took out nine-hundred of his Life Points instantly!" Yuya smiled, weakly as he watched the duel, and Yoko began to notice her son's demeanor.

" _Is he feeling sick from the pulse? I've gotta admit… that boy's magical energy is fairly menacing… but for Yuya to be affected like this… I might need to get him to leave,"_ Yoko thought.

"But, I didn't just take it out. You should try and remember these things! Frightfur Bear as the ability to equip the destroyed Monster to it, and its attack points go up thirty-five-hundred." Shay responded instantly.

"I activate a Trap! _Raidraptor – Return!_ This card lets me return a Raidraptor Monster to my hand when it's destroyed by battle," he stated swiftly as Vanishing Lanius returned to his hand, and he added back to the cards he held.

"Oh…" Yuya swallowed as Frightfur Bear's attack went back down to twenty-two-hundred.

"To set such a trap up… I guess we should expect that of an LDS Duelist," stated Gongenzaka.

"No…" the group looked to Yuya who had his eyes locked on Shay, his skin looking a bit on the pale side while slightly dark circles had started to form under his eyes.

"Yuya… are you feeling okay?" asked Yuzu.

"That's what's to be expected of the combative cognition of a Risulian…" Yuya ignored Yuzu's question, knowing that he couldn't answer her truthfully as Sora sighed down on the field.

"Oh well, if you couldn't do that much, things would've been pretty boring. I Set one card face-down and end my turn," he stated.

" **OH MY! THIS DUEL IS LIKE A SEESAW! OFFENSE AND DEFENSE FOLLOW EACH OTHER BREATHTAKINGLY. I HAVE A FEELING THIS THIRD ROUND WILL BE ONE GORGEOUS GAME!"** Nico commented enthusiastically on the game; however, in the stands, the others were beginning to notice that Yuya wasn't feeling to well while the scarlet-eyed boy elected to keep an eye on the duel at hand, ignoring the worried looks the others were giving him.

"I wonder if you've really started or not. You told you before you'd show me no mercy, so isn't it about time you got serious about this thing? Or maybe you can't and all you can do is protect yourself." Sora smiled jovially, putting a pink sucker in his mouth as he spoke, and Shay narrowed his gaze in a hostile way.

"Things did start out that way. Only a handful of us had enough experience with these kinds of situations to actually protect other people… even still, our enemy was overwhelming… those of us in the Resistance watched as we lost one comrade after another… close friends, our homes… our parents… cut down before us in a savage manner that caused some of us to lose all hope… and that was because we didn't have the strength to defend ourselves…." Yuto listened to these words, and his mind replayed the day of the invasion, and everything that followed it.

"Shay…" he muttered as his long-time friend took a moment of silence.

"However, we learned from such hopeless battles. In order to survive, we had to win… so many of us discovered a side to ourselves we never knew existed! And only those who had an unbreakable iron will to win no matter what survived in that hell, the one that still rips our loved ones from us even now! My turn! I Draw! Now, I Summon Vanishing Lanius from my hand! During a turn in which I successfully Summon this card, I can Special Summon a _Vanishing Lanius_ from my hand!" Shay stated as he summoned his third Raidraptor.

"Three Vanishing Lanius'?" Yuya felt his eyes grow wide.

"He's going to Xyz Summon!" he said, causing the others to look at him.

"Are you sure?" Yuya nodded.

"He's an Xyz user, remember? Sora told us he was and – "the fourteen-year-old witch stilled.

"Yuya?" Gongenzaka questioned.

"Sora couldn't have known that he was an Xyz user… that type of information isn't available to the opponent on the registry… so… how did he…" Yoko looked to her son.

"Your point?" asked Allie.

"Something's not right here…" the blonde woman frowned.

" _He got the same feeling I did… that there was something wrong with this situation from the start…"_ Yoko thought as she watched the duel.

"I Overlay my three Level Four Vanishing Lanius! _O Falcon hiding in obscurity, soar through the air on your wings of rebellion, and raise your sharpened talons in the face of adversity! Xyz Summon!_ Appear! The Rank Four! _Raidraptor – Rise Falcon!"_ the black and blue glowing Xyz Monster circled above like the bird of pray it was, purple overlay networks circling it as everyone took in the fact that it only had one-hundred attack points.

"You've gotta be joking! This is you being serious?" Sora questioned as Shay settled a cold look upon him.

"This Monster can attack every Special Summoned Monster that you control, once each." Sora laughed.

"Even if it can attack all of my Monsters, it's just got one-hundred attack points…" Sora stated as up in the stands, Julia, Hokuto, and Yaiba were watching in satisfaction.

"Let the twerp act cocky while he still can," Hokuto stated.

"It looks like he's gonna bring tears to that kid's face…" Julia smirked.

"He'll quickly realize the horror of Rise Falcon," she said.

" _Well, I guess the memory spell really did its job with those three… they're completely convinced that they know Shay as if he's been their friend forever,"_ Yuto thought as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Don't take this guy so laxly Sora… he's dangerous," Yuya muttered as Shay began his plan.

"I activate Rise Falcon's effect! By detaching one Overlay Unit, it adds the combined Attack Power of all Special Summoned enemy Monsters on my opponent's field to its own Attack Power!" Shay pointed to his Monster as it caught fire and the attack went up to twenty-seven-hundred.

"You mean that thing has twenty-seven hundred attack points? Oh hell!" Sora started to think, knowing that the other was going to attack.

"Battle! Raidraptor – Rise Falcon! Tear all of your enemies to shreds!" Shay ordered with a forward motion of his arm, pointing towards Frightfur Bear as the bird of prey became a ball of fire in the sky and started to descend.

"BRAVE CLAW REVOLUTION!" like a missile being launched at top speed, the inferno that was Rise Falcon descended upon the field shredding the two Monsters on Sora's field to tatters and seams as it let out a high-pitched trill of anger and the audience screamed in shock and fear as Sora was sent flying, Yuya now on his feet as he looked at the boy who lay on the ground in evident pain as his life points went down to thirty-four hundred.

"Sora! Is he okay?" asked Tate as Yuya sat back down in his seat, his breathing coming in sharper than it should have as the pulse around Shay started to grow.

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn. At this time, Rise Falcon's Monster Effect ends, and its Attack Points return to their original value." Sora sat up, smirking as he wiped his cheek and got to his feet.

"How interesting… that'll do. I guess the same should go for me… how about I show you a little of how serious I can really be," he stated with an eerie smirk upon his face.

It was from that moment, that the duel became more intense. With every move, Sora began to fight back harder, and Shay's attacks became more and more ruthless. As everyone watched, startled by the sight of such hostility, Yuya kept his gaze upon Shay and Sora, knowing that something was wrong, and despite whatever had happened to Shay to cause him to become like this, he shouldn't have shown such hatred for his opponent without good reason. When Frightfur Sheep had been summoned, children had begun crying, terrified of the nightmarish beast that had appeared while the adults in the audience tried to calm them.

They taunted one another, Shay returning the attacks with the same amount of ferocity that Sora had used while the blue-haired boy started to gain a sinister look to his face. No matter what they did, the duel became more and more violent, even as the terror that was Frightfur Leo on the field as Shay used Action cards, and Sora put a stop in his usage of Spells and Traps while Yoko moved Yuzu out of the way and had her trade places so she could sit next to Yuya who seemed as though he was about to be ill as the Monsters tore through the buildings around them, decimating the field and turning it into a warzone while Shay's pulse grew into a malicious force of raw magic.

When Shay had been supposedly backed into a corner, he Ranked-Up his Xyz Monster to a Rank Five, summoning a fierce beast known as Raidraptor – Blaze Falcon. It was then, that Sora started laughing, seeming to enjoy the vicious cycle that they had created of destroying one another's Monsters, destroying whatever they so pleased in their wake, startling the audience as Yuya continued to watch the sight as Shay's pulse became colder and far more dangerous, causing him to close his eyes tightly, looking away as he tried his best to ignore the stabbing pains that he was startling to feel from the force of the ordeal while Yoko began to mentally chant healing spells, keeping her hands upon her child as she eased the burden that he had from the choking miasma of the Risulian Witch's anger.

"Good! Great! You're a pretty good entertainer! You have my thanks for livening things up a bit! The audience seems a bit spooked, but scares are part of the fun! I feel a shiver down my spine! It's becoming such a blast that I can't stop feeling it! So, I'll end my turn with that last attack, now come and entertain me even more!" Sora said with a dark smile upon his features.

" _Entertain you?_ The only thin you'll feel is the _pain_ as you die, you _monster_!" Sora rose an eyebrow.

"Oh yea?" he asked.

"Its my turn! I activate the Monster Effect of my Blaze Falcon! By detaching one Overlay Unit, I can destroy the Special Summoned Monsters on my opponent's field, and for each Monster destroyed, I inflict five-hundred damage!" Blaze Falcon's feathers detached, turning into objects that sent out laser-like bullets hitting the area as Sora sprung forward.

"Trap Card, open! Frightfur Back-Up! The destruction of a _Frightfur_ Monster is negated, and its Attack Points increase by eight-hundred!" he exclaimed as a colorful orb appeared around Frightfur Sheep as the attacks bounced off it, hitting the area around them.

" **WH…WHA… WHAT HEARTLESS ATTACKS! OBSIDIAN MEANT TO INFLICT DAMAGE TO HIS OPPONENT, BUT SHIUNIN STOPPED THE ATTACK WITH A TRAP CARD! AND ADDED ATTACK POINTS TO HIS MONSTER! WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DUEL!"** Nico's words echoed throughout the stadium; however, to several of the people sitting with Yuya, including himself, their eyes were on the destruction of the field, and how brutal the duel was becoming.

The entire field was on fire, smoke billowing into the once dazzling sky like a scene straight from Dante's inferno as Shay and Sora stood amongst it, the flames slowly subsiding while the debris of the city lay around them, crumbled and charred in a manner that made it appear as though bombs had indeed been dropped upon the area. It was a terrible scene, and what stood out the most to those in the audience, witnessing this terrible battle, was that neither Duelist seemed to much care about the annihilation of everything around them.

"My Blaze Falcon can attack the opposing player directly! Go!" Shay declared as the group watched Sora try to find an Action Card, but failed as the attack hit home, knocking his Life Points down to thirteen-hundred as he was slammed full force into a nearby building that cracked as he met with it.

A second later, the top of the building started to collapse, large chunks of debris falling as the bigger top half began to descend upon Sora who looked up and reacted as quickly as he could. He jumped up, bounding off the rubble as though he was defying gravity itself before he cut a flip and landed away from the rubble, unscathed for the most part as he looked to Shay. Yuya only stared, disbelieving of what he'd seen, swearing as he thought of what he'd seen, that Sora Shuinin had just used _magic._ Yuya shook his head, not wanting to believe it even as two magical presences made themselves known on the field as Shay continued his assault while Sora gave him a sinister grin.

" _No! That's impossible!"_ Yuya felt a sharp pain in his head, causing him to place a hand to the side of his head while Yuto covered his mouth and nose with the back of his hand, trying to ignore the choking sensation he received from the wicked pulses of the two Duelists on the battlefield.

"Blaze Falcon, when it attacks directly and inflicts damage to my opponent, can destroy one Monster my opponent controls!" the red bird of prey unleashed missiles and Sora shot him a glare.

"As if I'd let you! I activate the Action Spell, Mirror Barrier! My Monster is not going to be taken down by some low-life _Risulian scum_ like you!" Sora growled out as he played the Action Spell he had swiped off the ground, stopping the destruction of his Monster.

"Trap Card, open! _Raptor's Gust!_ While there's a _Raidraptor_ on my field, the activation of my opponent's Spell is negated, and the card is destroyed!" Frightfur Sheep imploded, the sudden swirl of magic in the arena causing Yoko to look onward in disgust.

"How unsightly…" she muttered.

"This is a –" Yuya covered his mouth, feeling sick as the others stared at the horrific battle happening before them. Yoko kept her hands upon her son as she looked at the scene below them.

"A Witch's Variance…"

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn! What happened to that grin of yours? Maybe you finally understand what it feels like to be _hunted!_ " Shay snarled.

"Hunted? Ha!" the other narrowed his eyes.

"You monsters were always laughing as you hunted down my friends and comrades… as you even dared to burn some of our loved ones at the stake… like _heathens!_ But we're no longer the _prey_ you can snatch up so easily!" the Risulian Witch growled out as Yoko put a hand to her mouth.

"W-What did he just say?" muttered Yuzu.

"They aren't that common anymore… but Witch Hunter's do still exist. They've employed certain types of witches in the past… using them as tools to gather other witches that are viewed as _hazardous_ and burning them alive. That is why a witch is always careful of whom they entrust their secrets too… because it could cost our families their lives…" Yoko placed a hand atop her son's head, holding him to her as she watched the chaos going on below them.

" _Huh?_ You saying you're _stronger now?_ Keep the _jokes_ to yourself! This Duel's _so easy_ I could win it while s _ucking on candy!"_ Sora said with a cruel curl to his lips as he grabbed a lollipop from his jacket and bit it in half.

" _Shit! I know what he is! Shay needs to end this duel now!"_ Yuto thought as he tensed, his entire form trembling from the disgusting fog that had settled due to the magic that was around the arena right then.

"It's just a _game!_ I can't take it _seriously!_ Just like my pathetic mortal comrades who think they have any power!" Sora stated as he viciously ate the last part of the lollipop, and demented look in his eyes while a sadistic grin split his features.

" _To commence a Witch's Variance with such brutal magical output… with such vulgar behavior and display of immeasurable discord and sheer malevolence… it's lacking all honor and respect for the natures of their skills… it's disgusting!"_ Aura thought, having watched from the audience the entire day with excitement and awe in her eyes, until now, when she saw two of her own kind, displaying such horrific behavior.

"We hunt you down because w _e enjoy it! Get it?_ We get a rise out of watching you pathetic Xyz users squirm like worms in hot ashes!" Sora stated, that same vile grin splitting his features.

"End the duel now Shay… please before this gets worse.." Yuto spoke these thoughts aloud, hoping to keep things from becoming a horror show.

"I mean, you're nothing but _prey in our hunting games to us!_ Our whole point system is to see how many of you pathetic mongrels we can round up and here's the fun part! If we get a little _witchy_ one in the bunch, it's _bonus points!_ " Yoko felt a sharp glare come to her face while the children watched in horror, Yuzu putting her hands to her mouth in disbelief of what she was hearing.

"Then _hunt me if you dare!"_ Shay antagonized as Sora grinned maliciously.

"My turn! Draw! Hahaha! I activate the Spell Card, Frightfur Fusion! By Banishing Frightfur Bear, Leo, and Sheep from my Graveyard, I can use these three cards as Materials to Fusion Summon a _Frightfur_ Monster!" Sora cackled, the sound reminding some of the younger children of the sound of a witch's laughter.

"Momma! I'm scared of the witch!" Yuya looked to a little girl near him who was clinging to her mother, terrified to the point she was bawling, trying to hide from the chaos.

" _This isn't right!"_ he thought, the thick blanket of malicious magic causing Yuya to do everything he could not to vomit at this point.

" _O Demons dwelling in all the heartless toys! O shadows casted upon the walls of the lost one's room! Destroy the ignorant peons who dare defy you! Fusion Summon!_ Appear now! The Demonic Beast made up of each and every soulless toy! _Frightfur Mad Chimera!"_ the giant, mangled creature appeared, looming in an ominous manner on the field, three forms present, looking as though it had been dragged from a nightmare's room of pleasures as it's attack points registered as twenty-eight-hundred, and it stood at level eight, being presented as a dark attribute, fiend Monster that fit every form of it's attribute and type.

"AHH! IT'S A MONSTER!" Shay looked at the monster as the audience leaned away from the railing of the arena, appearing nervous.

"BATTLE! MAD CHIMERA! TAKE OUT HIS BLAZE FALCON!" Shay dodged the debris that fell from his monster being destroyed as he recovered from his jump to avoid the hit well, and landed in a crouch as his Life Points dropped to four hundred.

"Stop it! Stop this! _It isn't right!_ " Yuya snapped, putting his hands on either side of his head, blocking out his hearing as he shook his head from side to side.

"Yuya! Calm down!" Yoko put her hands back on him, easing him with magic as she noticed his form was shaking, eyes wide as he stared down at the ground. At this point, Yoko was thankful that everyone was to focused on the war taking place before them to even notice Yuya starting to lose his sense of reasoning due to the corrupt magic choking the entire stadium to the point that everyone was feeling uneasy.

"Mad Chimera's effect activates! The destroyed Monster is Special Summoned from the Graveyard to my field! And for each Monster I control due to this effect, Mad Chimera gains three-hundred attack points!" Sora cackled once more, a wild grin on his face as Shay remained crouched where he was as Blaze Falcon came to Sora's field.

" _Please, Shay… end this duel! The amount of malice that's being leaked through the pulses the two of you have… it's starting to affect even the mortals!"_ Yuto thought as he leaned against the wall, feeling a wave of nausea come over him.

"And now, your Monster belongs to _me._ Understand yet? You can't _hunt me._ You mongrels will always be the ones being hunted! Always have, always will!" Sora announced.

"This is… horrible…" Tate muttered, Yuya tensing as his mother kept her hands upon him, not willing surrender the protection spell she was working on as the war raged on.

"Is this… really how witches duel?" Yuzu found herself feeling sick as she continued to watch Sora, unbelieving of what was happening as she glanced to Yuya who seemed terrified for reasons she couldn't quite place; however, in the back of her mind, there was a horrible feeling of dread and it was accompanied by the feeling of a prickling sickness in the pit of her stomach, something that as she looked around, several others were also experiencing.

"No, there's more integrity to a real Witch's Variance… this is just an outright show of brutality. Risulian or not, that boy should know better… as should Sora," Yoko said as she narrowed her gaze at the scene as Sora smirked smugly.

"At the very least, I'll end this at the hands of your own Monster. Blaze Falcon will attack directly, dealing one-thousand points of damage to you, and since you only have four-hundred Life left…" Shay turned his gaze to Sora.

"What a joke." Sora's grin momentarily left him.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"We, the Resistance, always fight assuming the worst will happen. We always assume that the comrade we fight alongside will be abducted or murdered by the enemy. But even if they're taken from us, we'll never abandon them! Those who were abducted will return home, and those who had their lives _stolen by treacherous snakes like you_ will be avenged! The Quick-Play Spell, _Rank-Up-Magic Revolution Force!_ I take control of an Xyz Monster my opponent controls… " Blaze Falcon vanished from Sora's field.

"Fuck!" he snarled.

"And then it Ranks-Up into a _Raidraptor_ that's one Rank higher!" Sora felt his eyes widen.

"What?!" Shay closed his eyes.

" _O proud-hearted Falcon! Flare your wings, stained with the blood of valiant, fallen heroes, and charge forth down the path of revolution!_ Rank-Up Xyz Change! Take Flight! Rank Six! _Raidraptor – Revolution Falcon!"_ the large black falcon appeared with a thunderous trill, causing Yuya and the others to look upon it in surprise as Sora once more cackled.

"What's that supposed to be? You say you're going to bring about a Revolution, and then drop something with a measly two-thousand attack points? That can't even beat my twenty-eight-hundred Attack Point Frightfur Mad Chimera!" he said in a hysterical voice.

"Are you sure about that?" Sora stilled as he looked to Shay.

"Hmph, is that another bluff? Besides, you don't even have any other face-down cards Set on the field!" Sora stated, a manic look in his eyes he crouched his back over a fraction, fingers curled in an eerie manner as Yuya shot up, going to the railing.

"Sora! Don't rile him up anymore! He's dangerous! Just leave it be!" he called as Sora glanced to him with a cold look.

"Stay out of this! You hear me, you Amalgam?!" Yuya flinched, shocked to hear Sora direct something like that towards him.

" _He's completely drunk on his own magic… he's not used it for so long that it's overtaking his sense of reason turning him into a mindless beast… very well then,"_ Shay thought as he looked to Sora's slightly slouched form, his crazed eyes and manic grin.

"I activate the Monster Effect of my Revolution Falcon! When I Rank Up to this Monster using a _Raidraptor_ as the Material, I can destroy one Monster my opponent Special Summoned, and half of that Monster's Attack Points are dealt as damage!" Shay announced.  
"WHAT?! YOU WON'T DEFEAT ME! I'LL DESTROY YOU FIRST!" Shay shook his head.

"No, you've become a disgrace, and I will cleanse it from you! GO! REVOLUTION FALCON! CLEANSE HIM WITH THE BURNING ASHES FROM THE FLAMES OF REVOLUTION!" the audience reeled, horrified as the Monster dropped bombs upon the city displayed before them.

It was over in a flash of fire and smoke, Sora tried to find a way out of it, but failed, a building breaking off in the explosions and falling towards him as his Monster was destroyed, and his Life Points hit zero. The field dispersed, Shay standing before Sora's prone form as everyone stared, confused and terrified by what they had seen. As the field vanished, the choking sensation began to lift, making it easier to breathe and allowing the sensation of dread to vanish as well, the audience watching as Shay was declared the winner and he looked to Sora, who was slowly glancing towards him with exhausted, and dull eyes.

" **Th… the winner is Shay Obsidian…"** Nico ducked back down behind the announcers desk, and the audience remained silent as Yuya started to move down to the entry area to get to Sora while Shay looked down upon him, reaching for a button on his duel disk.

" _ **That's far enough. Doing that to him while the public is watching will only cause an upheaval. People will be confused by the conversation the two of you had, I suggest you return to the control center in Leo Corp Tower, and we will handle damage control,"**_ Reiji Akaba's voice came from his Duel Disk, and Shay looked to the blue-haired teenager lying on the ground.

"Fine by me, I did what I needed to," he said as he started to leave.

"W-Wait… the duel isn't over yet…" Shay paused, looking to see Sora trying to get up.

"Yes, it is. You've lost, this time, you were the prey. Now admit defeat with your honor intact," he stated.

"There's no way I c-could have lost! No way in… hell I could've lost to some Xyz worm Risulian _like you!"_ Shay turned away from him.

"This time, you did though. Think about what you were doing back there… you were an absolute disgrace to our kind… letting your magic fester like that inside you from not using it… abusing it like you have… allowing it to corrode and rot within your body… not caring if it twisted you from who you are… it's disgusting." With that Shay walked away.

"Hold it! Don't you run! One more time! Duel me one more time…" with that Sora's strength failed him, and he collapsed while Yuya and Yuzu tried to get into the arena, but were held back by the staff present, trying to assure them that he would be taken good care of while Yuya clawed his way through, jumping the fence and coming to Sora quickly, staying by his side as Yuzu managed to get by them thanks to Yuya's action and remained with her teacher as the medical team came to get him, and Yuto frowned, turning away with a bitter frown on his face. It was time to get answers, and only one person could give them to him at this point.

 **{….}**

 _Wait, it's just about to break, its more than I can take…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Um… I have a lot to explain, I'm guessing, huh? Alright then, here we go… everything you just read, isn't wrong, the whole thing about Sora is true, and I'll explain some in the Trivia, and in the next chapter, where there are no duels taking place, just some monologuing that you may want to pay attention to. Well, tell me what you think about all this, and I'll look for your reviews!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Drift – when a witch becomes basically drugged by their own adrenaline and magic mixing. It's probably similar to being a bit high, maybe having a sugar rush depending on how much adrenaline is in the system.

Yes, Reiji did make Pendulum Cards for Yuto's Phantom Knights.

Fluffals & Frightfurs are known as Furanimals & Death-Toys in the Japanese version of Arc-V.

Raidraptors do not change their names from the original Japanese to English dubs.

Variance means Duel or Battle.

There are Witch Hunters in this world, and they are not pleasant. You will see them later.

Yes, people from Academia have actually physically killed people. Remember Yuma and the others.

To have a Witch's Variance in a manner like Shay and Sora's was, is considered disgraceful, as it is to be done where it will not harm mortals.


	33. Chapter 33: Blurred Lines

Chapter 33: Blurred Lines

 **{Leo Corp Court Medical Branch: July 16** **th** **, 2014, 5:45pm}**

The members of You Show Duel school were seated in the waiting room of the medical branch that Leo Corp had set up for Duelists who would be potentially injured during the tournament. It had been a nerve-wracking few hours, waiting to hear if Sora was going to need to head to a hospital or if he would be fine where he was. Thankfully, he had only received a minor bump on the head and a spranged wrist and ankle, which was attributed to the building having disappeared before it had landed on him. Currently, Yuya was sitting near a window, on the ground floor, his head in his hands, goggles having been removed and put into the pocket of his pants as he tried to ease the headache he had developed as Yoko sighed as Shuzo and the kids returned with drinks for everyone, handing them out silently as Gongenzaka looked to the boy who gave off occasional tremors the longer he sat there.

"Big Bro Yuya?" asked Allie nervously as she came over to the fourteen-year-old.

"Hmm?" he glanced up at her, his eyes looking tired as he sat there, bangs hanging in his eyes.

"Drink something, it'll make you feel better," she said, holding out a ginger ale to him which he took slowly and pressed to his forehead as Allie smiled.

"Thanks, Allie…" the girl nodded and walked away, Shuzo eyeing the boy for a moment as he handed Yuzu her drink.

"That was… intense," Tate stated.

"It gave me goosebumps!" Allie sat beside the two boys, the others remaining fairly quiet.

"That wasn't right…" everyone looked to Yuya, somewhat surprised to hear him speak seeing as until Allie had approached him, he hadn't uttered a word the entire time they'd been there.

"What wasn't? The fact that those two basically had world war three in front of everyone? Or about Sora being a witch?" asked Gongenzaka.

"All of it… that's not…" Yuya sighed heavily as Yoko looked to the others.

"I think Yuya is trying to let you know that Witches don't normally behave that way," she stated.

"We knew that, but still… is that really what your duels look like? How you actually act?" Yoko shook her head.

"No, what happened out there shouldn't have ever come to pass. In a Witch's Variance, there's a certain code of honor and discipline that each witch uses… naturally, they can become very brutal, as it is how witch's battle and confront one another using their magic… but Shay Obsidian and Sora did something that was the opposite of that," she explained.

"So… is that why you looked so angry?" Yoko looked to Allie and nodded.

"Mainly because I'm an adult witch, and I know that certain codes of behavior have to be followed when conducting a Variance. Going about wildly attack one another when there are mortals around, acting like untamed beasts, viciously snapping their jaws at one another… that is not how this is supposed to be done," she told them sharply.

"Even though… there seems to be bad blood between them…" Yuya slammed his fist into the nearby wall, causing it to dent a bit as he kept his gaze down, startling the others.

"Y-Yuya?" Yuzu asked.

"It doesn't matter if there's bad blood between them, or if they want to kill one another. A Variance is a means to sort through it in a manner that if they want to rip one another apart, then they can… but no one else has to be hurt, or lose their lives in the process. By behaving that way, but unfurling so much raw magic… they were affecting the mortals in the arena as well, making them sickly and…" he trembled, clutching the soda can in his hand tightly.

"Exposing your kind to everyone?" Yuya shook his head.

"Making them fear us… there was this… little girl near me when the Mad Chimera was Summoned… when Sora started cackling like that… she said she was scared of the _witch._ Don't you get it? To that little girl… to a lot of people… we're still Monsters ourselves," he said.

Yoko looked to her son in worry, knowing that hearing and seeing what he had tonight had shaken him up terribly. To learn that Sora was a witch, and had hunted others of their own kind, was a painful blow, and had long since been considered an extreme act of treachery; however, with a Witch's Council no longer active in Maiami – or anywhere else for that matter – it fell to local Overseers to discern whether something was punishable by their old laws. At current though, Yoko wanted to understand what had happened, and why she had started to see Sora's mental state deteriorate at such an alarming level. As Yoko pondered this, realization came to her, and she took in a slight breath, causing Yuya to glance towards her.

"Mom?" the blonde-haired Fortuna witch, found her eyes widening.

"Corruption magic…" Yuya was on his feet in an instant.

"What? No one would cast that on another witch though! Besides, none of us have used that since…" Yuya trailed off, bangs shadowing his eyes.

"Since when?" asked Yuzu.

"Since about four hundred years ago… witches never used it after that because of what it does to our kind and mortals," Yoko told them this and they glanced down.

"What do you mean?" Shuzo looked to the three smaller children.

"Yoko, let's take the younger kids home, okay?" he suggested.

"Alright, Yuya, can you, Yuzu, and Gongenzaka stay here in case anything comes up with Sora?" the trio nodded.

"Sounds fine with us, go on. We'll see you guys later," Yuya said as Allie, Tate, and Frederic came over to him, and gave him a firm group hug.

"Don't believe what anyone says, witch's aren't scary." Yuya placed a hand on Allie's head.

"Yea! Your magic is really cool Big Bro Yuya!" Tate stated.

"It gives me goosebumps every time!" the scarlet-eyed boy gave them a tired smile.

"Thanks guys, now go home and get some rest, you guys have duels tomorrow," he said.

"Okay! Goodnight!" the trio of children left with Shuzo and Yoko while Yuya collapsed onto the ground, upon his knees as he took in a shaky breath, his arms trembling as Yuzu and Gongenzaka came to his side.

It felt as though he didn't have to act right then, and he was thankful because he was beginning to feel the unrelenting drain of having to be around such malice-charged magic for so long. It had the same sensation akin to being stabbed with something icy, yet scalding, leaving a foul taste on his tongue and his mind fuzzy while his body felt incredibly weak and almost numb. It was the first time he had been around such bitingly cruel magic in the midst of a witch's battle that had been disguised as a Duel Monster's fight, and he wasn't keen on feeling such a thing again any time soon as he remained on the floor, the weight of it all coming down on him as he took in a deep breath, his headache continuing.

"You okay?" asked Yuzu.

"I'll be fine… right now I'm just tired… the Variance was full of malice-charged magic, and I've never felt that before, so it knocked me for a bit of a loop." He started to get up, grabbing the soda can and thumping the top a few times before opening it to take a few sips, hoping that the ginger would settle his stomach.

"So… Sora's a witch?" inquired Gongenzaka as Yuya took another sip of the drink, and nodded slowly.

"Yea… a Dyren witch from the looks of it. So, he's playful, but _aggressive_ , is pretty helpful and likes interesting people… they're also known for having a major sweet tooth… if I really think about it… there were signs, but I've only met one Dyren witch, and that was a few years ago…" Yuzu eyed him.

"And what about the things he said? About the hunts?" Yuya shrugged.

"I'm not an Overseer, so its not my place to decide what might be done about him," he admitted.

"Done about him? Like what? _Sentencing him to death?!"_ Gongenzaka towered over Yuya, a scowl on his face as the boy looked down.

"No, we don't kill our own… that's why being part of a Witch Hunt when _you are a witch_ is considered treason. But… because of the corruption magic it's plausible that Sora would be left alone. Without a Council… we can get away with things a little easier… so long as we don't push the envelope on the seven cardinal rules that are in place," Yuya stated, looking down with an uncomfortable expression.

"We've only known about you being a witch for a brief period… a few weeks at most… but why have none of us ever been told about these supposed rules of yours?" Gongenzaka kept a somewhat bitter look on his face while Yuzu looked at the boy who kept the soda can clutched in his hands.

"It never came up… but they're in place for protection." The giant of a teenager looked to his friend.

"Yuya, you are my friend, but I want to know… _who are these rules supposed to protect?_ _Your kind or ours?_ " Yuzu shot to her feet at that.

"Gongenzaka! That's crossing a line, he doesn't – "Yuya held a hand up to stop Yuzu from continuing.

"No, it's okay Yuzu… I should probably explain… there are seven rules that witches live by and… originally… they were meant to protect us from mortals… but over the years they changed them a bit, as a compromise to help both witches and mortals live peacefully side by side," Yuya explained.

"And Sora and Shay broke one of these cardinal laws?" the boy shook his head.

"Thankfully they didn't do something that severe when it came to their duel. The things they did are considered ill-mannered and disgraceful to our culture and the nature of their own skills. It's just disrespectful and dangerous to commence a Witch's Variance in the public eye of mortals is really more just a safety hazard for the mortals… it's not one of our laws though." Yuzu felt herself visibly relaxing.

"What are the laws then?" Yuya glanced down.

"Just understand that what I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this room, okay?" he asked.

"We understand, now explain, Yuya." Scarlet eyes looked to Gongenzaka.

"The first law is that Corruption Magic is forbidden. It's what happened to Sora, and it's been outlawed since around four-hundred years ago." Yuzu frowned.

"Why is it outlawed?" she asked.

"Traditionally, Corruption Magic is used to weaken witches, and decays their magic by sealing it inside their body, resulting in them not being able to use it properly. If that happens… we start to go insane, losing our sense of reasoning and even ourselves as a whole, and it contorts us into ghastly looking monsters who prey upon people… it's where Hollywood got its ideas for the traditional witch they show." The girl shivered.

"And this happened to Sora?" Gongenzaka questioned.

"Yes, but you see… Corruption Magic is a series of curses, and have to be done by witches who have more than just basic curse knowledge… it's a lost art, but someone apparently knew it good enough to put it on him… and another witch has to remove it by knowing cleansing spells. Something we're all taught at least the basics in before we turn fourteen." The two remained silent for a moment.

"Okay, I get why its outlawed but… only for the last four centuries? Why?" Yuya looked to Yuzu at that.

"There was a Witch Council for thousands of years; however, the Witch who established these laws… Oliver Cromwell… you know, that law maker guy we heard about in history class? Well, he decided that after the last few instances of the Council sending one of our own to death in a manner he deemed _barbaric and heathenistic_ that the Councils who had been in power for centuries, needed to be disbanded. They agreed, on the terms that he set seven absolute laws, and he began to work on them, but wasn't quite sure where things needed to be limited or forbidden…"

"Similar to how the tournaments run lists of cards that aren't allowed because they're to powerful or can be considered dangerous?" Yuzu pointed out as Yuya nodded.

"Right… well… he had looked at several options and couldn't quite come to a conclusion… and then… that trial happened." Gongenzaka frowned.

"What trial?" he probed as Yuya kept a grim look on his face as he recalled hearing this story.

"Four hundred years ago, a witch was using Corruption Magic on people she believed to be deserving of punishment… and that included mortals. Now, we're never supposed to cast with ill intentions towards another person's life. There are some who do… but it's rare… this particular witch though… would cast these curses if someone disrespected the shrine she cared for… and if a Corruption Curse is placed upon a mortal… it can make them sick, make them become ruthless killers… rot them alive even…" Gongenzaka and Yuzu stared at their friend, almost unable to believe the story he was telling them.

"And she did this willingly?" Yuya nodded.

"Her name was Tsuki Shin'aina… she was a Priestess from a shrine not far from here… but she had another title…" Yuzu felt her eyes grow wide.

"I know her name! My mom told me a story about her once, she said that during about four hundred years ago, a beautiful Priestess found people vandalizing the temple she cared for that was in honor of Izanami became enraged and began to curse anyone who dared to cross her. They called her…" Yuya looked to her.

"Ekibyo no Musume… it was her case, that was the last to be held and the reason that Cromwell created the seven laws with Corruption Magic as the first on the list. Ekibyo wasn't killed though, she's chained within her shrine, still alive today in the mountains," Yuya told her.

"So, she's going to remain a prisoner?" the boy nodded.

"It's best she stays there too. Now, our seventh law we have that's been altered over the years is the rule against us fusing magic with science. In modern times, witches are forbidden from combining magic with technological advances for war. We can blend it with normal technology... but creating machines infused with magic that could cause massive casualties isn't something any of the Overseers or Grand Witches will take lightly. If that happens, then an Overseers Council will be formed to pass judgment on the person," he stated.

"Okay… so… what's next?" Yuya thought for a moment.

"The second is that Necromatic Arts are forbidden, meaning performing Necromancy or anything that disturbs the dead isn't gonna fly with anyone. As witches, we have a high respect for nature and the dead, so we don't take more than we can give, and we appreciate what's given to us. However, like with all things, there are practitioners of Necromatic Arts still… it's not pleasant, I'll admit," he mentioned.

"Alright, so Corruption Magic is forbidden, as is Necromatic Arts, even though some witches choose to use it, and then there's the fusion of basically advanced technology and magic which now-a-days is considered more of a warning to tread carefully because of modern day witches." Yuya nodded.

"That last law will probably be changed before I reach a hundred," he muttered.

"Huh?" Yuya shook his head at that.

"Never mind, our third and fourth laws is where things start to get tricky for Sora because of his actions in those hunting games he talked about," he stated.

"Tricky how?" questioned Gongenzaka.

"The problem is like I said… his actions are considered treason to our people… the third and fourth laws are firm on witches not allying themselves with hunters, and they cannot hunt their own kind. It's basically genocide." Yuzu tensed.

"So… do you think an Overseer Council will be called?" Yuya didn't meet her eyes as he shook his head.

"Unfortunately, that's not something I can be sure of. Aura and I know several other witches were present during Sora's duel with Shay… he outright admitted to allying himself with people who would be labeled as hunters and tracking down his own kind for them to be killed. If a Grand Witch catches wind of this… it's likely that he could be subjected to subjugation or contrition … and that's if he's lucky."

"Lucky? What are you talking about?" Yuzu inquired as Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Sora broke two of seven laws that really shouldn't be messed with. They've become laxer about the last two because times have changed; however, the higher on that ruling they are, the more severe the punishment is..." Gongenzaka looked to his friend.

"How severe?" he asked in a serious tone.

"Ekibyo's punishment is considered a subjugation... and it can last several hundred years." Yuzu gave him a confused look.

"Hundred years? I mean, I know you guys can use magic but how can it last that long?" Yuya glanced down in a somber manner as he sent Yuzu a momentary look.

"One hundred years from now... I'm still going to be alive..." the two of them seemed confused by his statement.

"How? No... wait... is it because you're a -" Yuya nodded.

"Witches have exceptionally longer life spans than mortals, and we tend to age far slower than normal people... because I'm a pure blood, I'll probably look to be in about my late twenties when I'm well into my hundreds... and as for subjugation sentences... it can last for as long as a witch lives..." Yuzu stared onward at the boy sitting before her as though she hadn't ever seen him before.

Hearing his explanation brought back Aura's words tenfold, reminding her of how different the two of them truthfully were. Yuya was a witch, a _pure blood_ at that, meaning he would live far longer than she would, and wouldn't age like her either. For just a moment, her mind blocked out what was currently happening with the situation pertaining to Sora and she considered that Aura was right about Yuya and her not being a good fit for one another. A heavy sigh left her and Yuya glanced her way, his eyes softening a fraction as he registered the look of sadness that was in her eyes. Gongenzaka seemed to take in the bitter statement with an unwavering expression, but for someone who had been trained by a Fortuna witch to read other people, Yuya knew he was thinking something similar to Yuzu.

"It's one of the worst punishments we can have, being confined by chains to a temple, shrine, or place that we can have wards placed upon us so we can't use magic to break free... we're blindfolded so we can't see... and left there. Eventually... our spirits start to break and our hearts grow still and cold... so our magic rots inside us... and we die in a way that leaves us broken," he spoke carefully while Yuzu and Gongenzaka took in this information, and shook his prior topic from their thoughts, determined to stay focused on the problem at hand.

"What's the other punishment that's the most common in these situations?" Yuya sighed, closing his eyes.

"Being stripped of your magic," he said, as he leaned his head back a bit, bangs falling into his face due to them not being held back by his goggles.

"Stripped of your magic?" Yuya nodded slowly.

"It's the worst punishment for a witch. Our magic lives inside our bodies, it's part of our hearts and souls... our spirits... when it's ripped from us... we lose pieces of who we are. It's even... driven witches to commit suicide in the past," he stated, one of his hands clutching at the opposite wrist to the point that his knuckles were almost white.

"They'll do this to Sora?! Can't we stop them?!" Yuya looked to Yuzu.

"No, you can't." the girl glared at him.

"There's gotta be something we can do! Sora isn't to blame for what he did, and he's just a kid! Like we are!" she said.

"That's not how this works, Yuzu." Gongenzaka watched the two of them carefully, knowing that one of them was about to snap.

"They can't just punish him for something that someone else did to him! Yuya, please!" the boy looked down.

"I can't do anything about it, okay?" Yuzu narrowed her eyes.

"We _can_ do something, stop them or hide Sora may -" Yuya stood at that, looking to Yuzu.

"Dammit Yuzu! Listen to me! If they chose to do this we're not able to do a damn thing about it! Sora for all we know willingly hunted _his own kind out there_ like some kind of sick game! Corruption Magic or not! If he willingly partook in witch hunts then they will pass a judgment on him whether we like it or not!" he snapped.

"Your a powerful witch, aren't you? Can't you say something in his defense?" Yuya shook his head.

"I'm not old enough to be an overseer yet! I just came of age! I have to be eighteen before they'd even give my opinions of someone whose done something this _demented_ a second thought! Your not _apart of this world_ , so you don't know how it works! _Stay out of it!_ " Yuya stilled as he realized what he'd said and turned his gaze away from the girl who looked him over.

"Yuya... I... your right, I'm not part of it... so maybe that's why I don't understand that kind of justice system... but still... Sora's our friend, right?" the boy kept his gaze down.

"We don't even really know him... that much was made clear during that duel," Yuya said.

"He's still -" Gongenzaka put a hand on Yuzu and Yuya's shoulders, causing the pink-haired girl to look to him.

"Right now, we're all tired, so getting worked up over a mere possibility isn't going to help anyone right now. If we want to help Sora, finding out his connection to the situation Obsidian brought up will be our best bet," he stated.

"Gongenzaka's right... Yuzu I'm... sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you..." Yuzu looked at the boy who was still refusing to look at her, and she smiled moving forward to wrap her arms around him.

"It's fine, I'm sorry too... I've gotta work on listening to you," she said as he returned the embrace, and Gongenzaka remained silent for a moment as Yuya held onto the girl a moment longer.

His mind played through the encounter he'd had with Shay and Yuto earlier and he considered what had happened then while his mind tried to piece together several puzzles. Shay had entered as an LDS student; however, it was apparent that both Shay and Yuto weren't from Maiami City, in fact, it almost seemed as though they were from another entire country or place that was seldom heard of. Yuya took in a deep breath as he pinpointed the situations that had come and gone and then took in a steady breath as he let go of Yuzu and looked to her and Gongenzaka.

"I want your opinions on something," he said.

"What?" Yuya frowned.

"Shay is the guy who attacked several LDS members. However, he's entered into the tournament as a student of the Leo Duel School... follow me so far?" they nodded.

"Yea, I see what you're getting at. First it was Yuto who attacked Sawatari, and then it was probably Shay who attacked that professor... Marco was it? So, how is it that no one's batting an eye now?" Yuzu inquired.

"Exactly." Gongenzaka frowned at the statements.

"So, two of their students attacked another student and a professor?" he asked.

"No... I doubt that either of them are from the LDS actually." Yuzu looked to Yuya.

"Then why are they here?" she inquired.

"They could be looking for someone, and maybe they thought that LDS had something to do with it?" Yuzu felt her eyes grow wide as she recalled something from her first meeting with Yuto.

"There is one thing... back when I first met Yuto, he asked Sawatari if Leo Duel School had anything to do with some place called Academia. Do you think that maybe -"

"That's who Sora's been working for?" Gongenzaka shook his head.

"Whose Yuto?" he asked.

"He's the person that was mistaken for Yuya... " the giant teen jolted.

"So, the one who attacked Sawatari was this Yuto fellow and he..." Yuya nodded.

"I've met him in person... when I was dealing with Ankokuji's henchmen... I released a large amount of my magical aura and it drained my energy... when I was trying to reign my magic back into myself, Yuto came and helped me do it, and then it was him and Shay that got me back in time for your duel Gongenzaka," he explained to the two of them who had looks of shock upon their faces.

"How come you never said anything?" the red-green-haired fourteen-year-old flinched.

"Because, at the time it didn't feel like something I should bring up!" Yuzu shook her head.

"That doesn't matter, right now we've gotta figure out how all this connects," she said.

"So... does he really favor you?" the fourteen-year-old nodded.

"Save for our hair and eye colors... facially we're identical... physical build wise we're a pretty close match as well," Yuya admitted.

"Then that's why Sawatari thought that Yuto was Yuya, but how does Yuto fit into this mess with Shay Obsidian and Sora's Duel?" Yuzu glanced to the boy across from her while Gongenzaka tried to put the entire mess together.

"Not to mention, Yuto also has a pendulum crystal... it's identical to Yuya's but the metal is black and the crystal is purple..." Gongenzaka looked to Yuya.

"Is that true?" he asked as Yuya glanced down.

"Back when I met him I didn't notice it, so I guess that means he had it tucked away or I wasn't paying attention... wait... Yuzu? Didn't you say that when your bracelet lights up he ends up disappearing?" the pink-haired girl nodded to him.

"That time in the warehouse when you were approaching, Yuto vanished on me and then you showed up," she said as their friend looked between them.

"Where are those things from again?" Yuzu looked to Gongenzaka.

"My mom left me this bracelet. It was hers before I was born," she answered.

"And your pendulum crystal?" the boy looked to them.

"My parents gave it - " he stilled mid sentence, causing the two to look at him in confusion.

"Yuya?" the boy reached to grab the crystal in his palm, looking at it as he thought about what he was going to say.

"That's not true... I was told two different stories..." Yuzu and Gongenzaka looked to the pendulum crystal as Yuya stared at it in consideration.

"What do you mean?" Yuya looked to them.

"One story I was told is that my aunt left it for me because she was gifted with making guiding stones, which are used to protect young witches... but my mom told me a few times that I've had it since I was born..." Yuzu frowned.

"Then... which story's true?" Gongenzaka looked towards Yuya.

"Maybe you should take it off and leave it alone," he suggested.

"No, its fine... besides, its a clue that we need to keep close about how all of this connects. However... if the LDS and this Academia are somehow interwoven... and Yuto and Shay are trying to do something..." Yuzu thought for a moment.

"Yuto mentioned this name to me and I heard him say that I reminded him of this girl he knew named Ruri... that she was his special someone... what if she's missing?" Gongenzaka hummed.

"Or has potentially been taken by Academia in one of these hunting games. Shay Obsidian did say that he would make sure that his comrades came home," he suggested.

"And if Yuto said that Yuzu reminded him of this Ruri girl... then is it possible that we're dealing with doppelgangers?" Yuzu frowned.

"Doppelgangers?" the witch of the trio nodded.

"Supernatural twins... they're normally identical... but I've heard of a few instances where there are a few distinct differences that allow them to be mistaken as their counterpart at first glance," he stated.

"So, Yuto is your doppelganger... and it's possible that girl Ruri is mine?" Gongenzaka shook his head.

"Hocus pocus blabbering again!" Yuya gave him a small smile.

"Not really... it's an old story. There are also flame twins, people who have identical spiritual resonances and magical pulses... so there are a couple factors that could be put into consideration... either way you slice it though, there are bigger powers at play here," he admitted.

 **{Medical Court Patient's Quarters: 6:30pm}**

The faint clack of footsteps echoed on the silent, dark halls as eyes glowed in the dimness of the shadows as Yuto walked steadily down them, and towards the room he knew his person of current interest was located while he kept the traits he inherited from his father active, letting him see easily in the dark as he stopped at the door he needed to be at and pushed it open, slipping in like a ghost before walking towards the sole bed where Sora was lying sleeping. He had been playing the watch dog for the last twenty-four-hours, and now it was his time to seek out a few leads on what was going on. Reiji Akaba had requested it; however, Yuto had a distinct feeling that by following through on this job that had been tasked to him as a Lancer, would result in some fairly unsavory situations. Taking in a deep breath, Yuto prepared to wake the blue-haired boy up and get a few answers from him, but the moment he reached out to do so, the other slowly opened his eyes.

"Yu... ya? W-What... are you doing here?" Yuto narrowed his eyes.

"I want to ask you something," he said as the boy slowly felt his eyes widen as he sat up a bit.

"Who are you?!" the other narrowed his eyes.

"That's not important. Tell me where Ruri is," he stated.

"Ruri? Whose she?" Yuto frowned.

"My girlfriend! You _heathenistic monsters_ took her!" Sora sat up and glared.

"How would I know where that girl is? It's not my department," Sora stated with a turn of his head.

"Then where are the people you guys capture?" the blue-haired candy addict rose an eyebrow.

"Like I said, it's no my department; however, I do know that we don't _take prisoners._ If there are any exceptions, I wouldn't be the one to ask," Sora told him bluntly with a shrug.

"Right now I don't care! I'm asking you! So, if you don't take prisoners..." the other sighed.

"Your part of the Resistance, you know what we do to anyone we catch. They're either carded or killed... executed by gunpoint or burned at the stake," he stated simply.

"How can you talk about that so easily?! I know the ones you burn at the stake are witches... you're one yourself!" Yuto grabbed him by the front of his shirt, causing the blue-haired teenager to frown.

"You know what every witch is classified by right? Their skills, and those also attribute to their personalities... I'm a Dyren Witch... curiosity is the fuel for my pyre," he stated.

"Listen to me, I don't care what kind of witch you are! Right now, I have to find Ruri! And you're going to help me do it!" Yuto narrowed his eyes.

"How about you listen? I'm telling you that girl is probably either carded or dead! If she was a witch then she was burned at the stake more than likely." In that instant, Sora felt the boy's hand tighten on the front of his shirt to the point the sound of thread snapping could be heard, as he watched the Xyz user's appearance begin to change as his left eyes' sclera went black, the iris a celeste blue, while his ears gained a point, his canines lengthening into fangs as sharp nails tore through the fabric of Sora's shirt as he wrenched him up to where their faces were inches apart.

"If Ruri is dead, I will rip your organs from your writhing body and strangle you with them! And then I'll be sending your decapitated head and heart to your _precious Professor_ as a warning that he has crossed a Witch of the Hearth for the last time!" he snarled, bearing his sharpened teeth at the Fusion user who stared onward in terror.

"Y-Your a... Phantasmal Imp!" Yuto growled low in his throat, being aware that he was leaving gouge marks on Sora's chest at this point.

"Nice perception you have there... maybe I should begin to make it a little less clear..." his voice came out in a vicious snarl, making the tone almost demonic as he raised a hand forward, as he placed his black toned claws towards Sora's right eye.

"W-Wait! If you want to find out what happened to her I know a way!" Yuto leveled an unsettling gaze upon him.

"Start talking..." Sora swallowed nervously.

"I have a deal for you: find me Shay Obsidian so I can duel him again... and I'll try and do some digging for you on the inside..." Yuto gave him an incriminating look.

"Why?" Sora swallowed nervously.

"I'm a Dyren witch... I'm curious about interesting people... you possess a Strain... which means your half-Phantasmal Imp... and judging by your earlier comment, your also half witch... meaning you're different than other witches I've encountered... except for one... and I'm not talkin' about your war-hero buddy," he said with a smirk.

"Curiosity killed the cat." Sora scoft.

"But satisfaction brought it back..." he told the other.

"I don't sell out my comrades for someone else's petty inability to admit that they've lost!" Sora narrowed his eyes.

"Fine then... defeat me and I'll tell you what I know... otherwise, that _Princess_ of yours is gonna stay an MIA forever," he said smugly.

"You're going to regret cha -"

"IT CAME FROM OVER HERE!" the two froze as three security guards showed up at the door, staring at the scene of Sora who was being held up by what seemed to be some kind of monster.

"What the hell is that thing?!" Yuto hissed, throwing Sora to the ground as he rushed forward, and seemed to slip by them like a shadow as he raced down the hallways while Sora grabbed his Duel Disk and took advantage of the commotion, knowing that he needed to redeem himself as he raced past the guards and down the halls, in fast pursuit of Yuto.

 **{Outside Area: 7:00pm}**

When Yuya, Yuzu, and Gongenzaka had gotten out of the hospital area to get some fresh air it was already dark out, and everyone had started to clear out, going home or to hotels for the evening while the trio were attempting to let their minds rest as the breeze off the ocean let them relax after the nerve-wracking day they had gone through. It had been a peaceful calm for the first few minutes, and then the noise and sight of people running about came around, somewhat confusing the three friends as they began to overhear what was happening.

"Find him?"

"No! He's not here either!"

"Where'd he go?"

"Huh? What's all this fuss?" Gongenzaka questioned as one of the guards stopped near the door.

"He may have gotten outside already. Contact headquarters immediately, let them know that Sora Shuinin as escaped!" Yuya looked to the others.

"Did I hear that right? Sora's missing?" he asked.

"Apparently... we should start looking, he's injured still." Yuzu nodded, pulling out her duel disk to press a button on it, letting it activate it's cellular service.

"I'm gonna call dad and let him know what's going on so he can find out more information..." she explained as she waited a few minutes and finally heard the click of the phone being answered.

" **Hello?"** Shuzo's voice came on the phone.

"Dad! You've gotta get back to the hospital asap! Sora's gone missing," Yuzu stated.

" **What?! How could he have gone missing?"**

"I don't know how, but you and Mrs. Sakaki need to get back here immediately. We're gonna start trying to look for him around the hospital area," she told him as she heard Yoko talking in the background.

" **Yuzu, it's Yoko. We'll be there soon, go a head and start searching, but keep your phones on and be careful, there's no telling what's going on...also..."** Yuzu frowned.

"What?"

" **Put the phone on speaker."** the pink-haired girl nodded and pressed another button on the screen, turning on the speaker as Yoko took in a deep breath.

"Alright Mrs. Sakaki, it's on speaker," Yuzu told her.

" **Okay Yuya, I need you to put guardian incandescence on Yuzu and Gongenzaka, can you do it?"** the boy made a faint noise of discomfort.

"A guardian i-incandescence? W-why?" he asked, stuttering as he looked at the phone in Yuzu's hand.

" **Because, Sora is a Dyren witch who most likely hasn't been fully cleansed. He could become dangerous and if he's provoked he'll lash out with magic... Yuzu and Gongenzaka aren't witches, and they'll be hurt if they can't defend themselves. Now, do you remember the spell?"** Yuya swallowed nervously and nodded once.

"I remember it," he confirmed.

" **And do you remember how to sync it up to you? As well as what needs to be done in order to properly anchor it?"** Yuzu and Gongenzaka watched as Yuya gained a slightly frightened look on his face as he nodded almost to himself.

"Yes, I know how to do the anchoring and sync up," he replied in an almost soft voice.

" **Then I leave it to you. Remember to focus on your core, otherwise the spell might backfire. Also, be prepared, a Variance may need to happen, and you've never dealt with one before."** Yuya took in a trembling breath.

"Alright, I'll be prepared to do what I need to," he told his mother this as she took in a deep breath.

" **Just be careful, okay kids? Follow what Yuya says, am I clear?"** Yuzu and Gongenzaka nodded.

"We will," they replied.

" **Blessed be."** with that Yoko hung up and Yuya put a hand wrapped firmly around his pendulum crystal, closing his eyes as he took a moment to focus himself as Yuzu and Gongenzaka watched him.

"Yuya?" the boy opened his eyes and looked to the two of them.

"I need a personal belonging from both of you. Something important to you," he said.

"Like what?" Yuya shook his head.

"Anything you normally keep on you. Yuzu, your bracelet will do, and Gongenzaka …. your headband," he said as he held his hands out.

"Very well then." the giant teenager took the red headband off and handed it to his petite friend as Yuzu handed her bracelet to him.

"Now what?" Yuya looked to them.

"I need the two of you to place your hands palm to palm with my own and close your eyes. I'm using my pendulum crystal to act as the anchor instead of my body so I have to focus. Even if you open your eyes during the middle of the spell, don't say a word or I'll lose my grip on it," he stated.

"Are you sure it's safe to do this here?" Yuya looked around, seeing no one present and nodded.

"I can handle the security cameras later, m'kay?" he winked a bit and Yuzu flushed before nodding as Gongenzaka held his hand out and placed it atop Yuya's own before Yuzu followed suit.

"We're ready when you are," Gongenzaka stated.

"Okay... close your eyes." the duo did so and Yuya followed while Yuzu let out a slightly nervous breath as she awaited her friend to begin. In a matter of seconds, warmth began to flood the two teenagers, stemming from their friend's palms as they began to hear him speak.

"I beseech thee, greatest powers above, the one who holds prestige of the highest caliber upon the constellations. Grant us protection, as a unity of one, held firmly in our hearts, ceaseless as the stars in the vast sky above while we tread upon the earth. Pass sanctity to those whom possess not the divine blood of Hecate! The one who shares our kindred souls as witch and mortal bestow upon themselves a coven of alignment to defend upon the grounds of honor and trust. As I form a woven web of my heart, let those I claim as my own know that I stand as guardian, the helm of the storm!" Gongenzaka and Yuzu opened their eyes, seeing a faint gold hue appearing about Yuya's form, almost causing them to pull away if not for the fact that they were frozen by the sight of it, the wind that seemed to be slightly moving around them, ruffling their clothes and hair as the casting of the spell ended and Yuya opened his eyes.

"That was..." Yuya nodded to them.

"Take the items back. If something goes wrong, they'll find a way to deflect any magic that could cause you harm and send it back to where it came from. It'll also let me trace you through a magic pulse," he explained.

"Good, I will head towards the sea." Gongenzaka tied his headband back in place and started to run towards the coastline, and Yuzu looked to Yuya.

"I'll go towards the stadium, he may have headed back there looking for Shay," she said as Yuya nodded.

"Then I'll take the central park. Be careful, okay, Yuzu?" the girl smiled to him.

"You too..." with that they split up, all the while the trio had the distinct feeling that tonight, something would become the catalyst for many trials that would soon lay ahead of them.

 **{…...}**

 _Everything's about to change..._

 **{…...}**

 **Author's Note:** This chapter felt very heavy in pre-working it, and it feels heavy now. There's so many things that are up in the air at this point, especially with the developments that took place, and how things are going to be heading into some very dark places. Like I've warned you guys, these chapters are going to be getting darker and darker as time goes on, and here we are, about to be heading into where more truths and lies are revealed, secrets coming to light, and dangers are on the rise. Batten down the hatches ladies and gents, it's about to get intense here. Well, tell me what you think, and I'll look for your reviews!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Corruption Magic is considered one of the most vile forms of magic out there.

Tsuki Shin'aina means: Dear Moon or Moon Dear.

Ekibyo no Musume translates into: Daughter of the Plague.

Subjugation is not considered the worst of the punishments, but there are supposedly four different ones.

There are no Witch's Councils in Millennium period. They have an Order that is called in when people in their community royally mess up.

A guardian's Incandescence is where a witch creates a temporary covenant with non-witches; however, if it's not resolved within twenty-four hours by the same witch, some things happen. You'll find out in the next chapter.

A Witch of the Hearth is what Shadow Witches are formally called.


	34. Chapter 34: Swaying Emotions

Chapter 34: Swaying Emotions

 **{Central Park: July 16th, 2014, 7:40pm}**

"Are you gonna fight me or keep running like the mongrel you are?!" Sora called out to Yuto who had been leading him through back alleyways for the last thirty minutes, only for the two of them to end up in the Central Park area near a theater-like seating area where a stage had been set in the center of it, made from stone.

"I'm not running... I'm planning..." Yuto jumped atop the stage and turned on his heels, looking to Sora who glowered.

"Gonna put on a show for me?" he asked.

"More like drop the curtain." Yuto narrowed his eyes at Sora who scoft.

"Please, think about what you're saying! An Xyz using Witch, defeating a Fusion using one? Your magic is probably as pathetic as your Summoning methods," Sora stated with a smirk.

"My magic? Pathetic?"

A terrifying shadowy aura surrounded Yuto's form, his eyes shining in the blanket of darkness as the moon shined down upon them. Sora felt his eyes grow wide as the shadows began to swirl around the other boy's form, materializing into the forms of blue glowing spirits clad in dark toned armor or as horses with blue flaming tails and manes. The creatures spawned around him from the blackness, in such a manner that caused a bead of cold sweat to slide down Sora's face, panic settling into the pit of his stomach as he stared at the witch before him in disbelief, witnessing the forming of the monsters that appeared while Yuto rested those cold eyes upon him.

"I... know who you are..." Sora's voice stammered as the other narrowed his eyes.

"To be honest... if you didn't, I'd think you were foolish..." the black horse, with it's celeste blue flaming mane shook it's mighty head before vanishing into black mist, the knights doing the same as Yuto held his clawed hand aloft while black and blue flames appeared within his palm, pulsing like a heartbeat.

"Your the one some of my comrades called the _Phantom King_... but that wasn't the name I heard the most when they came back from the Xyz Dimension... half alive and raving about a demon cloaked in flames of moonlight... a witch of the Shadows so lethal that the mere sense of his presence had them terrified..." the shadows flared about the ground as Yuto stood there, holding those blue-black flames with a narrowed gaze.

"The Master of the Phantom Knights..." a smirk came to his features.

"How nice, it seems I'm popular among the rats," he stated.

Sora looked at the scene before him, almost wishing that the stories he'd heard about a Shadow witch who had the visage of a demon wearing flames the color of moonlight and stardust had been just a story; however, seeing Yuto before him now, he knew that the stories were completely true, and if he either Dueled or battled the other in a Variance, the pain he would experience, would be unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Nonetheless, the opportunity to take down one of the most feared Xyz Duelists in the Resistance would bode well for him when it came to his superior. Taking in a steady breath, Sora looked to Yuto with a grin as he reached into one of his pockets and grabbed a sucker from it before putting it in his mouth.

"This rat wants a bite then. I'm gonna take you out and once that's done, I'll settle my score with Obsidian," Sora stated.

"Oh will you now?" the other nodded with a wild grin.

"If I do that, the Professor will like to know that one less fiend is running around the Xyz Dimension..." Yuto glared.

"So, that's what they're calling us? Fiends? Please, how pathetic... a Witch is a Witch... unless..." those celeste flames spread outwards, spiraling the area around them, granting it light as they settled in small embers upon the ground, causing an eerie glow to surround them.

"They're scum like you... who would dare hunt their own kind, like a pack of wild dogs that have no Master..." Yuto stepped forward, blue ashes flaring from the place he'd stepped with a frigid glare upon his face.

"Like I care! There are only so many witches that are even worth keeping alive, and the mindset of those who help us, find you _Strain Witches_ revolting!" Sora stated as he looked into the other's mismatched eyes.

"So... I'm going to guess you're a pureblood?" the other scoft.

"Oh please, I don't care if I come from a family of witches or if I'm half mortal or whatever... the only ones who are seen as impure are the ones who carry Strains," the blue-haired witch stated.

"Strains... the bloodlines of creatures or beings that are neither witch nor mortal... is what you deem as impure? While you hunt your own kind, sending them to a death encased in choking fumes and fire? Like the heathens of our past? " those ashes began to spread, flaking across the ground and leaving blue-tinged cracks in their wake as Sora looked around him and then to where Yuto stood as he bowed his head, form trembling.

"Seeing as your both an Xyz Duelist and a Strain Witch... I guess I'll have to end your existence right here," Sora said with a smirk as he prepared to fight.

"I'm going to kill you..." in that instant, a wave of magical energy flared across the area, stirring up the blue-black cinders as Sora stared onward at the massive energy he felt being unleashed.

" _He's powerful... more so than I think even his friend Shay Obsidian realizes..."_ a sadistically gleeful grin came to his face as Yuto looked to him, sharp eyes narrowing.

"A Duel then! Let's have it! A kind of battle only our kind can produce with all it's crushing power! The type that a Witch can conjure that blankets everything in ash and death!" Yuto watched as the other's aura flared to life, bright pastel colors that were almost dulled to black and white formed around him in a varying series of shades while he tensed, knowing that this battle would be nothing like any duel he'd faced beforehand.

 **{City Area: 8:14pm}**

"SORA?! HEY? WHERE ARE YOU? SORA?!" Yuya called, searching high and low for the candy addict.

It had been nearly an hour since they had begun searching; however, there had been no signs of Sora; however, that wasn't what truly worried him. Yuya had the distinct feeling that Yuzu and Gongenzaka wouldn't be the ones to find the other though, and it had little to do with his magic, and more to do with his instincts. As a witch, he knew when the universal forces were going to do something, the cosmic energy from the stars was a decent give away as well, but the thing that truly set Yuya on edge, was the moon. As he looked at it, full and high in the sky, he saw a crimson ring around it, and to witches, that was a sign of dangerous times ahead.

"Blood on the moon... not good..." he slowed his run into a steady jog while he looked around, wondering where Sora could be, but also finding himself nervous from the red ring around the moon.

" _Think, where could Sora be? If he's around here still... where would he go?"_

Yuya started to run again, picking up speed as he looked around the area he was heading towards, not being certain as to what could be done; however, the moment he turned to where the park entrance was, a spike of magic flared and he stilled, feeling the same oppressive sensation he'd felt during Sora's duel with Shay. The magical charge was malicious, and full of aggression and power, something only a Variance could muster, which led him straight to the center of the park, where a small theater area had been set up for the children to have duels on. As the red-green-haired boy came around the corner, brushing past trees, he saw two figures locked in combat, and instantly recognized one of them as Sora while the other, he soon found to be Yuto. They had their Monsters out, which thankfully meant they weren't in the midst of a Variance, making Yuya's task of stopping them easier as he watched from just nearby as Yuto's Xyz materials reappeared upon the field.

"The Phantom Knights will never fall. This is how we in the resistance fight!" he declared.

" _The Resistance... Shay brought that up too... so that means they're definitely working together... now the problem is finding out what this Academia has to do with all this mess,"_ Yuya thought while Sora narrowed his eyes.

"I activate the effect of my Frightfur Bear! Once per turn, I can equip a Monster destroyed by battle to it! And then, Frightfur Bear gains attack points equal to that Monster's Attack!" Yuya and Yuto watched as the Monster's attack went up to forty-two-hundred.

"Dammit..." Sora smirked.

"Your pathetic Xyz Monster ended up becoming nothing more than food for my Frightfur Bear! Go on! You should Xyz again, using the Monsters you revived as Materials! Because he'll eat that one up too! I Set one card face-down! Turn end!" he stated.

"My turn! I overlay my Level Four The Phantom Knights of Dusty Robe and my Level Four Phantom Knights of Silent Boots!" two violet shimmers formed out of the two monsters as Yuya prepared to move.

"You really did do it!" Sora said with a gleeful laugh.

" _Fangs of treason from the pitch-black darkness, oppose crass, foolish power! Descend before us now!_ Xyz Summon! Appear! Rank Four! _Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!_ " the black and violet dragon appeared with a terrifying shriek-like roar, settling yellow eyes upon Sora while Yuya started to move closer, knowing that something would have to be done soon.

" _Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon? I've never heard of that card before... then again... Odd-Eyes Dragons are pretty rare as well... it's probably a lot more powerful than it looks upon first inspection as well..."_

"Hmph, what will you do with a Monster that has only twenty-five-hundred attack points? My Frightfur Bear currently has forty-two-hundred Attack Points, you know?" Sora asked.

"I activate the Monster Effect of my Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon! By detaching one Overlay Unit, until the end of this turn, Dark Rebellion halves the Attack Points of an opponent's Level Five or Higher Monster, and then adds that same amount to itself! _Treason Discharge!"_ Sora felt his eyes grow wide as his Monster's attack went down to twenty-one-hundred, and Dark Rebellion's skyrocketed to forty-six-hundred.

" _This is bad... if he uses the other Overlay Unit, Frightfur Bear's Attack Points will go down to one-thousand-and-fifty... then Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's Attack will be five-thousand-six-hundred-and-fifty! He'll slaughter me with that Dragon... and because our magic is charged in this duel... the damage is going to be real!"_

"BATTLE!" Yuto announced.

"What?" Yuya gaped in surprise as Sora braced himself.

"My Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon attacks your Frightfur Bear! _Rebellious Lightning! Disobey!"_ the attack struck hard, destroying the Fusion Monster and dropping Sora's life points down to thirteen-hundred as Yuya rushed forward, seeing his friend lying on the ground.

"Sora!" the boy looked towards his friend as the boy came to kneel beside his friend who hissed in pain as Yuya raised his hand.

"What are you doing here?" Yuto questioned as the boy cast a healing spell upon the gash that had appeared on Sora's cheek.

"Helping my friend!" the blue-haired teenager slowly sat up, looking to Yuya.

"Get away from me! This has nothing to do with you, Yuya!"

"No! Are you insane! He's a Shadow Witch! Your no match for him in the state you're in!" the blue-haired teenager frowned as he stood and the other followed.

"I don't care... that strain scum over there is going to be taken down," he snarled as Yuya looked to him.

"Strain you... you've got a strain?" Yuto closed his eyes for a moment.

"I do. As you can see, I'm part Phantasmal-Imp, on my father's side. My mother, was a Gaia witch, a child of the earth," he explained as Sora narrowed his eyes while Yuya drew slightly closer, knowing things were going to explode again.

"Then stop fighting! I know you possess the powers of a Shadow witch, but listen! Some part of you inherited the gentleness and compassion for even your enemies that your mother possesses as a child of Mother Nature!" he stated as the two continued to glare at one another.

"I see... you've been going easy on me. You're mocking me... I won't forgive you! How dare you mock me! Thinking I'm weaker than you because of the type of witch you are! All you truly are is trash! A good for nothing mutt!" Yuya looked to Sora as Yuto glared.

"That's enough! Stop! Fighting isn't going to help either of you, and your in no condition to battle a Witch whose got more power when it's night!" he warned.

"Shut up! I haven't even given it my all yet. When I get serious, you'll realize how strong I really am! I'll prove it!" Sora snapped as he looked to Yuya.

"You can prove that any other time! Do it during the next tournament, with a different witch if this is what you really want! But don't charge blindly into a duel when your hurt!" the other looked away and back towards Yuto who remained steadfast, where he was.

"There is _no next time!_ In a real battle, there is no such thing as next time or second chances. That's what you don't get Yuya! You've lived a peaceful life, you don't know about how witches and duelists can really be in a fight!" he snapped.

"Exactly. Nonetheless, he may be my enemy, but it doesn't sit well with me to harm him when he's already injured. If you surrender quietly, we can end this without any suffering." Yuya narrowed his eyes.

"What are you planning to do? What are you gonna do to Sora?" he asked.

"..." Yuya glared, bearing his teeth as a slight shadow appeared on his face, making his expression menacing.

" _Answer me!_ Shay Obsidian was going to do something to Sora too! What are the two of you trying to accomplish here?" Yuya questioned with a low growl in his voice.

"Do you know anything about your supposed _friend_ and what's really going on? About how his people attacked my hometown, how they murdered hundreds of innocent people, sealing mortals into cards and burning witches at the stake?! Do you know who they've taken from me and those who lived in my hometown? How they've stolen Ruri from me? One of the only precious things I had left in this world?!" Yuto growled out these words, fangs bared as Yuya watched him, form tense.

"Ruri..." the other sighed, closing his eyes.

"They say even the greatest of buildings can collapse due to ants digging holes in it. These trash came to our hometown, destroying it and reaping the lives of people like a demonic plague. These Fusion Users are Duelists who use magic and the skills of hunters to track us all down and slaughter us! So, this disgusting excuse for a _Witch_ will be the first of those holes we dig in the wall called Academia! So I will destroy you, and render you as nothing more than a shell!" Yuto snapped as Yuya stepped forward, standing between the two.

"Stop it! I won't let you hurt my friends!" the normally sweet natured boy had a look of malice upon his features, a withering glare of a powerful soul and a capable witch. Yuto knew that the boy was strong, but he wasn't certain how powerful he could truly be seeing as he had only witnessed him releasing his aura once, and it wasn't even a full release because he had been fighting mortals, and while he had seen the boy duel, he wasn't sure how strong he would be against him.

"Y-Yuya... what the hell are you -"

"If its a fight you want, I'll become your opponent!" Yuya snapped, eyes hard as he bared his teeth at the other, equipping his Duel Disk as he prepared to fight.

" _How menacing... its like another person all together..."_ Yuto thought as Sora stared at his friend.

"Yuya?" the boy narrowed his gaze as the Duel Disk came to life.

" **Battle Royale Mode – Joining!"** the electronic voice announced as Yuya stepped into the battle.

"Fine, I end my turn. At this time, the effect of Dark Rebellion ends, and it's attack points return to normal," Yuto stated.

"My turn! I set the Pendulum Scales using my Scale One Stargazer Magician, and my Scale Eight Timegazer Magician! Now I can Summon Monsters between Level Two and Seven at the same time! _Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of light across the Sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Appear, my heroic, majestic, and radiant beast with heterochromatic eyes! _Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!_ " Yuya announced as Sora watched the Summoning mechanic whirl to life in a manner that seemed to appear within the blink of an eye.

" _He's using his magic to fuel his Summoning, just like that guy and I did,"_ he thought as he watched the Dragon appear with a roar.

Just as Yuya's faithful Monster was summoned though, a sharp knife-like pain shot through him, causing him to clutch at his chest, the sensation stealing his breath while Yuto seemed to tense, pressing a hand to his chest as well where Yuya now could see the pendulum crystal Yuzu had mentioned visible. However, the pain he was feeling right then was growing, burning through him like a wild flame as he took in a ragged breath and Yuto stood before him, looking equally concerned as he clenched the front of his shirt, eyes narrowing a fraction against the pain as Yuya took in a deep breath.

" _What is this? My body feels like it's on fire..."_ Yuya thought as he took in a deep breath, the dragons roaring at one another, light resounding off of them as the two boys looked to the pendulum crystals they wore and saw them resonate with the same color of starlight-crimson, and violet-shadow, almost as though the two Dragons were calling out to one another.

 **{Control Room: 8:40pm}**

" _ **Hmm... Battle! My Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon attacks you Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"**_ Reiji watched, as Yuya confronted Yuto, defending Sora while alongside him, Shay stood nearby, a discerning eye upon the events taking place as a young child remained next to Reiji's seat, watching the Duel with trepidation in his violet-blue eyes, his pale lavender hair off-setting a gaunt complexion as he held a strangely stitched bear tightly in his grasp.

"Both of their Dragons have twenty-five-hundred Attack Points... is he planning to take them both out?!" Claude asked.

"No, Odd-Eyes is a Pendulum Monster. Even if it's destroyed, it returns to the Extra Deck. Meaning that once the attack goes through, Yuya can re-summon his Monster next turn. Yuya isn't be blindly reckless." Shay narrowed his gaze.

"Why aren't you arresting that traitor? Sora Shuinin needs to pay for what he's done!" he stated.

"At this point, too much action between witches and causing alarm from the public would dash our chances of stopping my father's schemes, as well as dampen the chances of using Sora as a potential pawn in the grand plan I'm developing. By avoiding this, we can gauge how strong your friend Yuto Kisaragi really is, and see how he could do as a partner for Yuya Sakaki on the battlefield," he stated.

"Partner? Why are you thinking about putting those to together?" Shay's question caused Reiji to hum in thought.

"I'm fairly certain from discussions with his mother as to what kind of Witch Yuya Sakaki will turn out to be, and I already am aware that he's powerful... but not fully developed yet... Yuto has more experience than he does, and possesses great power at the very tips of his fingers. They'll be a good team for certain circumstances," he answered as they watched the two Dragons fight.

"Yuto doesn't know him... he won't become his partner in battle without a bond formed between them." Reiji looked the two over.

"Aside from them both being easily mistaken for twins, and possessing a Dragon each who seems to have a connection already, and the Pendulum Crystals they both wear upon their persons even now... you don't believe there's some sort of cosmic bond between them? Even though your a witch yourself? Shay?" he inquired as the Risulian narrowed his eyes.

" _ **I activate a Continuous Trap! Phantom's Fog Blade! It's effect negates the current attack. As long as this card is in play, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon cannot attack!"**_ Yuto's declaration was shown on the screen before them while Yuya's Odd-Eyes landed next to him, and Dark Rebellion flew to land behind Yuto.

"A Trap that prevents attacks, clever," Claude admitted.

"Indeed it is... Riley, pay close attention, alright? This is important." the young boy nodded slowly.

"Okay, big brother..." Shay glanced at the child and then looked at the screen again.

"Did he let himself take that attack so he could set up for his second Xyz Summon?" Reiji questioned.

"That's part of a few of his strategies. He has a few cards in that deck of his where if they're on the field and he receives a thousand points of damage or more, he can inflict that damage to his opponent, and then those cards become material for either an Xyz Summon, or are added to the Overlay networks of his current Xyz Monster." Shay's explanation and Claude humming in surprise while Reiji nodded.

"As expected," he said.

" _ **You lured me into battle so you could Xyz Summon again, yet you left one of your Overlay Units before battling me! Just how far... will you go to insult me? As I thought... I cannot forgive you! Ever!"**_ Sora's shout towards Yuto had Shay narrowing his eyes.

"Like you have room to talk... traitorous scum."

 **{Central Park: 8:56pm}**

"I activate the Pendulum Effect of my Timegazer Magician! Once per turn, when a Trap Card is activated, that targets a Pendulum Monster at activation, I can negate its activation and effect! _Inverse Gears!"_ Yuya called as Yuto's trap was put to rest and he closed his eyes for a brief second.

"Trap, activate! _Booby Trap E!_ This card gains the same effect as one Continuous Trap set on my field. " the Shadow witch played the card, causing Yuya to flinch a bit.

"Meaning you'll take the Trap I negated with Timegazer's Pendulum Effect, and..." Yuto nodded.

"That's right, and since it has the same effect as Phantom Knight's Fog Blade, your attack is negated. And while this card is face-up on the field, your Dragon cannot attack," he stated as Yuya tensed.

"With that, I end my turn." Sora started moving forward.

"If you can't do anything, get out of here! He stated, bumping Yuya to the side.

"Sora!" the blue-haired teenager glared at him.

"That guy's my prey! The Master of the Phantom Knights is going to be taken down by me! So don't get in my way!" he ordered.

"Prey... wait your still..." scarlet eyes looked the other over, picking out small impulses of his magical aura, and seeing it looking like rusted metal, left in a constant rain, gritty, and near the point of collapse. Yuya narrowed his gaze, a look of anger upon his features.

"Your still under the influence of a Corruption Curse..." the other glared.

"No, I'm not! I want to hunt this witch-scum... he needs to pay for injuring my comrades!" Sora snapped.

"Injuring _your_ comrades?! " Yuya looked to his friend.

"Sora, why are you doing this? What's the point in hunting down your own kind? Why do something like that? Tell me, Sora!" he demanded.

"Why would he do something like that? Because, his people, believe that witches possessing Strains, are filth, they believe that Xyz Users are worthless mongrels... prey in their sick games that allow them to turn mortals into cards, and collect them for fun, and execute other witches who they define as scum to death... either killing them with a firing squad... or burning them at the stake." Yuto spoke as Yuya tensed and then looked to him and then back to Sora.

"Answer me! Sora! You said something like that during your Duel with Shay Obsidian! That they were your prey for your hunting games... if that's true, then you need to tell me now!" the other kept silent.

"He won't answer you, where he's from... they've been trained not to divulge to much information... like good little lap dogs," Yuto stated.

"Shut up! You don't know what your talking about! And as for your little pathetic fighting skills, you'll never defeat me and find out what happened to _Ruri! Because your my prey!_ And nothing more!" Yuya looked at his friend and then to Yuto.

"Who is Ruri?" he asked.

"She's my girlfriend, and Shay's little sister. Ruri is an Avian Witch with incredible power, so I believe she's only been kidnapped, and not sentenced to death. I was hoping that while we know she's in the Fusion Dimension, this traitorous snake would be able to tell me where in the Fusion Dimension she's being kept." Yuya frowned.

"Fusion Dimension?" he questioned as Yuto closed his eyes a fraction.

"Yes, the place where Sora Shuinin is from." scarlet eyes met gray.

"Where are you and Shay from? And I want the truth, not some bullshit story that you're part of the LDS, because I know it's not who either of you really are, and that much was obvious immediately after Shay's duel with Sora... who are you people? And why do you hate each other so much?" Yuya inquired as he kept his eyes on Yuto.

"As I've said... they invaded my hometown, where Shay, Ruri, and several other dear friends of mine grew up... they slaughtered hundreds of people upon arrival... without discrimination... men, women, and children. Letting their monsters kill them... or executing them personally. They trapped some, sealing them away into cards and hunting witches down by using other witches who willingly partook in these _hunting games_ and if they were found to be like me... or considered dangerous... they were put down... why I hate them... is because they mindlessly destroyed my home... and the lives of everyone there." Yuya looked to Sora.

"Why did you do that?!" the other looked to the side.

"None of your damn business!" in an instant, Yuya had his hands on him, grabbing him by the front of his already torn shirt and looking him in the eyes.

"Tell me now dammit! I want the truth! All of it," he snapped.

"You want the truth? Fine! The reason we've invaded the Xyz Dimension is to begin the unification of our broken world. Yuya, we live in a world, amongst many that was split up a little over a hundred years ago... our world is segmented into six Zones, each representing different summoning mechanics." Yuya looked to him in confusion.

"What?" he asked in uncertainty as Sora nodded with a smirk.

"It's the truth. The first one, is the _Ritual Zone_ , followed by the _Fusion Zone_ , the _Synchro Zone_ , the _Xyz Zone,_ the one we're in now is an unstable one known as the Pendulum Zone – _nice coincidence, huh?_ \- and the _Link Zone_. Our world has been split like that for a long time, and nothing has been done to try and fix it. However, about a year ago, a man who worked for my boss, known as the Professor, sent someone to the Xyz Zone to take care of some things, and the Xyz Zone fell into darkness... becoming it's counterpart that now stands, the Xyz Dimension... with me so far?" Yuya let the other go, backing away.

"H-How..." Yuto took in a deep breath.

"The Xyz Zone died and was reborn as the Xyz Dimension, because of their assassin, known as Paradox, and the plans the Professor put into action. Around that time, the Fusion Zone and the Synchro Zone split apart, and created parallels of one another, the Fusion Dimension, were Academia resides... and the Synchro Dimension... whose under the control of the Fusion Dimension. The Ritual Zone was spared because of three Duelists efforts, but I don't know who they are," he explained.

"So... you and Sora are from the Xyz and Fusion Dimensions... okay... and they split from their Zones... because of something that Sora's... commander caused?" Sora nodded.

"Yep! That's the gist of it... but as for this current situation, I'm not about to lose to some Xyz-using witch-scum! No way in hell! My turn!" he announced as Yuya looked to him.

"Just stop it! This isn't going to solve anything!" Yuto looked to Yuya.

"Yuya! Listen to me, you don't know about the trials of war, and I envy you for that... your heart is pure, and your magic reflects that... but the things that have happened can't be resolved with words anymore," he said as the boy stared at him.

"Don't say that! There's got to be a way to stop all this fighting! It's senseless!" Sora scoft.

"Your far to soft Yuya, that's one thing I can't stand about you... all of your power... and you're unwilling to unleash it to do anything. You try and resolve things in the mortal way, or you just use your cards to fight instead of owning what's inside you... the power of a witch! A pureblood, with immense, untapped power!" Yuya glared.

"I don't want to use my magic to hurt others! The way I want to use it is so that witches and mortals can live together peacefully! I want to make people happy with my magic and the things I can do! _Not scare and harm them!_ " he snapped.

"That's why you'll be nothing but a hindrance in a battle. You're to weak! I activate the set Frightfur Custom on my field! Its effect Special Summons my Edge Imp Tomahawk, and treats it as a Frightfur Monster! Also, I activate the Monster Effect of the Edge Imp Frightfuloid in my Graveyard, treating it as a _Frightfur_ Monster as well! And then I activate Frightfur Fusion from my hand! I Fusion Summon using the Edge Imp Tomahawk on my field, along with the Edge Imp Frightfuloid and Frightfur Bear in my graveyard as Materials!" he stated as Yuya stepped back and Yuto sent Sora a cold look.

"Sora! Just stop! Please!"

"I'll make you all realize my real power! I call forth my strongest Monster using the true, real Fusion Summoning method that Academia aided in cultivating!" Sora said with a cackle.

"Nothing can be done to stop him. He's a trained dog, drunk on the illusion of power he's been granted, as well as the Corruption Curse's affect. You cannot save someone who doesn't wish to be so." Yuya shook his head.

"No! No! No! I won't let this keep happening!" he said firmly as Yuto sighed.

"I'll destroy you! Crush you like a bug!" Yuya took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, locking his fingers together as he held a specific hand gesture that both witches instantly recognized.

"To the Goddess Inari, sheltering the innocent, to the Goddess Amaterasu, the light that guides us, I call to the spirits of purification, created for the order of and the mother, that they inhabit the sky!" the two stilled as Yuya prepared to continue his incantation.

"What the hell are you doing?! That's a purification rite!" Yuto called as Sora glowered.

"Stop! I don't need your help!"

"As when the God Izanagi-no-Mikoto cleansed himself of the treachery of Yomi, the unforgiving underworld! The sacred waters of earth, the rain of heaven, comes forth the means of purification! With the respect of from the depth of my heart, I beseech thee! Hear me as I lay forth one whom has been tainted, seeing respite in the glow of the eternal moon! Tsukiyomi-no-Mikoto!" Yuto watched as the boy's form took on a white glow to it as Sora hissed as his form began to glow as well.

"FUCKING STOP!" he roared.

"Intent, with sharpened ears, together with Spirits of the sky and the Land, take from this one who stands before me, the darkness which threatens his life! Remove that which marks him! Cast away the sins of his transgressions! Purify all! " the blue-haired teenager lunged for Yuya who was spared by Yuto casting a barrier around the boy.

"I'LL RIP YOU TO PIECES! DO YOU HEAR ME YOU FUCKING HALF-BLOOD TRASH! I'LL TEAR YOU APART! PHANTASMAL-IMP SCUM!" Sora roared at him and Yuya took in a deep breath.

"For the expansion of our souls, and the fulfillment of this rite, let the one who stands, marred as a blasphemy against those who honor that which courses through the world! Be cleansed in this final admonition! _Seitai Hairyo!"_ Yuto watched as the light around Sora grew, and in the blink of an eye the sound of shattering glass was heard as the light broke away, and a torrent of darkness shot outwards, being consumed by the light fragments before vanishing all together. Yuto lowered his shield, and the glow around Yuya disburst as Sora fell to his knees, sweating profusely as the Shadow witch watched the scarlet-eyed boy sway, barely standing as he rushed forward and caught him by the shoulders.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I... think..." Sora slowly got up, trembling as he looked to Yuya and Yuto.

"A... purification rite... how... why did I? I don't under sta - " the blue-haired teenager tried to speak; however, he was cut off by his Duel Disk announcing that the Duel had been closed, and a blue light began to form around him.

"W-Wait! What's..." Yuya found his voice failing him, a series of harsh coughs leaving him as Yuto tried to keep him in place.

"Yuya! I'm sorry! I can't believe I did this! Yuya! Please! Help me! I -" the boy broke free from the other and ran forward, reaching for Sora's hand only for the boy to vanish just before he was able to get him.

"Sora!" the boy stumbled, hitting the ground sharply as Yuto rushed towards him.

"He'll be fine, he was just recalled back to where he came from," Yuto told him.

"N-No... it's broken now... the curse was influencing his actions... that's what you don't get..." the other looked to his counterpart.

"The curse was influencing him? How?" Yuya shakily got off the ground.

"It's an advanced form of the curse... whoever put it on him... knew this to an exact detailed point... they knew one-hundred what they were doing," he said as he swayed, getting to his feet as Yuto kept his hands upon his shoulders.

"If that's the truth, then these situations are far more sinister than anyone thought." Yuya nodded.

"Why was the Xyz Zone turned into the Xyz Dimension?" Yuto looked to him.

"It fell to Darkness. The Zones become Dimensions in our world when they become corrupted or something happens to make them fall into the darkness," he detailed.

"That's not good... we've gotta do something..." Yuto shook his head.

"No, stay out of this Yuya. Sora was right," he stated.

"Right?" the other sighed.

"You're to kind hearted for war. If you get wrapped up into this... you'll be hurt or worse... believe me. Someone as gentle as you doesn't belong on the battlefield," Yuto told him honestly as the other looked away.

"But if people are hurt... someone's gotta do something." the gray-eyed witch took in a deep breath.

"Yuya, you believe in your magic and dueling being used to make others happy, to let them smile and feel better instead of using it for personal gain or self-righteous power... _that's who you are, it's your center_... you'll never be able to face off against Academia's Dueling Soldiers without being hurt terribly in some form," Yuto told him.

"Dueling Soldiers?" he nodded.

"Academia trains Duelists to be soldiers, hurting others willingly. You don't belong in the battlefield, it's not your place," he stated.

"I just -" as Yuya prepared to respond, a loud crash came from nearby alongside a flash of green light, startling the two into alertness as the smoke cleared and they were met with a white motorcycle with yellow tones and black striping on it while a green disk was set in place. Upon the cycle was a young man in a white jumpsuit with red, yellow, and blue accents on it while he also wore a helmet of the same colors. The two witches started to back away, Yuto not liking the feeling of foreboding he was getting as the person huffed, hissing about the light-post he'd hit before unzipping his jumpsuit jacket a bit, and removed his helmet.

"Dammit! Who the fuck put that there? I swear, you'd think people would – oh, um hi there, who are you two?"

 **{…..}**

 _I feel it in my veins, its not going away..._

 **{…...}**

 **Author's Note:** Holy Hollyhead Harpies! The story is just getting more intense! Well, I'm pretty sure you guys know who just arrived, and we'll be getting some interesting stuff going on in the next chapter, and then some more intensity. I hope all of you guys are prepared for the things coming up, and I hope that all of my readers have enjoyed this enormous update! Tell me what you think, and I'll look for your reviews!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Strain is the term for a witch who possesses non-mortal or witch blood. Meaning they have creature blood like Yuto does.

Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's effect where it gains the attack power it subtracted from the opposing Monster, is actually permanent outside of the anime.

Zones are the light version's of the pieces that make up Millennium; however, if _particular things_ happens to them, they fall to darkness and become a Dimension.

The Purification Rite that Yuya used on Sora to remove the Corruption Curse is actually a modified version of the traditional _Shinto Prayer of Purification_. You can look up the original prayer online.

The Witches in this story, are a blend of the traditional European Witch and Shinto/Japanese Shrine priests and priestesses.


	35. Chapter 35: Shadow, Water, & Light

Chapter 35: Shadow, Water, & Light

"Um..." Yuya stared at the person as they shook their hair out as he got off his bike and put a hand on his hip, while looking around the park.

The person had deep blue hair with side-swept blonde bangs, and tourmaline-colored eyes. He favored both Yuya and Yuto facially, but he seemed a tad older, and was several inches taller from what they could tell, than either of them. His skin was pale, and as they looked him over, the two boys noticed something rather peculiar about his aura. It seemed to move, like water disrupted slightly by wind, as it bore the same blue hue of mountain rivers and lakes. The boy frowned, and unzipped his jacket a bit, putting his helmet on his bike before eyeing the two of them once again. It was in that moment that the three of them looked at one another, and then to the crystals that hung around their necks.

"You... have one too," Yuya mentioned slowly as the stranger looked at the green crystal wrapped in golden angel wings before he nodded.

"Sure do, had it since I was a baby. What about you half-pint?" the scarlet-eyed boy narrowed his gaze.

"I'm not a half-pint! Your a stranger! Don't insult me!" he defended.

"Fine... now... as for you, I've been lookin' all over for ya! I wanna know where my girl is!" Yuto gave him a long look.

"Who the hell are you?" the boy glowered.

"I'm the one asking questions here!" the ground cracked beside the two boys, causing Yuya to jump as he looked at the busted up fountain nearby and then the deep groove in the ground.

"He's a..." Yuto narrowed his eyes.

"Yea, he's one of our kind... but he's from the Synchro Dimension... he's someone whose working for Academia," he said.

"Wha? The hell I'm not! I don't work for a school you babbling buffoon! I'm a Turbo-Duelist!" Yuya looked him over.

" _I thought that thing looked kinda familiar... its a D-Wheel..."_ Yuto growled.

"Don't come near us!" he warned.

"I just wanna know what you did with Rin!" the two stared at him in confusion.

"Rin?" they asked.

"Yea, she's my girl! I saw that cloak wearing freak beside ya snatch her up!" Yuya looked to Yuto who frowned.

"That's ridiculous! Why would I take your girlfriend?" the Xyz Duelist questioned.

"I dunno! Your the kidnapper!" Yuya shook his head.

"Whoa, wait a minute! How can you be sure? What if this is just a misunderstanding?" the blue-blonde glowered.

"IT'S NOT A MISUNDERSTANDING! Rin is everything to me, she's literally all I have in this world! So you better give her back! Do you hear me? Or I'm gonna send you into oblivion!" the boy's left eye changed color, the sclera turning blue while the iris went silver, causing Yuya draw in a breath from surprise.

"Calm down! There's no need to start something you clearly can't finish," Yuto stated.

"Are you challenging me?" the other's mismatched eyes narrowed.

"Maybe I am... what's an Unduline gonna do about it?" Yuto questioned as Yuya looked between the two.

"Wait! Let's just try and talk about this there' s no need to -" the black-lilac haired boy pushed Yuya away.

"I want you to leave, do you hear me Yuya?" Yuto ordered.

"Sending your little friend safely away? Good, wouldn't want him to get hurt." the other stepped in front of the red-green-haired boy.

"All I'm doing ins protecting an innocent bystander, nothing more," he stated.

"Really? Isn't he one of us?" Yuto narrowed his eyes.

"Even if he is that doesn't mean -" a whip-like tendril of water lashed the ground where Yuya was, causing Yuto to grab him and roll across the ground as the other boy smirked, the water curling around him like a loving snake while it began to form near his feet.

"Then he can join in on the fun!"

Yuya looked to the other as he kept him pinned to the ground, Yuto shielding him as he remained crouched where he was, over the slightly smaller boy who narrowed his gaze at the other while Yuto hissed, seeming to guard himself and the boy who was beneath him on the ground. Yuya started to move away, going to get up when he had a hand pressed to the area between his shoulder blades and he was forced back onto the ground by the Phantasmal Imp half-blood as the other smirked, watching the actions take place with a look of slight elation. Yuya knew, just by looking at him, that his type of magic was elemental, and had a distinct feel to it that reminded the other of running water. Taking in a deep breath Yuya began to struggle against Yuto who kept holding him to the ground.

"Listen to me... don't get up. He's an Unduline... if you try and fight him, he'll kill you," Yuto warned.

"An Unduline?" the other laughed.

"Your a witch an ya don't know what an Unduline is? Damn, ya must be pretty inexperienced," he stated.

"I've never met one, okay?" the blue-blonde boy laughed once more.

"Now, I see why ya wanna protect 'im. He's pure hearted... innocent... it's kinda rare amongst our kind now-a-days, huh?" Yuya looked to the two others, thinking through what was happening.

Yuto stood, and Yuya remained in a crouch near the ground, the other standing in front of him as he glared the other down as the sound of rushing water began to appear and the scarlet-eyed boy looked to see the boy who'd attacked them raising his hand outwards, palm pointed to the ground as water seeming to appear from nothingness as he watched them with a confident smirk upon his features. Yuto instantly held his own hand up, shadows and blue flame appearing within his palm, clawed fingers seeming to cradle it gently. Yuya tensed as the two looked to one another, and the sudden disbursement of magic caused his breath to catch as he was thrown backwards.

"Who are you?" the water witch smirked.

"I don't think I need to give you an answer..." the other glowered.

"Then you don't have any manners!" Yuto responded, lashing out with a spell.

It was almost like an explosion, the magic swirling around the two of them as they began to fight. Yuya watched, terrified and mesmerized at the same time by the brilliant flashes of magic that almost seemed like living jewels as he looked to Yuto who kept lashing back with different attacks of black and blue against the diamond-toned attacks as the other laughed with a gleeful grin upon his face that showed a faint point to his teeth. Yuya took in a deep breath and Yuto dodged another attack only for the other to lash out at him, and result in him being thrown across the ground as the other held his hand back a bit.

"What's the matter? Can't you fight?" asked the water witch.

"Yuya!" Yuto called out to him before turning back towards the other.

"So... your names Yuya? That's a nice name... got a last one to go with the first one?" the other inquired as he looked at the boy who was getting himself off the ground.

"Sakaki..." the other hummed.

"Yuya Sakaki... nice to meet'cha, wanna know my name?" he inquired as the boy stood, keeping his body braced widening his stance.

"Sure... what is it?" the other lashed an attack at him and he blocked it with a spell of his own.

"Fight me and find out, how about that?!" Yuya tensed at his suggestion.

"No! Your fight is with me!" Yuto interjected.

"He's old enough to choose on his own, so come on half-pint, fight me!" Yuya took in a deep breath, narrowing his gaze a fraction.

"Fine..." Yuto put his arm out in front of Yuya.

"Don't fight him, you don't know how to combat someone," he said.

"I'm not incapable of defending myself!" the other threw a spell at them and Yuya raised his hands outwards forming a barrier.

"Hey! You're pretty good at that! Let me try somethin' else!" the person sent a shock-wave of wind and water at them, knocking the two over as Yuto landed in a crouch and Yuya rolled across the ground before getting himself up a bit.

"Yuya, just listen to me and stay out of this!" Yuto stated as he shot to his feet and sent a wave of shadows at the other who held his arms out, palms facing upwards as he made a barrier of water.

"No! If he's challenging me as well, then I need to -" Yuya stilled, a sharp pain lancing through him as he curled over on himself.

"Yuya!" the other looking at them narrowed his eyes.

"You alright there half-pint?" Yuto turned a feral look to him.

"I swear if he's hurt... I'll grind your bones into dust!" Yuya looked to the other.

"Why are you... trying to protect me?" he asked.

Yuto rushed forward a fraction, attacking with a series of spells that caused the other to be knocked backwards and roll across the ground as Yuto cut a flip and landed in a crouch near Yuya who only watched as the person that had been thrown slowly got back to his feet, a glare upon his face as he stood straight and held his hands outwards on either side, the water reappearing before he threw it at them both, nailing them with the harsh attack and sending them rolling across the ground and into the rubble from Sora and Yuto's earlier duel. Yuya coughed as he was hit in the back by the harsh stone material before he looked to Yuto who was getting to his feet with a vicious glare upon his features.

"I'm waiting, half-pint!" Yuya took in a deep breath and struggled to his feet before he took in a deep breath.

" _He's a water and wind magic user... which means he had a pretty good defense... but that also means that his attacks can be turned on him with heat attacks... so I need to use fire spells. Yuto has flames in his attacks, but their cold... I can tell that much..."_

With a nod to himself, Yuya took the momentary pause to focus on his magic and summon forth a scalding red flame as he shot an attack towards the person who barely dodged him before the scarlet-eyed boy was on top of him, having used the opportunity to screen his advancement and get close, at which point the person received a swift kick to the head from Yuya's quick movements. They went down and he cut a flip, cartwheeling until he was back further away as Yuto stared, somewhat surprised and impressed as the witch they were fighting, steadied themselves as they looked across to him and smirked, wiping the blood from the corner of their mouth as they got up.

"Hot damn! You've got some skills with combative straight magic! That was pretty cool... alright then... we've gotta more interesting Variance now," he said.

"Your name! I want your name!" the other laughed as Yuya kept a steady gaze on him.

"Hugo Matsumoto, that's who I am!" a harsh attack was sent their way and the two others began to retaliate.

Yuya kept pace with Yuto for the most part, being able to block for himself and defend Yuto slightly while also forming an attack pattern. However, as the fight continued, making them dodge and strike, Yuya began to notice that Hugo and Yuto were becoming more aggressive as time went on, but also knew that witches could become that way during fights. He focused on trying to defend himself, knowing that Yuto could handle himself; however, it was only a few seconds later, that the burning pain from earlier returned and he went down on one knee, breathing roughly as he looked around, seeing the same reaction from Yuto and Hugo, magic laying in a thick fog around the area as he watched the two of them with a sense of dread.

Within seconds, there was a burst of power, the two of them unleashing their magical auras and the pressure there nearly overpowered Yuya to the point that he started to feel as though he was going to be smothered under the sheer force of it all. Yuto's eyes seemed to glow with a violet shade as Hugo's shaded blue, and an enraged roar left him as he lashed out with an attack that split the concrete into, and nailed Yuto directly, causing him to retaliate with a fierceness that Yuya had yet to see. He took in a steady breath and forced his magic out, forming a barrier around himself as he used that opportunity to get his breath and look at the fight going on, knowing that he had to stop it.

Hugo blocked another attack, his pendulum crystal seeming to glow with a green light as he raised both his hands outwards, the water being drained from the grass and trees nearby to the point that they died before he hit Yuto with the blast full force, knocking him backwards as he went tumbling across the upturned pavement. Yuya broke out of his barrier, and went to Yuto, trying to get to him before the fight continued, but he failed as the other got to his feet and a wave of shadows spread out, causing Hugo to block as he was knocked against the dead trees, making them fall before Yuya grabbed hold of Yuto.

"Stop! Yuto! Listen to me! You've gotta stop this fight!" he said.

"Stay out of it!" he was shoved aside as Hugo lashed another attack forward, and Yuto responded.

Yuya looked between them, getting to his feet as he began trying to find a way to stop them. Both of them were stronger than he was in using combative spells, and their defensive spellcraft was better than his was as well; however, he couldn't give up and let them continue the fight as it was, therefore Yuya focused his magic, pooling it into his hands as a crimson-stardust appearance, light magic swelling within his grasp as he lashed out at the two of them, and struck Hugo once and did the same to the other, ultimately pushing Yuto back, knowing that of one stopped, the other would slowly follow.

"Stop fighting! This isn't going to help! We're witches, we're supposed to respect nature and look to finding ways to help us live with mortals peacefully! Look at the two of you! You're destroying this entire place like it nothing but killing each other matters!" the two were still for a moment, but in the next instant, Hugo looked to him, a wild look upon his features as he swept forward, and lashed at him with an attack, causing him to tumble across the ground.

Yuya looked to Hugo who crossed his arms in front of himself, water and wind forming as he raised his arms into the air and sent out the attack. It would be a potentially fatal one, the force of it was strong enough to make the air around them almost seem heavy like it was charged with electricity, and if he didn't block it, he would be in trouble. Yuya tensed, trying to focus on his magic to form a barrier, but it wouldn't work, and then the spell was released, sailing towards him at a blinding speed; however, right before it would have hit, a pair of hands pushed him away, and he rolled to the side, the spell hitting the other as Yuya looked up, seeing Yuto lying upon the ground, his pendulum crystal, which had been glowing during the fight had stopped, and as he glanced to the other, he noticed Hugo was shaking his head, looking confused as he looked towards the others.

"W-What happened?" he muttered.

"Yuto!" Yuya was on his feet in a second, Hugo watching in confusion as the boy grabbed the other up into his arms, looking to him as he noticed the person was breathing in a shallow manner, a decent sized gash in his side as he stepped away.

" _What did I do? Why did I use a fatal spell? I never use -"_ Hugo's thoughts froze, pain spreading through his chest as he tensed, clutching at the front of his shirt while Yuya gritted his teeth against the pain while Yuto looked to him, a gentle smile on his features.

"Yuto..." the boy smiled a bit reaching towards one of the deck boxes at his hip before he produced a single card.

"Take it, okay?" Yuya looked at the card, seeing Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon.

"Why?" the other shook his head.

"There are... reasons... that I forgot..." Yuto glanced towards Hugo who was struggling against the pain as Yuya gritted his teeth again.

"Just stay still, I can heal you," Yuya said as he reached towards the wound and the other looked to him.

"No, your to tired... anymore and you'll be hurt worse than you... already are."

"But I -" a bright flash came from Yuya's pendulum crystal, causing a resonance from the other two as Hugo looked up before he suddenly vanished in a green light, and Yuto grabbed his hand, causing him to look at him in confusion.

"You want people to be... happy... you have a special gift... and your stronger... than I thought... so please... help if you... can, okay?" Yuya looked to him in confusion.

"Why did you protect me?" the other smiled.

"Because... you're special... there's something... different about you from others of our... kind... if you can show others how to... use their power for the benefit of others... then it'll... be good. " Yuya shook his head.

"No, I'm not special. You shouldn't have protected me... what about Ruri? How can..." Yuto smiled.

"She'll be okay... I did what was right... that's what matters most. That you're safe... take that card... use it to help okay? Change people's mind... about our kind... you can make them... smile... bring light back to... them..."

In that instant there was a flash of bright light, and the weight of the other's body vanished from his grasp, leaving behind nothing but the duel disk and the black and violet pendulum crystal. Yuya looked around, confused by what had just happened, when he looked to the crystal, picking it up as he tried to figure out why it was left behind when a searing pain ripped through him, his breath catching in his throat as he dropped the crystal, his vision going dark as he heard someone call for him.

" _Yuya!"_

it had been earlier that evening when Yuzu had started to notice that something wasn't right, the entire area near central park made her feel sick, as though something bad was happening there, or was about to. At first, she had decided to steer clear of it, knowing that if she went over there and Yuya was fighting, he would only end up getting hurt because of his focus on her being protected, but that had been before her bracelet started flashing like a heartbeat and she had found an unexplainable feeling that she needed to go towards the park. She changed directly in an instant, and went racing towards the place, the sense of dread becoming even worse as she drew closer and closer.

When Yuya had cast his guardian incandescence on her and Gongenzaka, she had the distinct feeling that it had done something to link them together, so that could find one another should needs be, and as she finally came to the park, she had begun to see why the feeling of dread had been present. The place was destroyed, seemingly upturned in randomized places, burns and gashes left upon the ground as she looked around the area for her friend. It was in that moment that she glanced towards one of the structures that were still standing that she saw Yuya, on his knees with a dazed look upon his features, eyes staring forward before his body fell forward.

"Yuya!"

She ran towards him, wasting no time as she got to her friend and reached for him, seeing randomized scrapes and what seemed to be soot and dirt on him in different areas as she carefully turned him over as she looked for any signs of injuries, but found nothing severe enough to garner immediate concern as she checked his pulse and then looked to him, seeing him unresponsive as he laid there, his head rested against her as she tried to get him to wake up. Yuzu shook him, trying to get a response out of him as she kept shaking him, keeping her hands upon his chest as she tried to get the boy to open his eyes.

"Yuya! Wake up! Yuya!" she called to him, but he did nothing, he didn't move, or respond to her at all.

"Please! Wake up! Yuya! Oh God, open your eyes!" she pleaded, tears forming in her own eyes as she tried to wake the boy.

"YUZU!" the pink-haired girl turned to see Gongenzaka approaching as swiftly as he could.

"Gongenzaka! Hurry!" the other nodded, and was by her side in an instant as he looked to his friend.

"Is he alright?" he asked.

"I don't know... he's not waking up!" the other nodded.

"We'll take him back to the hospital. I saw a few police cars on the way here that were heading in this direction, if we're found here, it'll be trouble. Let's get him taken care of," Gongenzaka stated as he pulled the boy up into his arms and the two of them made to stand; however, just as they did, Yuzu looked down, seeing a pair of familiar items on the grass. Without giving it a second thought, she picked them up and slipped them into her pocket before rushing off with Gongenzaka, the two of them hurrying to get their friend to the hospital.

" _Please be alright Yuya... please!"_

 **{Tower Area: 9:00pm}**

"I'm sorry! I - " Sora fell to the ground sharply as he stumbled coming out of his teleportation.

The room was dark, the only source of light coming from a series of large windows at the end of the somewhat long room while he looked around. It was apparent, that the teleport had been disrupted by someone, because the place he was in, most certainly wasn't Academia. Pastel green eyes narrowed, as he looked further around the area, and then spotted a figure sitting at the desk at the end of the room. His form stilled, anxiety filling his system as he looked towards them, a glare on his features. Was it possible that he had been captured by the enemy? Had something happened to where he had been sent somewhere that he'd never seen in Academia? Or was this something else? He looked at the figure who sighed, watching him intently.

"Hello there, Sora Shuinin," they said.

"I know that voice... your Reiji Akaba!" the person stood, lights flipping on as Sora was confirmed on his suspicions when he was greeted with the sight of the silver-haired, violet eyed teenager.

"Very good... it seems everything went according to plan," he stated.

"Plan? What kind of plan did you create that caused me to be sent to you instead of Academia?" the other sighed.

"Something that will benefit you, I am sure," he said.

"How so?" Sora looked at the person, keeping his gaze leveled with the older teenager as Reiji pressed a button on his desk, showing a drawing of a golden-toned loop with several marble-looking spheres upon it, the colors varying in shade as he glanced to it.

"The safety of our world, and the chance to return the favor of a certain young witch who just saved you from the worse results of the Corruption Curse," Reiji stated.

"How did you..." the other gave him a knowing look.

"I have my ways. My eyes and ears are everywhere, and right now, it is crucial that you listen to me, Sora Shuinin," he said.

"Fine... you've captured me as it is... I guess I don't have a choice." Reiji nodded.

"Good. Now, as you know, our world is segmented, divided into six Zones, each named after a summoning format ranging from Ritual all the way to the Link system," he told the other who nodded.

"Yea, I know all about that," he replied.

"Very well, now, correct me if I am mistaken, but Academia's goals are to form the Zones back into a whole world. In doing so, they must convert all the Zones into dimensions, alternative versions of their original form, correct?" Sora nodded.

"That's the plan. The Professor told us, that in order to bring the world back together as a whole, the Zones had to fall into the state of Dimensions, because that's the only time that they'll be starting to be drawn back together." Reiji nodded.

"Did he also tell you that in order to turn the Zones into Dimensions, he's having you massacre the specific cities in those Zones that hold particular people?" he inquired.

"Particular people? He told us that if they were mortals to card them, if they were witches with strains to burn them, and if they were normal witches, to execute or card them as well." Reiji's form tensed, seeming to radiate anger.

"Yes, he did... but its because he's searching for ten individuals who have been given the sacred task of protecting our world," he said.

"Ten people? Protecting our world? Why is he looking for them?" Reiji took in a deep breath.

"So, that he can kill them." Sora felt his eyes grow wide.

"What? Why?! If they're supposed to help protect our world, then he should be seeking out their help!" he stated.

"By doing so, he can force the Zones to become Dimensions... that was what Paradox's job was... and why the Xyz Zone is now a Dimension of darkness. He killed the guardian, and the result is that they're drawn to one another, forming back into a whole world. Or that's what they should do." Sora looked at Reiji with confusion.

"So by killing the guardian, he can make the Zone become a Dimension... I knew that something had to be done in order for the Zones to become Dimensions, but... to try and murder the people who are supposedly trying to protect our world..." he trailed off as Reiji nodded.

"Is monstrous. Sora, the thing you must realize, is that the Professor... my father... is intending on doing this to _every Zone_ here in Millennium." the other frowned.

"Millennium?" he asked.

"That is the name of our world. Once, when it was whole, the world was known as Senen... but that was many years ago as I am certain you know... we were divided as we are now during a war some hundred odd years ago." Sora nodded slowly.

"He told us that the war divided our world into segments... and that in order to restore the world to how it was before, we've got to turn the Zones into Dimensions so they'll come together," he explained.

"Did he also tell you that our world is incredibly fragile and what he's doing is disrupting the frail balance we've had? That the task he's given you will work... but our world will become a place of darkness? And... that his intentions will ultimately destroy our world? Killing everyone?" Sora felt his eyes grow wide, mouth opening a fraction as he heard these words.

"W-What? If that's true then everything we've been doing is..." Reiji nodded.

"Killing our home world, and spreading a thick blanket of vile darkness across it," he said.

Sora thought of these words, fear settling into his system now that his eyes were no longer clouded by the effects of the curse he'd been placed under. His mind was reeling, not wanting to believe what he was hearing, but some part of him knew it was true. As he thought on these things, his mind began to wonder to the people Reiji had mentioned, and what was happening to them, if they could do anything to stop the insanity that was unfurling while also considering that if the Professor knew who these people were, then did Reiji know as well? Pastel green eyes looked to the other as he took in a deep breath.

"What about these guardians? Can they do anything?" Reiji nodded.

"They can do many things, but because of how the world is... most of them are unaware of one another. Around a year ago, when Paradox was defeated, three of them met and that was why the Ritual Zone was able to fix itself; however, the Fusion Zone and Synchro Zone had already completely split, meaning that it will require efforts to be made in their Dimensions to put them back together with their Zones... their light halves," he explained.

"So... three out of ten people met and were able to restore one of the Zones completely? Then we need to find all of them and bring them together, have them work together to fix this mess!" Reiji sighed.

"Unfortunately, it's not that simple. The guardians are in the different Zones, most of them don't even know about one another, and more than likely haven't the faintest clue as to who they really are. Being chosen as a guardian... isn't something they've been made aware of, but these people are special... " Sora frowned.

"Then who are they? Do you know?" Reiji nodded.

"I know who they are to a degree. There are two for almost every Zone, the Primary, the one who is the main protector, and their Secondary who is to take their place should they die... however, the Pendulum and Link Zones do not possess Secondaries... and our Zone, Pendulum... is very fragile because of these things happening... but it's always been the most fragile... seeing as we only just received a guardian in the last three years." Sora looked down.

"Then we've gotta find all of them... how do we identify them?" Reiji eyed him.

"Exceptionally gifted Duelists, associated with higher powers, they're selfless, and carry both light and darkness within them... possessing truly caring hearts and incredible senses of courage and loyalty. They may not have always been the greatest in the beginning, but their skill and unwavering hearts are what make them stand out the most," he said.

"Okay, that's not a narrowing down, but..." Reiji shook his head.

"I've already narrowed down who they are. No need to worry about that; however, the problem is that at current, the worlds that were divided into Dimensions had their Secondaries thrown into them in order to stabilize it," he stated.

"So the Primaries and Secondaries are... split up?" Reiji nodded.

"Because the Primary of the Xyz Zone was murdered by Paradox... and the Secondary... seems to have gone missing... the Xyz Dimension will continue to descend into shadows because it's guardian is missing... and if the secondary who has become the primary dies... the descent into darkness will begin to speed up, not to the point of obviousness, but things will start to unravel even worse than they already have," he stated.

"Then we gotta find a way to stop it! If everything your saying is true then Academia's been doing nothing but slitting their own throats from day one!" Reiji looked to him.

"And that is where you come in," he said.

"Where I come in?" the other nodded.

"Yes, I am forming a team, officially known as the Lancers... they will be the ones who will go to the different Dimensions, repairing the damage and heading to Academia where they will fight the Duelists there, and stop my father's schemes. Once we have done so, our world can be healed... the guardians can be brought together to repair the damages that have been done thus far with the darkness and light splitting between one another," Reiji explained.

"Sounds like a difficult task, but if you choose the right people... they'll be able to defeat him and Academia... including the Obelisk Force." the silver-haired seventeen-year-old nodded with a smirk.

"Indeed, and I wish for you to become one of my Lancers... with a special mission," he said.

"A special... mission? As a Lancer?" Sora gave him a confused look.

"Yes, if you were to agree, I can divulge more of what your mission would involve... if not, then I will have to erase your memories and send you back to Academia... no doubt they will put you through quite a bit of torture... and once they realize the curse has been lifted... it will be placed back on," he said as Sora looked down.

He knew what had been done to him. Sora was a Dyren Witch, he was clever, and curious, good with different forms of magic, loved sweets, and had a great sense of adventure. He had skill, and was strong as a witch, and as a Duelist, making him a valuable asset to Academia's army; however, the Professor had allowed a Corruption Curse to be placed on him, slowly corroding his magic, and turning him into a monster. He gritted his teeth, knowing that it was a law that was to never be broken, and that it had been done intentionally to him and who knew how many others who were still at Academia. Taking in a deep breath, Sora looked towards Reiji and nodded.

"I want to join the Lancers," he said.

"Good, now... I have everything prepared for you already. New attire should you need, it the jacket that the Lancers will wear, there is a lapel pen here on my desk, an official mark of the Lancers... and I will give you the mission." Sora walked forward and looked at the lapel pen on the desk as he picked it up. It was a gold and garnet shield with the symbol of a knight wielding a lance and the letters _L.D.S_ printed below it.

"LDS?" he asked.

"Lance Defense Soldiers..." the other nodded.

"Got it... what's my job?" Sora asked as he took in a deep breath and Reiji pulled up a few things on the projection screens.

"Your task, will be to protect our Zone's guardian. Keeping them safe, and allowing for us to have them fight alongside us as a fellow Lancer." Sora nodded.

"Got it... so who are they?" Reiji pulled the picture up and the blue-haired boy dropped the box the lapel pin had been in.

"I assume you'll have no problems with the job?" Sora nodded swiftly.

"Yea... I can do it. But just one thing..." Reiji looked to him as the boy grabbed the box up, and pulled the pin from it, as he looked to where the jacket of the Lancers were as he threw his blue jacket aside.

"What is it?" the boy grabbed the new jacket, sliding it on as he adjusted the lapel pin and turned towards Reiji, the deep red half-jacket with it's black trim fitting his form perfectly.

"My name isn't Sora anymore," he said.

"And what will you go by?" the boy took in a deep breath as he stood at attention before Reiji.

"My name is Sky."

 **{….}**

 _Everything's about to change..._

 **{…...}**

 **Author's Note:** Yes, all of that just happened! Hugo made his first appearance, we saw our first legitimate Variance, Yuto is gone, and Sora abandoned his name and Academia! I decided to take a different route when it came to Sora's eventual alignment with the Lancers, and had him join here and he'll be working behind the scenes for a bit. Also, I gave the Lancers an official jacket, it's a very sharp blood red color with black trim and matching buttons on it for some of them, they also have a lapel pin that's the symbol we see in the anime. I thought that just added a nice touch. Now, tell me what you guys think, and I'll look forward to your reviews!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Hugo's last name Matsumoto means: Base of the pine tree.

Hugo uses Water and Wind magic.

He's known as an Unduline, and you'll find out what that is later.

Sora's Japanese name actually translates into: Sky. Therefore, he really has the same name, he's just using the English translation of it.

Sora's last name: Shuinin actually can also be spelt Shiun'in and means: Godly Gift.

The red blazer that the Lancers will wear, which showed for the first time in this chapter has a symbol of courage and honor, which is why I chose that particular blood-red shade.

There are 10 Guardians of Millennium, but they have a different official name, and you'll find out about that later, in addition to who they are.

The chapter title: _Shadow, Water, & Light _is a reference to Yuto who uses Shadow Magic, Hugo who uses Water Magic mainly, and Yuya who focuses on a lot of Light magic.


	36. Chapter 36: Dream State

Chapter 36: Dream State

 **{Hiiragi Household: July 17th, 2014, 9:04am}**

Yuzu took in a deep breath as she finished getting dress the morning after the search for Sora had begun, and she had found Yuya in the park. It had been a long night, and Yoko had been able to take Yuya home because the doctors couldn't find anything wrong with him. She bit her lip, remembering what they had said, that he seemed to just be unconscious, sleeping and it wasn't due to anything wrong with him. All his tests came back normal, his brain function was average, and he had no physical injuries that would have caused him to be this way, but he merely was. Yoko had asked if she could take him home, and while the doctors had been uncomfortable with the idea they had eventually relented. But it hadn't changed the fact that Yuya was in a coma of some kind, and no one knew what was happening.

The girl wiped her eyes and heard a knock at her door, turning to see her father standing there looking a worriedly at his daughter who was trying to wipe the tears that were welling in her eyes. He was quick to come to her, wrapping his arms around her as she cried, confused and fearful for someone she loved so dearly. The man sighed, knowing that the day would have come when his little girl fell in love with someone, and he'd have to let her be, and when he learned that his precious girl fell in love with her life-long best friend, Shuzo had felt relieved. Not because it had just been her friend, but because it was Yuya, the same boy that had always been right there with Yuzu cheering her on and giving her a smile even when she was upset. He sighed, putting a hand atop her head with a warm smile on his face as he held her close.

"It'll be okay baby girl, he's strong and he'll get better, okay?" he assured her.

"I just wish I knew what was wrong with him... this doesn't make any sense..." Shuzo smiled as he kept his arms around the girl.

"Sometimes things in life aren't meant to make sense. But remember what Yoko said? She was certain that Yuya would be fine, and that he'll wake up. So, your job is to stay strong for him and believe that he'll be okay," he told her this and Yuzu looked to him.

"You think so?" her father nodded.

"Yes, I do. Yuya isn't just any person... he's a witch, he's a duelist, and he's your special someone... the person you love... so long as you have faith in him, he'll never fail you," Shuzo told her this and Yuzu smiled slowly.

"Okay..." he smiled to her.

"Your mother had a way with words, and I remember her telling that to someone she cared for a long time ago. The poor girl was in a situation that she didn't know what to do, and your mother, and her other friends helped her out... and through all of that, your mother's friend kept believing that the person she loved would come through for her, and he did." Yuzu nodded letting go of her father as she grabbed her phone and put it into the pocket of her shorts before giving him another hug.

"I'm going to go and see him and see if I can help out Yoko, okay?" Shuzo nodded.

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll see you later, alright? Tell them I said hello," he said as Yuzu nodded and left the room with her father behind her as she waved and went out the door and he went into the living room, picking up a picture that had been left on the table near the fire place.

" _Sakura, you should see our little girl... she's so brave... and she's got the kind of heart you said she would... one that's warm and loving... understanding and compassionate for others... you would be so proud."_

Yuzu walked down the street, her mind mulling over the events of last night as she looked at the bracelet she wore. There was something going on, Yuya had even admitted that there were greater powers at play than even he could pinpoint. However, some part of her wondered what it all meant. Why Yuto had appeared, why her bracelet seemed to have the ability to make him disappear, and why he and Yuya looked so much alike. Then, there was the strange connection between the two pendulum crystals that seemed to exist.

Yuya and Yuto both possessed one, identical save for their color, and last night, she had not only found the other's pendulum crystal present next to Yuya's unconscious form, but his Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon card as well. It meant Yuto had been there, and may have even played a hand in Yuya's current condition. A sigh left her and she turned down the street where her destination laid just a slight distance from the corner, mind clouded as she walked until finally, she had arrived and knocked on the door.

The person who had opened the door, had not been Yoko though. Periwinkle eyes looked up to see Gongenzaka standing there, his expression worrisome as he stood there, and let her inside. Niknak and Florence were busy in the kitchen, putting herbs away as she took off her shoes by the door and saw Yoko walking down the stairs carrying a laundry hamper. The woman looked tired, concerned and unsure of what to do as she looked up and saw the pink-haired girl standing there.

"Oh! Yuzu! I didn't know you were here," she said as she came the rest of the way down the stairs and went towards the laundry room.

"I came to see if you could use some help." the woman smiled.

"Gongenzaka came by just about ten minutes ago to do the same. Personally, I can handle the basic stuff, but taking care of Yuya is my main priority right now. If you two could help Niknak and Florence with their tasks in the kitchen, it would be a big help," she said.

"What are they doing?" Yoko emptied the hamper and held onto a familiar orange t-shirt that she was scrubbing with a type of stain remover right then.

"Sorting herbs. I'm making a few potions and a handful of them are for Yuya to help him heal..." she continued scrubbing the shirt, holding it up for the two of them to see the dark rust-toned stains splattered across it.

"Is that... blood?" Gongenzaka inquired.

"They are... Yuya was in a Variance last night... I can feel traces of the magic of other witches on his skin. So, I know that the injuries he does have came from being thrown around in a fight with another witch... an Unduline from the way it seems." Yuzu frowned.

"Unduline?" she asked as Yoko continued scrubbing the blood stains.

"A witch who has Undine blood... I'm just surprised that he was attacked by one... they're normally very docile. Their most known for their ability to mend and heal others. I'll admit they have a lot of fire in them and are incredibly good fighters with command over water and wind... but..." Yoko looked at the stains on the shirt and sighed.

"Mrs. Sakaki, is everything truly alright?" Gongenzaka probed.

"Yuya's sleep... concerns me... I can feel the tension in the pulse his magic gives off... like someone's broken into his body and flipped the off switch. He's unresponsive to everything... his mind is aware of things, I'm sure because of the fact that his heart rate picks up occasionally... but... his body can't or won't react... like someone's tied him down so he's unable to move..." Yuzu looked down.

"Do you think... something happened to him during the Variance?" she questioned as Yoko nodded.

"Like what?" the blonde looked to them.

"He's received a great shock... something his body couldn't handle. At first, I thought it was exhaustion, having to fight one of his own isn't something Yusho or I ever really prepared him for outside of him dueling with a deck. Witches Variances rarely happen in Maiami... so I thought it was foolish to teach him how to fight like that and now... I'm regretting it," she admitted.

"He'll be fine... but is there something else your worried about?" Yoko smiled to them.

"Go and help Niknak and Florence, I'll be fine. After while, if you two would like to see Yuya you can, but I'm going to need to make sure he's settled first," she said.

"Okay, if you need anything else, just let us know." Yoko nodded and finally put the orange shirt into the wash before starting the washing machine up.

As she finished her task, she went to wash her hands and then headed back up the stairs. Though she hadn't said it aloud, there was one more thing bothering her at current, and that was the main reason she wasn't comfortable with them seeing Yuya right then. She sighed, opening the door to her son's room to see the boy still soundly sleeping, having not moved an inch since she'd left. Yoko entered and shut the door behind her, looking over to the desk where two pendulum crystals laid, one seeming to be pure light, the other, darkness as they glittered in the sunlight that came in through the window. The blonde-haired woman had taken great care to make sure that she kept the crystals nearby and the strange Xyz Monster that Yuzu had found lying next to her son; however, the Dragon and the Pendulum crystal was the least of her worries as she looked back to her son.

Sitting crouched by his bed, was a ghostly figure, a young boy who greatly favored Yuya, but with black-lilac hair and gray eyes dressed in dark clothes with a tattered cloak. The ghost, or whatever it was, seemed highly concerned for him, almost as though it felt at fault for what had happened to the boy, and though she had acted as though it wasn't there, she had decided finding out what it wanted with her son. A sigh left her as she approached, and crossed her arms, glancing at the pendulum crystals once more and then towards the spirit who hadn't taken it's eyes off of Yuya even with her entering the room.

"Who are you?" she asked, causing the ghost to jump.

"You can see me?" Yoko nodded at the boy's question.

"I'm a witch, a Fortuna to be exact... of course I can see spirits. All witches can... so, who are you?" the boy glanced down.

"Until last night... I was another witch... now I don't know what I am," he admitted.

"Your an earthbound spirit then... okay... not the worst thing to be attached to my son." the boy looked to her.

"A-Attached?" he asked.

"I don't know how, but your soul got trapped inside his body. So, until further notice... your stuck with each other." the person slumped a bit, looking back at the boy.

"I wish I knew why this happened... I didn't want him hurt," he stated in a soft tone.

"Then what did you want with him?" Yoko watched as he shook his head.

"To protect him, I guess... I don't know why, but I felt the need to keep him safe. Like I have an obligation to make sure he was alright. It could be that I was reminded of myself and Ruri... when I saw him around Yuzu..." she sighed.

"I get it. Something happened to Ruri, didn't it? So you just wanted Yuya and Yuzu to be happy together, and you knew if something happened to Yuya, she would be heartbroken," Yoko said.

"Ruri was kidnapped... taken by our enemy from the Fusion Dimension... Yuya knows the story by now... so you can ask him more details if you want too. I don't think anything really matters any more." the woman looked him over.

"Your very young, only about fourteen correct? What were you doing?" she inquired.

"Trying to find Ruri... trying to bring her home... to stop the war... the one that Shay was talking about during his duel with Sora Shuinin... that's destroying our home..."Yoko looked him over.

"Where are you from?" she probed.

"Heartland City, I'm from the Xyz Zone... well... Xyz Dimension now it seems." Yoko felt a look of realization come to her features.

"So, things have gotten that bad, have they?" the boy looked to her.

"You know about..." she nodded.

"I'm a little more aware of things than most think I am. Now, if you don't mean Yuya any harm, I don't mind you being here, just make sure that you don't disrupt his life anymore than you already have. He's going to have to get used to you, but on the plus side, he'll always have someone to talk too I guess," Yoko stated.

"Hmm... I don't want him hurt. I just wanna find a way to help my home." the woman looked him over.

"Then ask for his help. He'll give it to you, and my boy's stronger than you think he is," she said.

"He'll be in danger then..." Yoko looked at the ghost present before her.

"And if what happened there, comes here... then what do you think will happen?" she inquired.

"I didn't..." the spirit looked down.

"The Goddess of Fortune favors the prepared, young man," she said.

"My mom used to tell me that all the time." Yoko nodded.

"Then she was a wise witch. Now, who are you?" she asked once more.

"I'm... Yuto Kisaragi..." the woman looked him over, a soft smile.

"There's nothing I can do to revive you without breaking a lot of laws seeing as it would be considered Necromatic Art... all the same, I'm sorry for what's happened to you, Yuto," she said as he looked down and then to Yuya's sleeping form.

"Believe me, there are worse things than this. At least... this way I can do something still..." Yoko looked him over.

"And what would that be?" she asked.

"It's my fault he got hurt like he is now... so I'll protect him... help him in every way I can... so to make sure he's alright... I'll be his guardian." Yoko looked the young spirit over and nodded slowly.

"Then, I believe he's in safe hands. When the time comes for him to fight... which I know will be soon... watch over him, make sure he doesn't get in over his head, alright?" she asked.

"I will." with that Yoko went to leave the room.

"Just learn to hide yourself in case his friends can see you. If they do, it'll probably freak them out," she pointed out as Yuto nodded, going back to watching her son as she left the room.

" _That poor child... this isn't something he deserves... neither of them do."_

 **{Sakaki Household: July 19th, 2014, 10:40am}**

Yuzu was back over, helping Yoko while Gongenzaka aided Shuzo with the children in the tournament. It had been two days since Yuzu had found Yuya unconscious in the park, and he had yet to even so much as flinch since then. He remained sleeping, not making a single sound save for light breathing even as she sat next to him right then, feeling for a temperature and gently dabbing at his face with a cool washcloth as Yoko had asked while she was downstairs making something for her and Yuzu to eat as well as brewing a few potions that she had been giving to Yuya while he slept. He seemed peaceful, but seeing him like this, brought back painful memories that she would have rather not relived. A worried expression made it's way onto her face as she sat the cloth down in the bowl of cold water and reached out to him, gently brushing his bangs from his face.

"What could have happened to you, Yuya? I wish you'd open your eyes so you could tell me," she said as she ran her fingers through his hair.

It had always been strangely soft, something that she guessed most wouldn't have figured. It felt like strands of silk, and never had tangles in it, something she could never figure out. A small smile came to her features as she looked to the one random strand that would never stay down no matter what he did to it. When they were younger, he would try and make his hair behave, but it never did work, and eventually he gave up, admitting defeat that it was messy and it would be that way. Yuzu laughed a little, remembering Yoko trying to do something with it once when they were around nine and had to dress up, but Yuya had ended up being able to avoid his mother's attempts at taming his messy hair. She brushed his bangs from his eyes and frowned.

"You need to trim your bangs, their getting to long," she said to him as she laid her head down next to him.

"Hey, Yuzu? How are things going in here?" the pink-haired girl looked to Yoko who walked in and sat down next to her on the floor.

"There's still no change. I was just talking to him thinking that maybe he'd... respond," Yuzu stated.

"Everything will be fine, you'll see." the girl felt her eyes begin to burn, and she wiped them with the back of her hands as Yoko watched her.

"Why won't Yuya open his eyes? Why did all of this happen?" the girl covered her face with her eyes, sobbing as she did so. Yoko moved towards her, pulling her into her arms as she tried to sooth the girl's worries.

"Yuzu... it'll be okay," she said as the girl continued to cry.

"If Yuya never wakes up, I don't know what I'll do... he means so much to me... if he's not here... if I'm left behind... I don't know if I -" Yoko pulled the girl against her tighter, putting a hand to her head, holding her closely.

"Sweetheart, listen to me... Yuya isn't going to leave you behind, he's not that weak," she said as Yuzu looked to her.

"Yoko..." the woman smiled as she looked to her son.

"Three years ago when his father disappeared, Yuya completely shut himself off from the world. It hurt, and he wanted to give up... but it was you that made him keep wanting to live... he started to wake up that day, when you were there, holding him and helping him stay with you... and each time he overcomes something, he starts to regain a piece of himself, and become stronger. He's woken up because of you being there... so I know that he'll wake up this time as well, because you're by his side," Yoko told her.

"Yo-"

"NO~! DARLING~! DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND LIKE THIS!" the two women turned to see none other than a certain red-haired girl in a black dress.

"Who in the world is that girl?" Yoko questioned as she banged on the window.

"More importantly... how did she there when we're on the second floor?" the two watched her and tried to pinpoint what on earth was happening.

"Get this out of my face!" the girl opened the window, jumping into the room as Yoko and Yuzu jumped back, somewhat startled.

"No! I will not let you die!" she announced dramatically as Yuzu sighed.

"Aura Houchun..." Yoko looked at the girl and frowned.

"Excuse me! What are you doing here?" she asked, causing the girl to turn about face.

"My apologies!" she whistled and in through the window came a broom that went and placed itself against the wall.

"Aura! Now isn't really the time for your -" the girl cut Yuzu off.

"No, now is the perfect time for me to come here!" she said as Yoko eyed her.

" _So... this is the Fortuna Witch that Yuya told me had fallen in love with him during their duel... oh dear..."_

"Why am I thinking this is going to end badly?" Yuzu muttered.

"Now, I need to get to work on setting up to help!" Aura pulled a tapestry bag out from nowhere and began pulling things out of it, causing Yuzu to stare as she watched a real life Mary Poppin's bag in action.

Yoko watched Aura working quickly, setting up the different items in the room with a discerning eye. A blue curtain was draped over the south facing window, an orange-pink toned one to the west, and a few other items were quickly set up, being draped about the room as she lit a few incense burners and began pulling out small crystal orbs that she placed around Yuya's head while Yoko watched with Yuzu beside him and Yuto's spirit remained nearby Yuya with an annoyed look on his face.

"A few power stones will help drive away malicious spirits," Aura said as she continued to work.

" _ **I'm about to show you a malicious spirit if you don't stop messing with my charge..."** _Yoko looked at the bristling spirit and almost wanted to laugh.

Yuto had only been an attached spirit for roughly two days now, and he already took his job of protecting Yuya quite serious; however, the power stones would keep him from getting near Yuya because he was irritated with Aura, making him a technical malicious spirit. The young red-haired witch was humming a tune as she went to work while Yuzu eyed the things in the room, the mere notion of it all making her dizzy while Aura continued her work and Yoko watched the _malicious_ spirit in the corner fuming as he shot death glares towards Aura.

" _Hang in there Yuto..."_ Yoko thought as the spirit bristled in a feline-like manner with a glower upon his features as he tried to come towards where Yuya was, but was held back by the power stones.

" _ **This little bitch is gonna die! I'm gonna kill her!"**_ Yuto made a swipe at Aura, and missed by a great margin as he struggled to come closer, being held in place by an invisible wall while Yoko tried her best not to laugh as the situation wasn't entirely humorous, but it was most certainly heading in that direction.

"Aquamarine and Tourmaline would be best... ah..." Aura threw Yuya's blankets back and Yuzu reacted.

"What are you doing?!" she asked.

"I should be asking both of you what you think you're doing! That mortal girl I can understand, but Mrs. Sakaki, as a fellow Fortuna Witch, you should know that colors such as gray sucks away good fortune and health. It's a death color!" Yoko frowned.

"Aura, I think he'll be fine, besides... he isn't in critical health, he's just unconscious," she said.

"Look, if you don't want him to get weaker, you need to change his clothes right this instant! Green and white nightwear is best!" Yuzu gawked at her.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Figures you wouldn't know anything... green has a useful detox effect, it brings good fortune and health... while white can be used for its purifying effect! So come on, it's for his sake! Mrs. Sakaki, your a fellow witch, I know that you're well aware that colors that attract good things are what you need to put around the environment of someone sickly... otherwise they get worse! Why do you think hospitals are so bad? Its all white and gray! The white is purifying, but the gray is ill tidings!" Yoko sighed.

"Alright, you two get out while I do this!" she said ushering both the girls out the door before shutting it. Yuzu frowned as she glanced to the girl who had a concerned look upon her face.

"Aura, why are you here?" she asked as the girl looked to her.

"To make sure darling is okay. I know you mean well, Yuzu Hiiragi, but the fact remains that you aren't a witch... your mortal... Yuya is a pureblood witch with a lot of power... and he's got to deal with things that no matter how often your told about them... you'll never really understand..." the pink-haired girl frowned.

"I've known Yuya since we were babies... not being by his side feels wrong..." Aura sighed.

"For you, it may not feel right... but when it comes to him, don't you think he deserves to be with someone who can understand him?" she asked.

"Maybe I can understand him, and you just don't want to admit that." Yuzu closed the conversation as Yoko reopened the door and they came back in to find that the task Aura had given her was done, while Yuto was still shooting death glares after Aura as Yoko pulled the blankets back up on Yuya.

" _I'm gonna kill her! As soon as I find a way to get rid of these blasted power stones!"_ Yuto stated this, his eyebrow twitching as he continued to glare at Aura, who seemed completely oblivious to him.

"By the way, who told you Yuya was bedridden?" Yoko asked.

"Did you foresee this through your fortunes?" Yuzu was being a tad sarcastic, but she kept it out of her tone, if only for the satisfaction.

"I'd love to say yes, but... I happened to overhear the children from your school talking with worried expressions at the tournament assembly hall. So, I ended up neglecting everything else to come, and I'm glad I did. Additional help from another witch is always best when healing one of our own," she said proudly, causing Yuzu to glower while Yuto rolled his eyes, arms crossed over his chest.

" _Oh please, Yuzu was doing just fine without your help, you evil oompa loopma!"_ Yoko cast the spirit an amused glance while he continued to glare at the red-haired girl.

"Hold on a minute, by everything else... do you mean that you ran out on your match?" Yuzu questioned.

"But of course, I hold my Darling more preciously than I do dueling!" Yuto sighed.

" _What a dingbat..."_ he muttered as Yoko and Yuzu glanced to one another and then looked to Aura.

"You can't do that!" Yuzu stated.

"Eh?" Aura seemed confused as Yoko looked to her.

"Yuya isn't just a witch Aura, he's a Duelist! He wants to become a pro! It's part of who he is, so as a fellow Duelist, he would want you to try and win the tournament," she explained.

"Right! Your victory is a medicine far superior to any other!" Yuzu told her this and Yuto waited.

" _Initiating induced realization..."_ he muttered as Aura felt her eyes widen.

"Your right! I'll return to the stadium and do my best for my Darling!" she grabbed her broom and started towards the window.

" _Response engaged, prepare for take off,"_ Yuto stated.

"What about your things?" the girl looked to them.

"Just place them back in the bag, Darling can have them. I'm sure he can put the items to good use at some point! Now, to the stadium!" with that the girl jumped out the window, and took off on her broom to the stadium.

" _We have lift off... the hag has left the building ladies and gentlemen!"_ Yuto stated with a fist pump as Yoko did her best not to laugh and looked to Yuzu.

"Let's get this mess up and put it back in the bag. She's not going to come get it, but if Yuya wakes up in all this mess, he's going to be very confused," she told the girl.

"Alright, I'll take down the curtains. " Yuzu got to work on taking the curtains down and opening the window to let the smoke as Yoko removed the power stones, putting them back in the pouch they came from before placing them in the bag as Yuto sighed in relief and vanished, seeming to return to hiding away in Yuya's body for the time being while the two women finished with cleaning the room up.

" _At least he hasn't let death dampen his sense of humor... then again, he was probably pretty annoyed by those power stones..."_

"I didn't know that witches actually used brooms to fly," Yuzu mentioned as Yoko finished packing up the candles.

"We do... but not as much as we used to. Yuya knows how to use a broom... but he prefers to walk or use public transportation." the pink-haired girl frowned.

"That'd be quite the sight for a Halloween entertainment duel, huh?" she asked.

"More than likely, but like I said, he's not a fan of broomsticks..." it was as they put the last of the things away in the bag, that Yuzu noticed a bit of movement to her left and turned to see Yuya moving a bit.

"Yoko! He's moving..." the woman was at the bedside in an instant while Yuzu crouched down a bit both waiting as the boy slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times as Yoko moved closer to him.

"Y-Yuzu... mom?" the two sighed in relief.

"Yuya! Your awake!" Yuzu stated as the boy looked to them in confusion.

"W-What happened?" he started to move a bit and Yoko smiled as she helped him sit up.

"Yuzu and Gongenzaka found you unconscious in the park. You had is scared there," she said.

"Oh... okay..." Yoko looked to the girl next to her.

"Yuzu? Can you go and get some food for him? I know he's going to be hungry. Yuya, do you need help with getting to the bathroom?" he looked to her, seeming a bit dazed, but shook his head.

"No I think I can... walk..." Yuzu nodded and left the room.

A few minutes later, Yuya had returned from the restroom, and looked as though he was feeling a bit better as he had made sure to wash his face before he came back to the room. He felt tired, almost as if he had been utterly drained of all form of energy earlier, and he hadn't slept enough. His mind replayed what had happened in the park and he narrowed his gaze before getting to where he was able to sit back down on his bed, his legs and arms still shaking as Yoko gave him a weak smile and Yuzu returned with a small dish of rice and a few pieces of fish that Yoko had made for them for lunch. She gave it to Yuya who picked at the food while Yuzu watched him, hoping he could stomach it as he glanced her way.

"How long have I been asleep?" Yoko sighed.

"Two days," she said.

"What? Two days?" Yuzu nodded.

"Yea, you were sound asleep. You must have been absolutely exhausted, but then again, you did fight four matches to qualify for the Arc League Championships, and then went right into those too. So, it's not surprising," Yoko said.

"Oh, I guess so. How is it going anyways?" Yuzu sighed.

"Frederic lost to that Riley kid like Allie did, but Tate is breezing through it," she told him.

"That's good, and what about you and Gongenzaka?" he rose an eyebrow, and the girl smiled.

"I'm fine, mine and Gongenzaka's qualifying match isn't until the day after tomorrow, and yours is the day before mine," she told him as he nodded.

"Okay, so we're all working towards the finale. This is gonna be great!" he gave her a beaming smile and Yuzu nodded to him.

"Right!"

"Okay, Yuya finish eating and get some more rest. Yuzu, come with me and we'll eat and check up on him later," Yoko said as the girl nodded and Yuya gave her a small wave before the two of them left and Yuya sighed as he returned to eating.

Two days asleep, and it had all been because of some stranger – well, he suspected he wasn't entirely a stranger as he had been told his name – had ended up hitting Yuto with a spell that had left a deep wound in his abdomen, and while Yuya knew enough healing spells that could have at least staved off the bleeding in time for him to get to a hospital, it hadn't happened that way. Yuto had died in his arms, telling him to take Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, and do something with the gifts he possessed, but right then, Yuya wasn't sure how he could do anything.

Sighing, the scarlet-eyed Duelist huffed, chewing on the piece of fish he had while he continued to think about how it had been him touching the pendulum crystal left behind, that had resulted in him being sent some kind of horrible shock, but he wasn't honestly certain as to what could have caused that. He took a few more bites of his food, thinking heavily on what could be done to resolve the problem between this Academia that Sora was supposedly apart of, and the Resistance that Yuto and Shay were part of. Something serious was happening where they were from, the kind of things that shouldn't have even existed in this day and age, and to make matters worse, it was fellow witches and duelists that were doing this to one another. A growl left him as he sat down the spoon he had having long since swallowed as he looked at the plate in front of him as though it was part of the current problem.

"This is insane... I can't believe this is real," he muttered.

"Oh, you better believe it." Yuya jumped as he heard the familiar voice.

"What the – wait... Yuto?" he asked as he looked around and saw the spirit of the other appear across from him.

"Nice of you to join the rest of us in this world." Yuya looked him over.

"Your a ghost now? How? And what are you doing here? Are you haunting me or something?" Yuto held up his hands.

"Whoa! One question at a time!" he said.

"Sorry... I've never really spoken to a wandering spirit before, least of all one I know... so it's kinda... strange for me..." Yuto sighed.

"I'm dead, Yuya, that's how I've become a ghost... and no, I'm not haunting you," he said.

"Then what are you doing here?" transparent gray eyes looked to him.

"Somehow... I've become attached to you," he stated.

"You've got an attachment... to me?" the spirit nodded.

"I'm able to project myself, and other witches... or at least your mother... seems to be able to see me... but I'm technically trapped inside your body," Yuto explained as Yuya sat before him, looking fairly startled.

"Ah, if your trapped in my body... then how do we... get you out?" the other shook his head.

"I don't know I mean... urgh! This conversation is so awkward! How did I even end up attached to you of all people?! I mean, let's be serious here, we're basically gonna have to share a body," Yuto admitted.

"Something told me it was gonna be like that. Maybe we can find Shay, and he can -" the other shook his head.

"No! Absolutely not! If Shay finds out about this and that I'm inside your body, he's gonna go nuclear! I'm a Shadow Witch, Yuya! But I'm also part Phantasmal-Imp! My job is to be a shepherd to departed souls, but if I become one, I'm supposed to continue my work, it's part of who I am! If I've become attached to someone's body, that means I did something seriously wrong! Although... I didn't tell your mother that, and now I kinda feel guilty, but..." the other scratched his cheek in embarrassment while Yuya watched him.

"So, you're stuck with me and vice versa?" the other nodded morbidly.

"Unfortunately... look, I'm sorry about all this. I don't understand all of it really, but I think the two of us have some kind of connection that we're not aware of... because of that... I'm gonna need your help..." Yuya smiled to him.

"Since we're stuck sharing a body, I guess helping one another out is what needs to happen," he pointed out.

"True... let's just play this by ear, okay? I don't want to go and do anything brash just yet. Let's focus on you getting through this tournament first, we can use it to learn how to work together." Yuya nodded.

"Sounds good to me," he said. Yuya smiled to the spirit, knowing that what was coming was going to be a rollercoaster, but he also had the distinct feeling that nothing could be done about the current situation, and the most he could do was prepare for the worst, and hope for the best.

 **{…...}**

 _It's just about to break, its more than I can take..._

 **{…...}**

 **Author's Note:** So, This was really just a breather chapter before we went back into the action, and I wanted to give a moment to establish the situation between Yuya and Yuto having to share a body because Yuto's soul is somehow attached to Yuya's body. Well, I suppose it couldn't get much worse, right? Um... no, its probably gonna get worse, much worse. Tell me what you guys think, and I'll look for your reviews!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

White is considered a color of purity, and cleansing.

Green is associated with prosperity, good fortune, and good health. Healers normally have a green or greenish aura.

Interestingly enough, Yuya's hair colors are red and green, and his eyes are scarlet, so while a bit of his color palette would suggest he had good health, and or good fortune, the scarlet color of his hair and eyes would suggest that he has a very fiery, powerful, and ferocious side to him that is both loving and passionate, but also easy to anger.

The color red is a symbol of love and aggression.

Power Stones do exist, they're a form of crystal or rune-stone that is used as a cleanser. Similar to that of White Sage, which can be burned to cleanse negativity from houses and buildings.

Mary Poppins was referenced in this chapter.

Yuto being a Spirit Companion is a common troupe in Yu-Gi-Oh! He is actually the fourth of this kind of character. The prior ones were Yugi Muto and the Pharaoh Atem, Jaden Yuki and Yubel, and then Yuma Tsukumo with Astral. Yusei Fudo is the only character in the franchise thus far to not have a _spirit_ companion.

The Witches here do use Broomsticks to get around if they need to do so quickly; however, they only do so when required, otherwise they drive a car, take a bus, taxi, or walk. Maybe ride a bike, ya know, that kinda thing.


	37. Chapter 37: Inner Darkness

Chapter 37: Inner Darkness

 **{Maiami City Duel Stadium: July 21st, 2014, 11:45am}**

The entire stadium was packed as it had been the last few days, people buzzing as the qualifiers for the final round of the tournament was going on now, and things had become quite challenging. Yuya stood nearby, looking at the roster of Duelists who had already passed their duels and would be continuing onto the next round. Hokuto Shijima, the Constellar Duelist from LDS, had won his duel with little trouble, and a person by the name of Tsukikage Fuuma and his brother Hikage Fuuma would be going on to the finals, both having hailed from the Fuuma Dueling School, one that Yuya had heard briefly about when someone chose to mention Ninjas once during school earlier in the year. Sighing, he looked at who was still on the waiting list to duel and at the roster of those who would be competiting in the finals with a little bit of frustration.

" _So, the qualifiers have begun, but some of the Duelists have at least one additional duel before they truly qualify. Seems like we're uneven, so that must be why some of the duelists have an extra duel..."_ Yuya heard Yuto sigh through the mental link that they had discovered the day before.

" _ **Probably because I dropped out of this tournament to be the eyes and ears on the outside..."**_ Yuya tilted his head.

" _You were gonna be in the tournament?"_ the other nodded.

" _ **I was, but... I like I said, someone needed to be the eyes and ears on the outside... and I was worried about people thinking I was you and then something blowing up in all of our faces because of how similar we look,"**_ Yuto pointed out.

" _Fair point... let's see... Hokuto has one more duel that he has to win, and I think after mine this afternoon, I'm in the clear... but up next is Yaiba. Hmm... his opponent is Isao Kachidoki from the Ryozanpaku Duel School..."_ Yuto narrowed his eyes as he appeared next to Yuya.

" _ **That guy is serious trouble... let me tell you that much... he's not to be trusted..."**_ Yuya glanced his way.

" _What makes you say that?"_ Yuto growled.

" _ **Look at his eyes... their vile... full of unrelenting darkness and hatred..."**_

"Yuya! Come on! Yaiba's duel is about to start!" scarlet-eyes looked to the pink-haired girl near him.

"Coming Yuzu!" the boy started towards her and soon they were heading towards their seats.

Gongenzaka had dueled just before this duel, having taken down the Phantasmagoric Duelist Yuuzou Tanegashima from the Surprise Duel School in no time flat, seeing past his tricks as if they were child's play while Yuya had spent the entire duel attempting to keep himself from laughing to the point that he felt as though he couldn't breathe. The duelist had claimed that he knew real magic, knowing how to combat Gongenzaka's method of dueling, but he had proven in no time to be a breeze for the giant of a teenager to steamroll by getting right through his _stage magic._

Now was the duel between Yaiba Toudo, and Isao Kachidoki, the person that Yuya knew Yuto wasn't fond of. The violet-haired, ice-blue eyed teenager stepped onto the field, and then Yaiba followed, everyone watching with anticipation for an exciting, and fun duel to take place; however, the moment the two of them had said the word _Duel_ it had become anything but. Yuya felt his eyes growing wide in horror as Isao Kachidoki proceeded to beat Yaiba to the point of death with brutal, and fierce hits, jabs, and kicks that made the X-Saber Duelist lose within minutes, and then be sent brutally into the ground.

The Duel ended within ten minutes, but for some of the people in the crowd, it had been ten minutes to long. Yuya tensed, bristling almost like an irritated cat as Gongenzaka worried over the person who had taught him Synchro Summoning. Kachidoki just watched as the medics came and got Yaiba, taking him to be cared for while the shooting a cold look towards Yuya who was still sitting in his seat, nervous and unsure as Nico tried to ease the worries of the audience.

"Yaiba Toudo will be fine, n-now! Shall we announce the next Duels that will be taking place this afternoon and tomorrow?! Would all contestants please put their I.D cards into their duel disks?" everyone proceeded to do so, and for a moment, things seemed to be going fine, each Duelist satisfied with their opponent, but Yuya remained silent, his bangs shadowing his eyes as Yoko watched him in anxiety.

She had known something was amiss all day, the winds were stronger than normal, there had been this charge in the air of something being wrong, but she had tried to keep it to herself, even when she'd done a reading and seen the cards telling her that something would happen to Yuya, and it would happen today. It made her anxious, knowing that something was going to happen, but having nothing to stop it. The announcers came on, informing everyone that the next duel after intermissions, was Shay Obsidian verses one Charles from the Knights of Duels, followed by a Duel between Yuya Sakaki and Isao Kachidoki. It had been in that moment, that Yuto had become deathly silent.

" _ **I don't like this... I've got a bad feeling, Yuya..."**_ the other took in a shaky breath.

" _I know... but I can't do anything about it."_

"Yuya... are you gonna be okay?" Yuzu asked as she looked to him.

"Yea! I'm just a little nervous is all... but I know enough defensive magic that I can avoid getting roughed up to much if something goes wrong, alright?" he sent her a smile and Yuzu nodded slowly.

"Okay, well, tomorrow, I have Mikiyo Naname as my opponent, so this is gonna be interesting... seeing as we both run Fairy decks," Yuzu stated.

"You'll be fine, just remember, she may be an Idol, but your the showgirl of You Show, and you can outshine her without even a bit of trouble." the girls periwinkle eyes shined, and she smiled to him.

"Thank you, when it's your turn, go out there and knock him dead!" she said.

"I will..."

However, the closer time came for his duel, the more anxious Yuya became, knowing that something was going to happen, and the strange tenseness in his magic alluded to that more than his instincts did. The fact that his entire magical pulse felt like an angry cat or the feeling of the rattling of a snake's tail, told him that things were going to become bad quickly in his duel against Kachidoki, but he couldn't go and tell anyone that he needed a new opponent because he had a bad feeling, that would only have him being called a scared little kid, and he didn't need that being thrown in his face again. Sighing, Yuya slid down the wall he was near while awaiting his call for his turn, watching the duel between Shay and Charles on a screen in the area.

Yuya knew he needed to calm himself down, and judging by the strangely frigid and irritated shifting his magic kept doing, using it even just a little, would result in him getting either to little or to much of his magic being used and during a Duel where you had thousands of people watching, having magic revealed as being real to the world would do nothing more than cause him grief and a world of trouble. Taking in a deep breath, he looked forward, knowing that the time had almost come as he stood, his legs shaking as Shay finished off his opponent and was declared the winner. The duel was over, and he was next, meaning that his life was about to become either incredibly difficult, or he would just get roughed up and knocked out of the tournament. Yuto gave him a mental prod, and Yuya acknowledged it.

" _ **Keep yourself calm, win or lose, you cannot allow him to just beat the hell out of you and reveal yourself as a witch on top of that."**_ the other nodded.

" _Yea, I know... just keep your promise and don't butt in okay?"_ Yuto sighed.

" _ **Don't give me a reason to tell you to get a grip, and I won't. But I get what you're saying... it'll feel unfair if you have someone else helping you out. So, only if you really need my help, will I do anything, promise."**_ Yuya nodded once more.

"Okay then, let's do this!"

 **{Arena: 2:10pm}**

"THIS AFTERNOON'S DUEL IS YUYA SAKAKI, FROM YOU SHOW DUEL SCHOOL, VERSES ISAO KACHIDOKI OF RYOUZANPAKU DUEL SCHOOL!" Nico got everyone excited; however, Yuya remained anxious as he came onto the field, a smile on his face even though inside his was trembling while his opponent came towards him with a sharp look.

"What a tiny creature... you'll be dead before this is over," Kachidoki stated as Yuya looked to him.

" **AND NOW, AS THE TWO FACE ONE ANOTHER, ITS TIME FOR US TO SELECT THE FIELD SPELL WE'LL BE USING!"**

"Hey! Don't judge me just because of how I look!" the other laughed a bit.

"Even tiny dogs bark, but I judge an animal on their bite... and all I see is the _runt of the litter_ trying to take down a bear," he said. Yuya swallowed nervously.

" **IT'S BEEN SELECTED! ACTION FIELD, ON! THE FIELD SPELL, BAMBOO FOREST OF THE IMMORTALS, NOW ACTIVATES!"**

The field was quite a sight, rocks and stone bridges floating within the cloud cover mountains while towering, emerald bamboo trees were around them. Kachidoki was on a rock just a ways away from Yuya who was keeping a firm look on his face as he prepared himself for the duel. The martial arts Duelist narrowed his gaze at the boy, his training letting him know that the boy before him wasn't anything like he'd ever faced before. The child was young, and had nothing but a pure light to him, meaning he had no idea of how powerful and devastating the darkness was, and Kachidoki knew, it was his task to teach this little runt that he would stand no chances as an innocent, blind to the terrors of the world. The action cards disbursed, and with a smirk, Kachidoki gave him a motion to come at him.

"Come fight me, little runt," he said as Yuya nodded.

"It's my turn then! I summon Performapal Silverclaw from my hand!" the faithful wolf appeared and Yuya jumped onto its back, the animal moving at quick speeds. The crowds were cheering, having a great thrill at seeing Yuya kick things off and he responded with a wave; however, Silverclaw ran him right into a thicket of bamboo, meaning that he had several leaves in his mouth that he quickly spat out as the audience laughed.

" _ **At least they think your funny..."**_ Yuya rolled his eyes at Yuto's comment while continuing what he was doing.

"I end my turn with that," Yuya stated as Kachidoki looked him over.

"A pup calling on a bigger wolf to help him, very well. My turn! I draw! If only my opponent holds a Monster on their field, I can Summon Hayate the Earth Star without release." the warrior monster wearing the pelt of a mountain lion appeared, staff in hand as it rang in at a level five with twenty-one-hundred attack points.

"Great, a high level Monster right out of the gate," Yuya muttered.

"Battle! I order Hayate to attack Silverclaw!"

the wolf kept running, and Yuya prepared to find an Action Card to stave off the attack, and as they entered another bamboo thicket, a singular card appeared near him, the wolf seeking it as Yuya prepared to capture it. The moment he got close enough to jump from Silverclaw though, two chunks of bamboo were thrown at him, sending the wolf off course as it skidded to a halt nearby and Yuya let out a sigh of relief as he realized he had been able to avoid the sharp chunks, but to his misfortune, he had missed the Action Card, which Kachidoki was now standing next to. Yuya narrowed his eyes, knowing that the other was going to mock him.

"You're so slow! The battle is still ongoing," he said.

Before Yuya knew it, Silverclaw had been defeated, and he was thrown across the ground, his life points going down to thirty-seven hundred as he got himself to his feet. He went through the process of putting Silverclaw into the extra deck, and waited to see what would happen now. To his fortune, the monster couldn't attack him again on its own, but Kachidoki did have an Action Card in his grasp, meaning that with little difficulty, he could change that depending on what the card did. Thankfully though, the other Duelist ended his turn.

"Turn end, continue little pup," he stated.

"So you intend to duel this way until the end, huh? Fine... my turn! I draw! I set the Pendulum Scales using my Scale Four Performapal Trump Witch and my Scale Eight Timegazer Magician! Now I can Summon as many Monsters between level five and seven as I need! _Swing Pendulum of Souls, Draw an Arc of Light upon the Sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Come out! The one with the lovely, dazzling heterochromatic eyes! _Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"_ the crowds cheered as the red dragon made its appearance through the Summoning method in a dazzling show of light.

"Hmph.." Yuya smiled.

"Here comes the fun part!" the crowds erupted at his statement as he pointed to Kachidoki.

"Fun part?" he inquired.

"Yea! Duels are supposed to be about having fun." Yuya smiled and the other frowned.

"I live only to win," he said firmly.

"Well, I also want to win. But duels are about more than just that! Maybe you'll see that if you keep kicking the hell out of everyone. Now, I normal summon Performapal Camelump from my hand!" the lazy-eyed camel with a top hat and bow-tie appeared on the field.

"How silly," Kachidoki mentioned as he looked at the Monster.

"Battle! I'll have Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon attack Hayate the Earth Star!" the Dragon let out a roar and came racing towards the other Monster.

"Hayate's effect activates. If there are no cards or Monsters on my field other than him, he can negate just one attack!" Yuya tensed as Hayate blocked his attack, and he sighed.

" **KACHIDOKI COMES OUT WITH A SWEET TURNAROUND!"** the martial arts duelist smirked as he looked to Yuya who shrugged just a bit.

"I didn't expect to beat him in one attack," he admitted.

"What?" Yuya took in a steady breath.

"I activate Performapal Trump Witch's Pendulum Effect! Once per turn, I can Fusion Summon using Monsters on my field! So, I use Performapal Camelump and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon as the Materials!" he announced.

" _ **This is your Pendulum-Fusion... and this means..."**_ Yuya nodded.

" _Bingo!"_

" _Creature that dwells within the lands scorched by the star of fire above us, Dragon of mystery and wisdom, become one with another, so that you may call forth a new power! Fusion Summon!_ Come forth, ferocious Dragon whose eyes glitter like those of a wild beast! Level eight! _Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"_ the wild, beast-like Dragon came onto the field with a mighty roar, causing Kachidoki to look at it in slight surprise as he looked at the boy before him.

"I recall you now... from many years ago... I suppose this encounter of ours has been preordained," he stated sternly as Yuya looked to him in confusion.

"What're you talking about?" the other narrowed his eyes.

"Come at me!" Yuya smirked.

"I use Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon to attack Hayate the Earth Star!" the Dragon started towards them and Kachidoki looked to Yuya.

"I activate the Action Spell, Evasion! This negates an attack from an opposing Monster!" his monster stepped to the side as the Dragon bypassed him once more.

"You know how to dodge things pretty well, don't you?" Yuya stated with a glare.

"Whatever is wrong? Is your _fun, honorable dueling_ already over?" Yuya glowered.

"What?!" he asked.

"If it is over, hurry up and end your turn! For my turn is next!" Yuya sighed.

"Maybe you'll enjoy yourself more this time? I end my turn." Kachidoki drew instantly.

"My turn! Since I control an Earth Attribute Monster, I can Summon Tenma the Sky Star without Release! Now, I activate the Spell Card Polymerization using Tenma and Hayate as Materials. _O stars racing through Heaven, soaring above the Earth, weave together and shine as the star of the eternal conqueror! Fusion Summon!_ Come! _Idaten the Conqueror Star!"_ he called forth his Monster, and Yuya tensed.

" _ **They're both three thousand attack points though. Won't they destroy one another?"**_ Yuto's question had Yuya feeling his anxiety rising again.

" _Not necessarily... some Monster's effects keep them from being destroyed in battle. If his Monster has that kind of effect, then I'll be hit with the damage instead. In which case, I need an Action card to try and evade this thing's effects.."_ Yuya started running, looking for the card as Kachidoki watched him.

"I'll explain Idaten's Monster Effect for you. When it battles a Monster with a Level equal to or less than its own, the Attack Points of my opponent's Monster drop to zero!"

Yuya kept running, trying to get out of dodge so that Kachidoki couldn't block him; however, he ended up being tripped by a broken bamboo shaft, causing him to hit the ground harshly as Kachidoki equipped a Spell Card known as Magic Star Sword to Idaten, using it's effect by sending one Action Card to the graveyard to boost Idaten's attack by one hundred. Yuya got up from the ground, feeling a sharp throbbing in his shoulder, telling him a bruise would be there later as he held the offended spot and looked to Kachidoki who stood before him right then.

Without wasting any time, Yuya started trying to gain another Action Card, but was stopped by a fierce blow to his ribs by Kachidoki as he was knocked aside and hit the ground again. He put the second Action Card into the Graveyard, and Idaten's attack went up to thirty-two-hundred. Yuya went to move again and was kicked aside, letting Kachidoki send a third Action Card to the Graveyard, raising Idaten's attack once more. He was punched in the abdomen, being thrown back as a fourth Action Spell was sent to the Graveyard and Yuya began to feel massive bruises and scrapes forming on his body as he took in a rattling breath.

Yuto was tensing, he could feel it in the back of his mind as the spirit growled low in his throat. Yuya was someone he was supposed to protect, and he hadn't truly needed to until this exact moment when the poor boy was being thrown around like a rag-doll and beaten half to death by his opponent. Without much trouble, Yuto knew that Yuya had severe bruising on his abdomen, chest, and ribs, but his harsh breathing and the way his body trembled, let the other know that those ribs were more than likely broken. Yuya went sliding across the ground as a fifth Action Spell was sent to the Graveyard, and he ran right into a bunch of the bamboo, causing him to cough as he tried to get to his feet.

Kachidoki sent a sixth Action Spell to the Graveyard, kicking Yuya in the side that he'd already been hit in to send him tumbling further into the thicket of bamboo as Yuto did his best to reign in his anger. It was underhanded and cruel, there was no honor or true power to his Dueling, and he saw it for what it was: a merciless beating of someone that he thought was beneath him. For all the things that Yuto didn't know about Yuya, he also knew many things, and what he knew the most was that the scarlet-eyed boy was ten-times the Duelist this sociopath could ever have prayed to be.

Yuya got up, and he ran, moving as quickly as he could while Yuto could only sit back and worry for his safety. He had promised to stay out of this duel unless Yuya desperately needed him, and while he was being hurt, Yuya had already informed him to stay out of it when he started to become angry towards Kachidoki, therefore, he remained quiet, watching and waiting for the other Duelist to do something that would warrant him to retaliate. As they ran, Kachidoki caught up, warning Yuya that he would not be getting the Action Card.

"Watch me!" the other glared.

"You have constantly been able to walk the path of light without a care, while I had to walk down the road of shadows," Kachidoki stated.

"What the heck does that mean?!" the Martial Arts Duelist narrowed his gaze to Yuya.

"I have walked down the path of bitter darkness of my own free will. So, I refuse to lose to a coddled brat like you! I will definitely win this duel!" he informed him sharply.

"You don't know that!"

"Now we battle! I order my Idaten to attack Beast-Eyes! In addition, I activate Idaten's effect! Beast-Eyes' Attack Points become zero!" the Dragon's attack dropped to zero as Yuya kept running, determined to not let Kachidoki beat him that easily.

"Shit!" the other narrowed his gaze.

"The wind of victory blows only for those who have seen real, true darkness!" Kachidoki said as Yuya jumped.

"I'll never give up! I don't care what you have to say!" a crash went off, and the audience watched in worry as the smoke began to clear.

Kachidoki stood with his foot pressed firmly onto Yuya's arm, a glare on his face as Yuya held onto the Action Card he had managed to snag. He put pressure on the limb he had his foot on and then removed it, Beast-Eyes having been destroyed, and Yuya's Life Points having dropped down to one-hundred, the job of finishing off the boy would be nothing, and so, he walked away. Yuya took in a deep breath, knowing that he was in a serious bind as he slowly got to his feet. His body ached terribly, as if someone had pushed him off a cliff and into a ravine of rapid waters. His breathing was rough, his entire form shaking in protest of him moving as he straightened his stance as his heart rate picked up, eyes widened as he gritted his teeth against the pain.

"Now that you are hanging on by a single thread, your darkness is very close." the sky above became dark, thunder rolling above as the storm that had been threatening to come in during the earlier hours of the day finally arrived, rain starting to fall a fraction as everyone watched the duel continue, knowing that the technology was water proof, and that it was nearly over.

" _ **Yuya?"**_ Yuto felt something off about how the boy was behaving, seeming to be in a daze as he tried to reach out to him, but couldn't seem to quite do it.

"You had better fall into the depths of the deepest dark." Yuya took in a steady breath, trying to get his bearings, and closed his eyes.

In that exact moment, a painful throb came from his body, his heart seeming to skip a beat as his breath caught in his throat and his entire body seemed to scream in protest of something. He shook his head, gritting his teeth against it as it happened again, causing him to clutch at his head as the pain spread outwards, increasing by each inch it covered as his magic started to writhe like snakes in hot coals, hissing and snarling as he tried to calm himself down.

Nothing worked though as he tried to do as Yuto had once told him and call his magic back into himself, but it refused, instead it wrapped itself around his form and seemed to seep deep within his skin as he took in a series of quick breaths, and Yuto tried to get to Yuya within his mind, calling out to him as the audience watched, Yoko biting her lip as the boy bowed his head, his hands slowly slipping from his hair as he stood straight again. The sensation she felt then had her feeling as though she was going to be sick as she looked to Yuya, and he turned his gaze upon his opponent.

" _No! Yuya!"_ she leaned forward in her seat, getting the others attentions as they saw her sudden concern and looked back to Yuya as lightning flashed overhead.

Kachidoki watched as the boy turned his gaze to him, in the darkness that now surrounded the bamboo forest they stood in, he saw glowing red eyes staring him down, and instantly with a faint crackle of lightning, he saw the cold expression that Yuya wore upon his face, and a chill went down his spine. Yuya began to move, taking the start of his turn and drawing.

"I activate the Action Spell, Mad Hurricane. This card returns every card on my field to the Deck..." his voice was icy, emotionless and distant sounding, almost as if he was in a trance.

"Yuya... what the hell are you doing?" Shuzo asked.

"Mrs. Sakaki? Is he okay?" Yoko didn't answer the children as she watched, panic clear on her features as on the field, Yuya proceeded to continue his turn.

"I am using Performapal Turn Toad and Performapal Cheermole to set the Pendulum Scales. With this, I can Special Summon multiple Level Four Monsters at the same time. _Swing, Pendulum of Souls... carve a rift between this world and the next within the sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Come forth, my faithful Monsters!" Yuzu found herself flinching back as the pendulum summoning appeared in dark colors of red and black, making it seem corrupt and wicked as the portal opened and silver-toned mist spilled forward. It was terrifying, something that she never would have expected to come from Yuya.

"My God... Yuya..." Gongenzaka narrowed his eyes.

"What is happening?" Yoko clenched her pants legs in trepidation, knowing things were about to get bad.

"From my Extra Deck, Camelump and Silverclaw appear! I am using my Level Four Performapal Camelump and my Level Four Performapal Silverclaw to build the Overlay Network!" a series of gasps came from the audience and those who knew Yuya as the two Monsters vanished in colors of violet and amber.

"An Xyz Summon?!" asked Shuzo as Yoko watched.

"Yuya... don't do this..."the others glanced her way as she muttered those words and then looked back to the field.

" _Fangs of treason from the pitch-black darkness, oppose crass, foolish power! Descend before us now! Xyz Summon!_ Rank Four! _Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"_ the black and purple Dragon appeared, it's gold eyes shining in the shadows as it stood behind Yuya, coming in at twenty-five-hundred attack points as it let out it's shriek-like roar.

" **That's... Sakaki Pendulum Summoned to Xyz Summon?!"** Kachidoki looked at the boy in front of him.

"What in the world are you? This feeling... your not human!" he stated in slight fear. It was a feeling unlike any other, almost as if he was facing down a wild beast that would move in for the kill the second he removed his eyes from it.

"I activate the Monster Effect of my Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon! By detaching one Overlay Unit, until the end of this turn, the Attack Points of one Level Five or Higher Monster my opponent controls are halved, and it then gains Attack equal to that amount. _Treason Discharge!"_ the Dragon released purple lightning, raising it's attack points to forty-three hundred, while Idaten's attack dropped to eighteen-hundred as the rain began to fall harder.

" _ **Yuya!"**_ Yuto's voice barely seemed to make a sound in the darkness around him as he tried to call out for the other boy, but received no answer.

"I also detach the remaining Overlay Unit, to activate the effect of my Dark Rebellion! _Treason Discharge!"_ Kachidoki took a step back as his Monster's attack was dropped to nine-hundred and Dark Rebellion's Attack went up to fifty-two-hundred.

"It has fifty-two-hundred Attack?!" he asked.

"I battle! I'll have my Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon attack your Idaten the Conqueror Star!" the other began to panic.

"I activate the effect of Idaten! If it battles with a Monster whose level is equal to or less than its own level, the attack of my opponent's Monster becomes zero!" Kachidoki exclaimed hurriedly as Yuya set those cold glowing red eyes on him.

"Xyz Monsters do not have Levels, thus your effect is useless."

"What? If a Monster doesn't have a Level, isn't it Level Zero?!" he inquired in shock and horror as the ominous Dragon prepared to attack as Yuya gave him a disinterested look and signaled the attack.

"Rebellious Lightning Disobey!"

It struck home, destroying Idaten, and slaughtering Kachidoki's Life Points down to zero in a matter of seconds. The rain and storm roared and fell down from above, the darkness of it all sending a sense of terror upon all who watched as Yuya was declared the winner and the audience remained silent, confused and somewhat spooked by the behavior of the normally jovial Duelist. Yoko was on her feet in an instant, watching as the boy stumbled forward a fraction, and looked to see his opponent on the ground, struggling to get up as he took in a slight breath of confusion and raced forward, going to make sure the other was alright. However, as he drew closer, he felt the sensation of fear radiating off of the other, and almost stopped dead in his tracks.

"Kachidoki!" the other settled terrified eyes on him.

"Stay back! Don't come near me!" he warned.

"I just wanted to -" Yuya reached for him and his hand was smacked back.

"What the hell are you? Some kind of demon?" Yuya shook his head, panic starting to settle in as he started to recall what had happened to him.

"I'm not! I just -" Kachidoki glared at him as he got to his feet and started to step back.

"I don't want your help! Stay away from me! _Monster!"_ the other started to back away even more and as the images of what happened came to Yuya, he felt a whirl of nausea hit him like a kick in the gut.

In a matter of seconds he was running off the arena floor and rushing towards one of the back areas to get away, the feeling of being sick becoming stronger as he tried to get his breath while the echoing of announcers came stating that he was the winner and that they would be postponing the other duels until the rain passed. His body shook, magic gliding across his skin, hissing in his ear as he struggled to get his breath, the realization of something having happened because of it making him feel as though he was going to lose control as he went to his knees, shaking violently as he took in a deep breath, wrapping his arms around his trembling form as he tried to control himself.

None of it made sense, but he knew that his magic had caused him to do what he had, and for some reason, he had been at the very least, half-aware of what was happening, but had let it continue, almost as though he had become addicted to the feeling of pure levity that it had brought him as he cut his opponent down without mercy. He shook his head, curling in on himself in the middle of the cold hallway, the rain having drenched him as he remained near the wall, the noise of people leaving echoing in the stone hall as the light, artificial and dull loomed over him, causing him to feel a sense of discomfort and dread as he remained where he was, rooted in place as though his body couldn't move.

"Yuya!" Yuzu's voice called for him, and she looked into the hallway, seeing his form leaning against the wall, curled up.

"There you are! Yuya, I was so worried, I thought that you had run away..." she started coming closer, feeling a distinct sense of discomfort as she drew nearer to him.

"Yuya... listen, I don't know what happened, but... it's okay! You just got angry is all," she said, coming closer to him.

"Stop!" she stilled, looking at his shivering form.

"Your cold, come on, let's go home and -" he shook his head, putting his hands on either side of his head as he shivered once more.

"Don't come any closer to me, I don't know what happened... I can't control myself right now I -" the boy's breath caught in his throat.

"Yuya? Please, listen to me, I just want to make sure your okay," Yuzu told him as she crouched just before him and reached out.

The second her hand made contact with his skin, she realized it felt icy, and she could hear his breathing becoming a rattling sound as he started to struggle to get free from her grasp. Yuzu tried to calm him down, but in the next instant, she was thrown onto her back as he hissed at her, bearing his teeth in a threatening manner as he backed away, seeming to crawl away from her with a feral sounding growl as he locked unnaturally bright eyes on her form as she slowly moved away, watching him as he remained crouched near the wall. His skin was far to pale, his breathing ragged, and his eyes a shining crimson shade compared to the warm scarlet she was used to. Yuzu stared in disbelief as he tried to stand, his body shaking horribly as he used the wall to try and support himself.

"Yuzu? Yuya?!" the pink-haired girl looked to see the others standing in the entrance of the hallway.

"Dad!" Shuzo rushed to his daughter, looking forward as he saw where Yuya was leaning against the wall, breathing roughly, his bangs shadowing his eyes as they presented the same glow that they had during his duel.

"Yuya... what on earth..." Yoko looked him over.

"So, it's come to this has it," she said.

"Yoko?" Gongenzaka looked at the boy as he bared his teeth.

"Be careful..." Yoko told them as the giant teenager narrowed his gaze to the boy as the children remained back.

"Yuya... what is happening? What was that out there? Why did you do that to Kachidoki? It's not like you to -" the boy hissed at him as Gongenzaka drew closer.

"Big Bro Yuya's acting weird," said Allie as Frederic and Tate moved back a bit and Shuzo started to back up with Yuzu who watched the boy, his breathing coming in ragged pants as he continued to keep a single hand upon the wall to support his body, which visibly shook.

"Yuya, calm down. It's okay, we're just trying to help," Gongenzaka stated.

"Stay... away from me!" his voice came out in a low hiss, spooking the others as Yoko watched.

" _What have I done?"_ her thoughts echoed within as Gongenzaka tried to come close to the boy, but in a matter of seconds was sent backwards by a lash of magic as Yuya settled almost wild eyes upon the taller teenager as he struck the other with a spell, knocking him back and startling him, but not hurting him as a large gash formed in the wall near him.

"Yuya! Please! Calm down! Its just us!" Yuzu called to him, but nothing worked as he took in another series of deep breaths and Yoko watched him, regret eating away at her.

"Yoko, what's happening?" Shuzo asked her.

"He's completely possessed..." the group looked to her in confusion.

"Possessed? By a ghost or something?" asked Tate as Yoko shook her head.

"No..." Gongenzaka made another move and a red hue appeared around Yuya's form, only for another wave of magic to follow it as the giant was pushed back again, the floor cracking as Yuya took in ragged breaths, pain spreading through him as he put a hand to his forehead, skin cold and his mind confused, eyes staring at the ground in a dazed manner.

"Then what's happening to him? This isn't like him," Yuzu said as Yoko nodded.

"Gongenzaka, stand back... I need to get him to calm down before he does something more than just defensive spells." the giant of a teen stepped away and she looked at the boy as he glanced her way.

"Stay... away from... me!" Yuya growled out, his teeth bared in a menacing fashion as Yoko's eyes softened.

"Your possessed by your magic... and the more you try and refuse help, the worse it's going to get for you. Yuya, please calm down and think about what your doing, the others are scared, and their worried for you... so please... just let go," Yoko told him.

"..." the boy looked around him frantically, seeming to go deeper into a psychotic state.

"Possessed by his... magic?" muttered Yuzu as Shuzo watched the boy.

"Yoko how..." she looked to Yuya.

"I just want to help you, but if you resist me, I'll have to be forceful, and I don't want to fight you, Yuya. So please, just -" the boy screamed, clutching at his head as the sound echoed off the walls, sinking deep within the others as the terrifying noise ebbed outwards as he sunk to his knees, and Yoko acted quickly.

She formed a barrier as a lash of magic formed, slicing through the walls and cracking the ground as the boy took in a series of deep breaths, bangs hiding his eyes as he swayed and Yoko moved forward quickly, catching the boy as he fell sideways, eyes closed and breath coming out in shallow gasp-like inhalations. The others moved forward and Yoko placed her arms around the boy while the others stared at the disaster around him, disbelieving as Yoko looked towards them.

"Shuzo, take Tate, Allie and Frederic home... don't tell your parents about this, okay?" the children nodded.

"Take them home? Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes, Yuzu? Gongenzaka? I need your help with getting Yuya home... once you've got the children home, come to my house, alright Shuzo? I'm going to need help." the other two nodded.

"What do you need us to do?" asked Gongenzaka.

"Stay with him while I get the car, once I pull up, I need you to help me get him in the car and get him safely home. Drawing to much attention right now won't help him." Yuzu looked at the boy, pale and shaking as he seemed to struggle for breath.

"Okay..." Gongenzaka came to Yoko and took the boy into his arms as Yoko started to stand and the group walked forward, heading towards the exit up ahead where they could leave and do what needed to be done at that point; however, all of them who had witnessed the way Yuya had lost control were shaken to their cores, and only hoped that they could receive answers soon.

 **{…..}**

 _Everything's about to change..._

 **{…...}**

 **Author's Note:** There was a certain level of anxiety in writing this chapter, because we see Yuya's fears getting the upper hand and causing him to lose control of his magic. In the next chapter, we're going to be getting some answers that I think a lot of you have been wondering about, and we'll be having some more discussions taking place before we get to the pique of the Arc League Championships. So, sit tight everyone, things are about to go from simple to insane, okay... more so than they already have. Tell me what you think, and I'll look for your reviews!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Yuya & Yuto have the same kind of mental link that Yugi and Yami had during the events of _Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters._

Isao Kachidoki is known as Iggy Arlo in the English Dub.

This is the first Pendulum-Xyz Summoning we see in the anime.

This is also the first instance when we see a possession happen to Yuya.


	38. Chapter 38: Who Are You?

Chapter 38: Who Are You?

 **{Sakaki Household: July 21st, 2014, 4:00pm}**

Gongenzaka glanced to Yuzu as they sat in the living room waiting for Yoko to come back from upstairs. When they had gotten Yuya in the car, the boy had started with an incredibly high fever, his skin pale, cold, and sticky with sweat, leaving him shivering and his breathing raspy. Yuzu had held his hand the entire drive, talking to him soothingly while Gongenzaka sat in the seat just up from her as Yoko drove steadily and swiftly home, having called Niknak and Florence to tell them to have a few things ready for when they arrived. The moment they had come into the door of the house, the gnome and rabbit had gotten to them and told Yoko that they had laid out all the things she would need for a potion while Yuzu and Gongenzaka helped her get Yuya upstairs. After that, they had gotten ushered downstairs to wait until Yoko had the boy changed cleaned up and into dry clothes, from there, she would need their help for preparing a potion Yuya would need. So, here they now sat, in silence, contemplating the events that had unfurled in the span of the last few hours.

"He was nervous to duel Kachidoki..." Gongenzaka glanced to Yuzu.

"Yuya knew he had to fight, and he did... there's no shame in him doing what he had to in order to defend himself against someone who was willing to use such cold tactics," he said.

"We should have known something was wrong though... not to mention... how he acted when all that started..." Yuzu's mind replayed the sight of the Pendulum Summoning becoming black and red, looking sinister and ominous as it spat forth phantom-like mists from a black portal in the sky.

"It wasn't as I expected it to be either. To hear such things..." he mentioned as Yuzu glanced his way.

"Are you okay? He hit you with a few spells, didn't he?" Gongenzaka looked at the faint cut to his palm and then sighed.

"To be on the receiving end of his magic... was a terrifying experience. I knew Yuya was a powerful witch... but for him to attack me as he did... showed me how dangerous he can be if provoked." Yuzu bit her lip.

"He's not dangerous though... he was scared and confused... he didn't understand what was happening," she said.

Gongenzaka understood that as well as Yuzu did; however, that didn't change the fact that the look in his friend's eyes revealed to him an underlying intent to do harm. Yuya was a good person, kindhearted, understanding, compassionate, and gentle, but in those moments, all of those things had been eroded away, revealing a primal instinct that he knew all living things possessed: the need to defend themselves. At that moment, when Yuya had started to attack them, to keep them away from him, he had been genuinely scared and confused about what was happening to him; however, he also had been aware that he was a _threat_ and that they weren't safe around him. The giant of a teenager looked down, hoping that Yuya would understand that they weren't afraid of him, not even now did he or Yuzu feel fear of him, but only for him.

A knock at the door came, and Yuzu opened it quickly, seeing her father present as he came in and removed his shoes before pulling his daughter into his arms. She hadn't realized it until then, but she was trembling, seeming scared, but truthfully in a panic over the state of someone she loved. Seeing Yuya like he had been, looking sickly and hurt, but unwilling to drop his guard, had scared her beyond the point of being able to so much as move. Those wild red eyes, his aggressive stance, the way his body shook with the sheer effort it seemed to take to keep himself standing. It was self-destructive, the way he acted, how he responded while Yuzu could only watch him try and hold himself together long enough to gain control. The pink-haired girl had been scared for him many times this year, but this came in second to the first time she had been terrified for his life, and all she could do, once more was watch him. Yuzu wrapped her arms around her father, returning his embrace as he soothed her, and soon Yoko came down the stairs.

"Mrs. Sakaki?" Yuzu looked to the blonde-haired woman as she sighed.

"He's sleeping right now. But his skin is very cold still... if the three of you could help me with making this potion for him it'll take less time," she said.

"Alright..." Yoko led them into the kitchen, where several herbs and pistils and mortars had been laid out with clear written instructions laid beside them. Yoko took to standing at the front of the table, and Gongenzaka stood furthest down at the end while Shuzo stood to the left, and Yuzu to the right. Yoko looked at the piece of paper where the ingredients had been listed and she looked at the others.

"It's a restoration potion, they're very simplistic, but I need you to follow the directions closely. I'm mixing the yarrow and oils together, Yuzu, I need you to grind the hazel and black kohosh together, Gongenzaka, you have ginger root, and willow bark there, it's kind of tough to ground, but I think you can manage it. Shuzo, you have the honey comb and elderberry. Once we've gotten them made into a paste, we can add the sea salt to them. Niknak and Florence already have a smaller cauldron on the stove heating on low so that we have time to do this properly. Once everything's ground up, we can add the pastes into the water and start mixing it. It'll be done in an hour with your help," Yoko explained.

"How long would it take without our help?" the blonde started to add the yarrow into the mortar.

"About four hours, because all the ingredients are in twos and have to be mixed in that certain pattern before being blended together otherwise they don't work," she said.

"We'll help you get it done as fast as possible, Yoko." Shuzo started to crush the honey comb up, finding it difficult, but not minding as Yuzu started to grind the hazel and black kohosh while Gongenzaka began working on his task of turning the willow bark into a paste before adding the ginger root.

"I'm sorry all of you had to see him like that earlier," she mentioned as she kept mincing the yarrow, looking at the bottles of orange, yellow, and red oils near her.

"No, it's alright. We're just worried about him, is he really going to be okay?" Yoko picked up the yellow oil and poured a small amount in, Yuzu noticing the scent of honey and lilies that came from it.

"With this he'll be able to recover his energy. When he lost consciousness, he disbursed a lot of his magic, and because of that he's going to be pretty weak for a few hours, but this will replenish his magic as well as a portion of his energy," she answered as she mixed in the orange oil, the scent matching its color.

Yuzu kept mixing the paste together, blending the black kohosh in finally, noticing it was a bit sticky and wanted to stay on her fingers until she finally got it into the mortar and started to grind it together while Gongenzaka finished the ginger root, having turned it and the willow bark into a fine powder. Shuzo had finished with crushing the honey comb and had begun on the elderberry while Yoko added in the last of the oils to her mixture, and then went over to the cauldron and reached into a cupboard, picking a bottle with a green oil inside it as she poured an amount of it into the boiling water, and the scent of mint came into the room as she grabbed a small glass jar and opened it before adding in the herbs to it as they watched the fumes from it turn a pale silvery-blue shade.

"What was that?" Yoko looked to Yuzu.

"It's mistral, an herb that helps absorb oils. It'll blend instead of separating now, and it has a wonderful soothing aid. I also put in some belladonna, so that it'll help keep him calm... the last thing we need is him losing control again," she said as she put the items away.

"Was... Yuya really possessed by his own magic?" Yoko looked down as she placed a ladle into the pot and with a faint tap it began stirring by itself.

"Yes, he was..." she admitted as the other two stopped.

"How? It doesn't make sense that it would do something like that," Shuzo stated.

"Yuya... has a very rare type of magic... and when I mean rare... his type of magic is something that less than one percent of our entire global population possesses. .." Yuzu felt her eyes grow wide, while her father and Gongenzaka had similar expressions of disbelief at the statement.

"Less than one percent have his kind of magic?" Gongenzaka questioned.

"Yes, it's known as Waking Magic... and is a root magic, something that stems from all forms of magic. It has incredible strength and is considered the dominate type of magic and presides over harmony and discord, darkness and light... serving as a balancing magic that has severe power over other magic. Waking Witches, which is what those who have Waking magic are called... are normally some of the most powerful of our kind... and have been known throughout history as some of the greatest witches or wizards of the age..." Yuzu frowned.

"And Yuya has magic like that at his disposal?" she asked.

"He's still got a lot to learn about how to use his magic, and while he has the fortunance to be able to do whichever kind of magic freely, not having to learn a specific branch of it for his own skill... it also comes with a heavy burden to know how to use what he chooses to... and what the magic's own nature is." Shuzo looked to her.

"The magic's own nature?" he inquired.

"Yes... all magic has it's own nature, and it stems from our very beings, our hearts and souls... but it's a wild force that we must learn to control." Yoko added her ingredients into the cauldron while looking to Gongenzaka who handed her his before she added it, letting the ladle stir before taking Shuzo's, and they Yuzu's, following the way it was designed to go while she watched it boil, turning different colors as the others waited.

"So... what's the nature of Waking Magic?" questioned Gongenzaka as Yoko went to the kitchen table to start cleaning up the pages, with a single motion, she put the pages back into an open book, and it shut, before she started to put the mortars and pistils into the sink, snapping her fingers as they started washing themselves.

Yoko picked up the extra herbs, roots, and plants before they were put neatly back into their wrapping, and sent into the spice cabinet nearby before it closed. She moved over to the stove, and they watched as a series of four mugs with tea bags were presented to the table, and a tea pot came flying by, putting hot water into the mugs as a spoon and sugar bowl showed up soon after, putting some into each of their mugs as well, the spoons coming off the table to stir them as Yoko sat a cutting block down with some bread on it, and proceeded to the fridge where she sent several packages of meat and vegetables to be laid out on the table. The three watched as she continued and four plates appeared on the table a second later before Yoko shut the fridge and washed her hands before taking a seat.

"Whoa..." she looked to Yuzu.

"My skills and the nature of my magic allows me to use it for household help, and in fortunes. I'm a Fortuna Witch who was taught how to use household magic. The thing is, every witch can learn any kind of magic they want, but each witch, has a skill they are exceptional at... Shay Obsidian is a Risulian Witch, meaning he's gifted in combative magic, and in strategic or defensive magic while Sora is a Dyren Witch, skilled in information and using defensive magic with touches of combative or technological magic," she explained.

"Then what about Yuya's magic? Can he do those kinds of things?" Yoko nodded.

"And much more, but as you saw today... Waking Magic has a draw back or two that the host of it needs to be wary of from time to time," she stated.

"Possession is one of it's drawbacks?" Yoko nodded solemnly.

"Unfortunately, it is. Waking magic is a possessive aggressive magic... if the host feels highly threatened, or is forced into a corner, it will become protective over the witch who has it, and possesses them, leaving them mostly aware, but giving them a bit of a high, similar to a drift to keep them from fighting it entirely. It then proceeds to draw out the natural instincts of the witch who has it, pushing it outwards and letting them fight without much fear," she said this in explanation and Shuzo stared at her much like Gongenzaka did while Yuzu glanced down.

"So... it drugged him and used his body to fight..." Yoko looked to Yuzu.

"No, it's not like that sweetheart. Waking magic only allows the host of it to fight as they would if they had the desire to do so. Waking Witches are inherently very benevolent, and aren't fond of violence. However, if they're threatened, or someone they care for is even... their magic triggers the instinct to protect themselves or those around them. It's aggressive when someone's inflicting the situation to the host," Yoko tried to explain this, but it seemed to not make sense to the three.

"There's not much known about Waking magic, is there?" the blonde-haired woman looked to Gongenzaka.

"Enough to know that when a Waking Witch is forced into conflict, they will fight. But as I said, their not fond of violence and are very benevolent and pure Witches... but the moment they are pushed into a situation that could be deemed life threatening... they fight. It can cause intense aggression, like what you saw earlier with him in the hallway." Yuzu bit her lip.

"Can Yuya learn to keep it from possessing him?" she asked.

"In time, yes, he can. Waking magic is powerful, and if he can learn to let it support him when and if he needs to fight as oppose to it possessing him, then he'll become a very capable witch who knows how to use the nature of his magic to help himself, and potentially others." Shuzo sighed.

"Seeing what I did... that behavior... it was like a wild animal... is that how it'll be until he starts to become more aware of it?" he inquired.

"Unfortunately, it will be... in time though, he'll learn how to use it to his advantage and wield it even if it were to possess him." Gongenzaka looked to the woman.

"But he seemed terribly confused earlier, to the point that he was scared to let us near him. Why is that?" he probed as Yoko took a sip of her tea.

"I never told him..." they looked to her in shock.

"You never... what do you mean you never told him?!" Shuzo questioned.

"Yuya doesn't know that he has Waking magic. He's aware that his magic is different... but in truth... I've been worried about telling him what it really is. Now, I see my mistake in not doing so when he turned fourteen... so... what happened with him today... is entirely my own doing." Yuzu looked down.

"Are you going to tell him?" she asked.

"I have to now. This whole time... I had hoped that I could hold off on it, but then... Yuya invented Pendulum Summoning, his magic started to become stronger... he began advancing in his magic lessons and growing to branch out into other fields of it, mastering some of it even... he even taught himself one of the Seven Sacred Prayers without any of my assistance..." Yuzu looked her over.

"Seven Sacred Prayers... wait... you mean like Sacred Frame?" Yoko nodded.

"Yes." Gongenzaka frowned.

"He stated that you taught him that," he mentioned.

"No, Yuya taught himself, but more than likely said otherwise to keep people from wondering how strong he really is. He's an entertainer, but he hates the spotlight on him when he's not trying to make people happy." the three glanced down at their tea mugs and then sighed.

"So, you will be telling him the truth? About what kind of magic he has?" Shuzo asked.

"I will. He's not going to be happy with me, but he'll have to learn to deal with it."

"Yuya will be fine, he's stronger than that..." Yoko nodded.

"Right, now let's eat something, being out in that rain on an empty stomach isn't good for any of us," she said, unknowing that in the stairwell, Yuya was sitting silently, having listened to the conversation as he kept his head down, knowing that there were answers owed to him now, and he intended to get them.

 **{Sakaki Household: July 22nd, 2014, 9:45am}**

Yoko had gotten off the phone with Shuzo, stating that Yuzu had her last duel before the finals, and that once the qualifiers were over, they would all be over to see how Yuya was faring. It had been a bit of a worrisome thing, knowing that Yuya wouldn't wake up yesterday for anything, and had merely continued to sleep throughout the night. She had intended on going to get him up this morning, and had hoped that he was feeling better, but would still ask him to take the potion she and the others had made: but things went south as soon as she opened his door. Yuya was sitting on the bed, dressed and keeping his gaze down as she came into the room, seeing that he appeared to be feeling better after a full night's rest.

"Yuya, how are you feeling?" the boy tensed.

"I'm fine... I guess..." his voice was stiff, his form shaking visibly as she looked him over.

"Are you sure? Your still shaking," Yoko came towards him and he bared his teeth, grinding them together as he fisted his pants legs.

"Why didn't you tell me? About my magic?" he asked, causing her to pause.

"Yuya... what did you -" he shot to his feet, settling an intense glare on her.

"Why didn't you tell me that my magic was Waking magic of all things! Dammit mom! I could have killed Kachidoki yesterday! And I wouldn't have given a fuck! I know how dangerous that magic is! And so do you!" he growled out.

"Yuya! I -" he cut her off.

"Half of the shit you told them was just to make them feel better! The truth is that Waking magic is possessive and aggressive so that the host is protected because it's an ancient, and powerful magic that _is the core of other magic types,_ and the ones who have it can do some pretty terrifying shit when they're provoked! So why didn't you tell me the truth?! Why did you hide it from me?!" he snarled, bearing his teeth to her as he kept his glare settled upon her form.

"I'm sorry... your right to be angry at me. I should have said something sooner, instead... you ended up suffering because I was so scared to tell you." Yuya looked down.

"You were scared? How do you think I felt yesterday when I realized what I'd done?! Yes, I won the duel, but what the fuck does that matter if I ended up killing my opponent? Do you know what he called me?" Yoko stared at him.

"Yuya... calm down..." she said.

"He called me a _demon!_ A monster! To him, I was _some kind of evil creature!_ Do you realize how terrified I was? Because I barely remembered what I had done to him to deserve being called that! And you were worried about telling me something that could have helped me!" he remained tense, head bowed as she watched him.

"Take a deep breath, and listen to me. I wanted to tell you... I was supposed to when you turned fourteen... but when that accident happened and -" he growled at her.

"Cut the bullshit mom! You know it wasn't an accident! I tried to kill myself! So stop treating it like I had a small accident! If Yuzu hadn't found me, I wouldn't be here! So, let's stop kidding ourselves," he snapped as he looked to his mother.

There was so much anger in his eyes, fear, confusion, doubt, and a plethora of other emotions that Yoko knew she didn't have the time to name. The boy before her shook, his hands clenched to the point that his knuckles were white, his eyes shining with tears as he watched her, and she only could take in a deep breath before stepping forward to wrap her arms around him. He jolted, almost as though he hadn't been expecting it as she held the boy close to her, knowing that she needed to clam him down before they talked. Yoko put her hand atop his head, running her fingers through his hair due to the fact that he wasn't wearing his goggles right then as she took in a deep breath.

" _Its time for me to tell him the truth... no matter how much it hurts."_

"Your right, I'm sorry for doing what I did. Yuya, you had the right to know what your magic is, and you had the right too be taught how to better control it. I just never expected you to lose control like you did yesterday... but I shouldn't have left it up to chance, and I did... I'm sorry." the boy flinched once more, and Yoko closed her eyes, feeling tears fall down her face.

"I just wish you would have... told me who I was. It's going to be harder... now that it's woken up fully... for me to get my magic under control..." Yoko nodded at his statement.

"I know... but I'll do what I can to help you. Please forgive me Yuya, I'm so sorry," she muttered into his hair as he slowly wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Just... don't lie to me... please..." Yoko took in a shaky breath, tears falling down her face.

"Okay, I will... now, come down stairs with me, I need to show you something," she said.

She let him go and slowly grabbed his hand, leading him downstairs as she prepared herself to do something that she had put off long enough. Florence and Niknak had vacated the house for the time being, and had helped her get the things she needed out again while Yuya sat down at the table and she put two mugs of tea on the table, pushing them a bit out of the way as she sat a photo album down and took in a deep breath while looking at the boy who sat there, dressed in a pair of clothes similar to the ones he wore yesterday, but missing his goggles, and wrist bands. She smiled, reaching out to place a hand on the photo album, thinking about what he would see there soon as she steadied her racing heart, knowing that the time had come for her to tell the boy the truth.

It had been a long time coming, this day that at one point had seemed so far away. A small laugh echoed in Yoko's mind, a jovial, bright laughter that she hadn't heard in fourteen years as she recalled the person it belonged to, and their beautiful smile, how happy they always were even when things were at their worst. It had been this person, who had shown her how to be strong when she hurt the worst, even when they had left her side, and become nothing more than a memory of the past. Sighing, Yoko reached into her shirt, pulling out the silver locket that she always kept tucked under it, causing Yuya to look at it as she removed it from over her head and placed it on the table.

"Yuya, I need to tell you something important," she said.

"What?" he rose an eyebrow, looking confused.

"This photo album is very special, its one of the last things I have that belonged to someone very important to me," she told him as Yuya moved his chair closer.

"I've never seen it before." she nodded.

"I know, but it's time you did," Yoko said as she opened the album to a picture of her and several other girls present.

They were all around the same age, in their late teens to early twenties. The girl on the far left had dark blue hair and magenta eyes, a brilliant smile on her face, she was dressed in a dark purple cotton dress, much like the other girls were. Next to her, was a blue-purple haired girl with turquoise eyes, wearing a blue dress while on the other side was a girl with extremely long wavy pale green hair and amber eyes, she wore a pink hair pin to hold her bangs back, and wore a pink over-shirt that had no sleeves, a white shirt that was frilled and showed her mid-drift and a white skirt with a brown belt. The next girl had dark red two-toned hair with greenish purple eyes and wore a blue and purple dress with sleeves, her hair in pigtails and a strand falling down to her shoulder. The last three, at the center, was Yoko, her hair down, and wearing a green dress, and a girl with long pink hair and periwinkle eyes with a simple pale gray dress on. The final girl had gray eyes and long lavender hair, a sweet smile on her face.

"Who are these people?" Yoko smiled.

"They were my best friends. Aiko is the girl with green hair, Lira has the magenta eyes, you know Sakura, she was Yuzu's mom, and Rei is the girl with the dark red hair. The girl with the lavender hair is Naomi. It was one of our last days together before we all moved away... Aiko had just gotten married, and Lira had been married and was moving soon... Rei was getting ready to leave on a long trip, and Sakura was going to come with me. I was dating Yusho at the time and we were coming here to meet Shuzo," she explained.

"So, where are they now?" Yoko shook her head.

"I don't know much about Aiko or the others except that they all had children, some of them are close to your age by now. But that isn't who I wanted you to see," she said.

Yuya watched as his mother showed him a few single shots of the other girls, pointing out to each of them, and including a girl with blonde hair that had a paler tone to it than her own and was cut short in a slight side-swept style. He noted the photos each and everyone, liking to see his mother in her earlier years until she got to the last page before she was about to flip it and it showed her and his father standing together. Yoko hesitated, and he looked to her, scarlet eyes taking in her worry as she glanced his way.

"Mom?" Yoko took in a deep breath.

"This was the person behind the camera that day, I want you to take a good look at her picture," she said.

"Okay..." he sounded heistant, only because she seemed so worried.

"It's fine, Yuya... its time you knew," she told him as she flipped the page and he looked at the image.

It was a young, beautiful girl in a white sundress with a hat in her hands. Her hair fell to her hips, a bright smile was upon her face, and her eyes shining with joy. It was a beautiful picture of the girl, but it confused him. Her eyes were a slightly brighter shade, but they were almost the exact same color of scarlet as his own, her hair had the same coloring as his as well, and her smile was similar to his. Confused, Yuya looked the image over, and saw something that was distinctly familiar to him, a pale blue almost clear crystal wrapped in silver angel wings on a white chord. Yuya felt his eyes widen as he looked at the picture of the beautiful young woman with a cheerful smile on her face to his mother and felt confusion overthrow him.

"Who is she? And why does she..." Yoko smiled.

"Look so much like you?" she asked softly.

"Y-Yea... I'm... confused..." Yoko nodded.

"Something told me you would be..." she flipped another page, showing a taller man standing next to the girl he'd seen in the other picture. He was smiling almost lazily, wearing comfortable clothes and had dark hair and amber eyes like his father's own, but his skin was fairer than Yusho's. Yuya looked to the image in confusion and Yoko sighed.

"Who are they? I don't understand..." Yoko smiled to him.

"This is my little sister and her husband Ira. Yusho's younger brother and my little sister started dating, and she insisted on me going on a date with them, because I wasn't sure if I liked Ira or not... she told me he had an older brother that was dying to meet me, and... I went in a whim... that was how I met Yusho, and we started dating. A year later, Yaya, and Ira got married, and this day came... Yusho and I had been dating for almost two years by that point... and a week later, I was engaged," she explained.

"So... that's your little sister and her husband, and the two of them are the reason that you and dad ended up together... because your younger siblings got you together?" Yoko smiled to him.

"They did, and I've never been so grateful for my little sister being stubborn. But, after I got engaged, I was told by Yaya... that she was expecting a baby," she said.

"Really?" she nodded once.

"Yuya... that baby was you," she told him. He looked to her in confusion, his eyes showing disbelief and slight fear at her statement.

"W-What? That's impossible! Your my..." Yoko shook her head.

"No, Yuya... I'm not your biological mother. I raised you for my sister," she said.

"W-Why? I don't understand... did she..." Yuya felt a strange sensation overtake him at the statement.

It was confusing, to hear such a thing come from the person who had raised you all of your life to suddenly admit that they weren't your mother. His mind raced, trying to pinpoint whether or not this was true as he glanced to the image of the woman and felt his body slump back his chair. He had always noticed it, he favored neither of his parents even a fraction. His complexion, his hair, and eyes, none of it fit Yoko or Yusho even the slightest. Yuya had always assumed that he just took after someone else in the family, like his grandmother whom he recalled having a faded greenish red hue to her hair, but her eyes had been green like Yoko's own. Sighing, his hands over his face, preparing himself to learn what had happened to bring it to the point where he had been living with his aunt and uncle for his entire life.

"Did they... not want me?" his voice shook violently, and Yoko felt tears well in her eyes.

"No! Oh, Yuya... no sweetheart. They loved you beyond words! Yaya and Ira loved you to the ends of the universe... but... when my sister was pregnant with you, she became very sick. The doctors gave her all the help they could without harming you... but she had a blood disorder, and it flared up during the pregnancy because she was having to supply blood to you in the womb. They suggested an abortion, but she refused," Yoko stated as she reached out and touched the boy's cheek.

"Then how did I end up with you?" the woman smiled to him.

"When she was seven months into her pregnancy, she took a bad turn, so they had to induce her labor... and you were born early... almost to early. For a while, we were worried you wouldn't make it, and Yaya was very ill... but, you both pulled through, and she and Ira took you home... they lived nearby us, and we saw you every day... I wish I could show you how much they loved you... holding you in her arms, made my sister the happiest person in the world. But... six months after you were born, your father was in an accident, and he didn't make it..." the boy looked down.

"So my biological father... passed away when I was a baby... wait what about my mom?" Yoko moved her seat forward some, reaching out to place her hand on Yuya's own.

"She tried to do everything on her own, taking care of you as best she could, but she grieved for your father relentlessly. Eventually, she got sick again, and we tried everything, but Yaya couldn't get better. I was asked alongside Yusho to raise you, and we agreed to. When you were eight months old, she passed away, and you've been in our care ever since, and we've loved you and raised you as if you were ours," Yoko explained as she watched him,

"I... I..."

Yoko watched as tears slipped down his cheeks, and before he could help it, he'd started crying. The woman moved, sliding out of her chair as she pulled his small form into her arms, holding him close as he shook, seeming to not be able to contain himself as he eventually slid from the chair and before either knew it, they were on the floor, Yoko holding onto the boy as she ran her fingers through his hair. She remembered the day he was born, how tiny he had been, fragile, and how he had only cried a little bit before he stopped as Yaya had reached for him, pleading to hold him. The doctors had relented, holding that tiny baby in her arms as she whispered to him, uttering the name she gave him as her sweat drenched bangs hung in her eyes and she gently rubbed his cheeks, and he looked to her, locking eyes with his mother as she spoke to him.

It had been a situation that no one quite could understand. Yuya had been born two months early, his mother had been sick with a blood disorder throughout her entire pregnancy; however, Yuya and Yaya had surprised everyone, recovering quickly and Yoko held the child in her arms now, her little sister's miracle that she had held closely to her always. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the boy as he took in unsteady breaths, and she reached to him, cupping his face as she brushed his tears away and looked into his beautiful eyes while tears slid down her face as she brushed his bangs from his face, staring at the child her sister had loved more than life itself, and she gave a broken laugh as she smiled at the boy.

"Yuya, they cherished you as though you were the greatest treasure in existence. They adored you and would have done anything for you. Yaya loved you until her last breath, and the only thing she regretted, was not being able to watch you grow up," she told him.

"They knew you'd take care of me though..." Yoko smiled as the boy glanced to her and she brushed her thumb under his eye.

"All these years I've watched you grow, I saw my little sister more and more. You look so much like your mother... and you act like her too. You have her sweet natured smile, her stubbornness, her warmth, and her humor and wit. All of her light and kindness, but I also see your father's strength, his compassion, and his understanding of others. I see the courage they both possessed and their candor... you have so much of your parents in you..." she said.

"Am... I really... like them?" he seemed hesitant to ask, and Yoko only assured him, carting her fingers through his soft hair as she stared into his eyes.

"In every way, Yuya. Your mother and father would be so proud of the person you've become. Your so much like your mother though, when I look at you I see my beautiful little sister, and I realize that the old wives tale that says boys look like their mothers is completely true. And even though there not here, they still love you, and I cherish you just as they did you too, your our precious little one, and you always will be," she told him as she pulled him close, and he slowly returned the embrace, closing his eyes.

"Thank you... for... telling me about them." Yoko smiled as she glanced at the table top, and grabbed her locket opening the picture to show Yuya.

"Take a look at this," she said as Yuya glanced down at the image.

The picture was of his mother and father, on a warm sunny day as they stood in front of a house that had a lush garden around it. In his mother's arm, was himself, only a few months old possibly, and contently staring at the camera as she held him close in her arms. He laughed a little, though it sounded choked due to his earlier crying episode while Yoko pulled the photo album down and looked at the pictures with him, telling him the stories she had longed to let him know of as she explained about the past, and the things his mother would get up too. The house wasn't quiet anymore, it was filled with the echos of tearful cries or angry shouts, instead, it resounded with laughter and jovial voices, easing the tensions present that Yoko knew was granting a much needed levity before any more chaos chose to come upon them while she continued to hold the boy close, watching a warm glow appear in his eyes as she told him all the stories she could, wishing this moment could stand still in time just a bit longer, but cherishing it while it lasted all the same.

 **{…...}**

 _I feel it in my veins, its not going away..._

 **{…...}**

 **Author's Note:** Yes, in these versions of events, Yoko and Yusho aren't Yuya's biological parents. It was actually Yoko's younger sister - remember the one you've heard of off and on during this story? - who is Yuya's mother, and goodness does he look like her. I'm actually adopted myself, in a manner similar to this as it was my grandparents who adopted me from their youngest daughter, my biological mother, and raised me. So, I understand that for some who aren't made aware of these events, it can be a little upsetting and confusing, I just hope I did it justice and everyone likes this. Tell me what you guys think, and I'll look for your reviews.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Yaya means: High Priestess. It's where Yuya's name is derived from.

Yaya's name is pronounced: Ya-Eye-Ah

Those other girls have some parts to play later on, so just keep them in mind.

Waking Magic is a possessive, aggressive magic that is a core magic, one of three kinds like this that allows the host of it to use any form of magic that they chose, and they aren't given the title of a Skill to mark them as a type of witch. Waking Witches, can learn how to use different magical forms, and not be contained by a specific type of skill, in addition, they have massive magical auras, and are able to use massive amounts of magic at great lengths of time. But again, they do have to learn how to use it, and over time it gets easier to do it... remember, everything takes practice.

The plants, roots, and berries used in the potion, are actually good for your health and healing.


	39. Chapter 39: Beginning of the Battle

Chapter 39: Beginning of a Battle

 **{Sakaki Household: July 23** **rd** **, 2014, 9:04am}**

"Okay, and we should be good to go," Yuya said as he clicked a button on the screen of his computer while Yuto watched him.

"Are you sure you can hack into the mainframe of Leo Corp?" the other shrugged.

"I've done it a bunch already, and they've had no luck stopping me. Why are you so worried anyway?" Yuto sighed.

"Because, if you get in trouble or put in jail, I'm going along for the ride," he told him.

"Don't be such a worry-wart, I can manage this much. Now, you wanted to know about this Lancer thing, right?" Yuya glanced to Yuto who nodded.

"I wanna know what the main plans are," he said.

"Give me just a second and... hmm..." the spirit came towards him.

"What is it?" Yuya looked at the screen.

"There's a little bit on it: _the Lance Defense Soldiers are a group of special Duelists who are funded by Leo Corp_. That's literally all that's available on their server. Reiji Akaba must have it on his own, and I'm not able to hack into it," he told the other.

"Figures he'd pull something like that... anyways... are you sure you wanna tell Yuzu and the others what Yoko said yesterday?" Yuya glanced down, clearing out the system search and setting the lock system on his computer before closing it.

"They should know... their… my best friends... it just... doesn't feel right not telling them," he admitted.

"If you feel like that's the right thing to do, then go for it. But I'm not gonna stay around for the fireworks, m'kay?" Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"What are you -" a knock came to his door and he sighed as he stood and opened the door to see Yuzu and Gongenzaka standing there.

"Hey!" he gave them a smile.

"Hi guys, how are things?" he backed up and they came into the room, Gongenzaka taking a seat next to Yuzu on the bed while Yuya went back to his desk chair.

"Yuzu defeated her opponent, and the three of us shall be continuing on to the finale," Gongenzaka stated with a smile.

"That's a relief." Yuzu eyed him.

"How are you doing? After the other day?" she asked him as he leaned back in his chair.

"I'm okay I guess. Mom's been killing me with restoration potions and things like that, so right now I feel like I could lift a freaking bus on my own, even though I know I can't... just the after affect... being a little high strung is all... other than that, I'm doing okay. Stressed about the finale of the tournament, and everything but... I think it'll be fine." the two nodded.

"We were worried about you the other day... you should have seen how you were..." Yuya nodded.

"I've got a pretty good idea as to how I was... no need for details... anyways. All of you ready for this tournament to be over?" Yuzu nodded.

"Yea, I heard they're doing something really fun for the ending," she said.

"For the Junior Youths. The Juniors and Youths have different endings." Gongenzaka looked to him.

"Yuya, is there something the matter? You seem distracted," he mentioned as the boy sighed, closing his eyes as he leaned his head back a bit.

"Mom told me... something recently, and I'm kind of trying to adjust to it." they gave him concerned expressions at that.

"What did she tell you?" Yuzu questioned.

Yuya reached into a drawer in his desk and grabbed a photo album, a simple cloth woven one that seemed homemade and made them a bit confused as he flipped through it to a picture and held it up, showing them the image of a beautiful young woman with red-green-hair and scarlet eyes. A brilliant, warm smile upon her face, and around her neck a very familiar pendulum crystal. He lowered it, seeing the looks of confusion on their faces as he held the album open in his lap, steeling himself for an onslaught of questions and shock as he looked to them once more.

"Who is she? And why do the two of you..." Yuya smiled a bit.

"Her name is Yaya... and we favor because... she's my mother," he stated. There was a few seconds of utter silence, and then the two exploded.

"WHAT?!" their yells started Odd-Eyes who had been napping in the window sill and had scrambled down and towards Yuya while Momoncarpet hissed and flew away from the bed, revealing herself to not be a stuffed animal or pillow as she hid behind Yuya and peeked over his shoulder.

"You guys scared them," Yuya said as he sat the photo album aside and picked up Odd-Eyes who gave him a caw of concern as he started petting the Dragon while Yuzu and Gongenzaka stared on at the sight in confusion.

"Where did they come from?" the purple Performapal hissed at them.

"Easy Mon, these are my familiars. It's okay guys, go and say hi," he said as he sat Odd-Eyes down and it looked at the two before trotting over to Gongenzaka to thump him with his head.

"Is that a good thing?" Yuya smiled.

"He wants you to pick him up and put him on the bed, it's fine," he assured as Gongenzaka did just as he was told and the little Dragon gave him a squawking noise before rubbing up against his hand while Momoncarpet flew over to Yuzu and sat on her shoulder, scratching at her nose with her paws as she flickered her tail and looked at the girl.

"Their cute, but... what do you mean that woman is your mother?" Yuya glanced to them.

"Yoko and Yusho are my aunt and uncle... Yaya, is Yoko's younger sister, and my father Ira, is Yusho's younger brother. They're the ones who got their older siblings to go out... my mother and father were married for about a year before I was born, so around fifteen years ago is when they were married..." the two nodded.

"So, why are you with your aunt and uncle?" asked Gongenzaka.

"My dad passed away from an accident when I was six months old, and my mother had always had poor health, and I was born two months early because of it... when he passed, and she was raising me on her own, it became too much for her body... and she started getting sick again... and passed away when I was about eight months old. I've been with my aunt and uncle ever since then." Yuzu stared him over in shock before glancing to the picture nearby him.

"She was so pretty... you look a lot like her," she said.

"That's what my aunt said... that every day I seem to look more and more like her... and that I'm a lot like both of my parents." Gongenzaka watched his friend.

"It's upsetting to you, isn't it?" he asked.

"Just a little... I kinda wish they would have told me sooner. If they had, I wouldn't have loved them any less... but I think I had a right to know that they weren't my actual parents... thinking about it now though, I think I've always known that they weren't somewhere deep down... I mean... I look nothing like either of them." he gave them a wiry grin and Yuzu looked down.

"So, they passed away when you were still a baby... you never got to know them," she stated.

"It's okay though, I know they loved me. According to my aunt, they thought of me as their greatest treasure... if they loved me that much, then I'm grateful they were my parents, even if I never got to know them." Yuzu looked to him, and then glanced at the photo album.

"So, what kind of pictures are there?" Yuya grabbed the album and looked to the pink-haired girl.

"There's a picture of your mother in here with mine. I guess that they knew each other too..." he showed her the picture of the two women sitting in the front yard of the house they were in now, the two babies in their arms being Yuya and Yuzu when they were only a few months old.

"That's something else... seems like they were good friends," Gongenzaka said as Yuya nodded.

"My aunt told me a lot of stories after she told me about my mom and dad. Apparently, our mothers used to get up to a lot of pranks, and your mom had a fan too! She beat the crap out of my dad one time with it..." Yuzu smiled a bit as Yuya stood and handed her the album.

"Seems like there's a lot we don't know about our parents, huh? Wait... Yuya... your pendulum crystal... your mom..." Gongenzaka looked at the picture of the woman as she was standing in the kitchen red-green-hair flowing down her back in a silken spill as she sent the camera a bright smile, the pendulum crystal obvious in the image.

"She's wearing it in most of the pictures in there. I guess from what I was told, she had it as a gift to her and a few other friends. They had this friend named Rei who was going to be leaving them soon, she had to go somewhere and wouldn't be moving back... so she gave a bunch of the girls she was friends with those pendulum crystals and bracelets. My… aunt said there were ten of them all together, and Rei gave her the earrings she wears all the time because she was the oldest out of all of them and thought they'd be more appropriate for her."

"Seems like they were all really good friends," Yuzu stated as Gongenzaka nodded.

"And that seems to have been carried on by at least two of the children." Yuya laughed a bit.

"I guess so," he said as Yuzu glanced to the side.

"But what does that mean for you as a witch?" Yuya looked to the pink-haired girl and thought for a moment before shrugging.

"Nothing's changed… my parents were both witches, so I'm still considered a pureblood. Why do you ask?" the red-green-haired boy inquired as he eyed Yuzu who only shook her head.

"Just wondering, I mean… we don't really know how that works so…" Yuya smiled.

"If a person is born to a family that has witches on both-sides and has nothing but witches in their family… they're considered a pureblood, full-blooded witches have some mortal heritage in them, half-blooded witches have a mortal for a parent, and a witch for the other… and then there are Strain witches who – "the boy stilled, his voice trailing off as Yuzu and Gongenzaka looked to him.

" _I see... you've been going easy on me. You're mocking me... I won't forgive you! How dare you mock me! Thinking I'm weaker than you because of the type of witch you are! All you truly are is trash! A good for nothing mutt!"_ Sora's words echoed in his mind, and he felt Yuto's presence in his mind, trying to sooth him.

" _ **Yuya?"**_ Yuto called to him, and he shook himself a bit before looking to the others.

"Are you alright?" Gongenzaka questioned.

"Um… y-yea. Anyways… Strain witches have a witch parent, and a parent who is a creature… you remember Yuto? He's a Shadow witch, but he's half Phantasmal-Imp, so he's considered a Strain witch." Yuzu rose an eyebrow.

"Half creature? That seems kind of strange," she admitted.

"Not really… but… that reminds me…" Yuya looked down, catching their attention.

"Reminds you of what?" Gongenzaka inquired.

" _ **Are you sure you want to tell them about the world's condition? If they know… they might get dragged into it too."**_ Yuto's voice of concern reached Yuya clearly; however, he knew that something was happening, and that the two sitting with him needed to know the truth.

" _I'm sure… they have a right to know what might be happening,"_ he thought towards him.

"Yuya?" the boy sighed.

"The night you found me in the park… I had been in a fight between Yuto and Sora," he stated.

"So… you did find him? Then how come he's not here now?" the scarlet-eyed boy bit his lip.

"Because, during their duel… I learned something," Yuya said as the others looked him over.

"What did you learn?" scarlet eyes looked to periwinkle and dark brown.

"The truth about the current state of our world… and why Shay and Yuto were so ferocious towards the LDS… and about Sora's actions…" Yuzu's eyes widened.

"What do you mean by that? The state of our world?" Gongenzaka asked him as the boy took in a steady breath.

"Our world isn't the only one out there… we're one of thousands… but our world is broken. It was split up like that a little over a hundred years ago, and is divided into six Zones." The two looked him over.

"What are the names of those Zones?" Yuzu probed as Yuya sighed.

"First, is the Ritual Zone, followed by the Fusion Zone, then the Synchro Zone, the Xyz Zone, our Zone is actually unstable and is known as the Pendulum Zone… then there's the Link Zone." Gongenzaka and Yuzu couldn't help but find the statement both confusing and frightening.

"Are you saying that our world is in fragments and it's been done so by the different Summoning Mechanics?" Gongenzaka asked.

"Not because of the Summoning Mechanics… but they're more than likely named that because of the mechanics that are the most prominent in each Zone. About a year ago though… the person Sora works for sent someone to the Xyz Zone… and they did something that caused the Zone became a Dimension by making it fall into darkness…" a faint intake of breath came from the two sitting across from him.

"So… those Academia people are to blame?" Yuzu questioned.

"From what I've gathered. But it wasn't just the Xyz Zone that was messed up because of this… the Fusion and Synchro Zones split into and created Dimensions as well… the Ritual Zone was spared because of three Duelists and their actions… and I don't know about our Zone and the Link Zone." Gongenzaka took in a steady breath.

"Then, I suspect that the Fusion Dimension and the Xyz Dimension are at war with one another because of this?" Yuya nodded.

"They came into the Xyz Zone, slaughtering anyone who crossed their paths… and ripped everything away from those people. Yuto and Shay are part of a Resistance that was trying to stop the invasion… the reason they're here is because they've been looking for Ruri…" Yuzu looked to him.

"Do you know who Ruri is?" she asked him as Yuya nodded.

"Ruri is Yuto's girlfriend… and Shay's little sister." Gongenzaka looked down at the ground.

"So… these invading, unrighteous, heartless beasts came into the Xyz Zone, destroyed it, and ruthlessly hunted those who lived there… and then after taking so much from them… they kidnapped Shay Obsidian's little sister? How vile and dishonorable," he stated.

" _ **I like him… he's got that spot on."**_ Yuya sighed at Yuto's statement.

"And that's not the end of it…" the two looked to him.

"What do you mean?" Yuya glanced to the side.

"Yuto isn't the only person who looks like me… there's… someone else," he stated slowly.

"S-Someone… else? Who looks like you?" the boy nodded.

"His name is Hugo Matsumoto… he favored myself, and Yuto quite a bit, and he seems to be a bit older than us… but… he also had a pendulum crystal," Yuya explained.

"Then… that makes three… people who look like you… and also possess a pendulum crystal, but then… what does that mean for Yuzu?" the pink-haired girl took in a deep breath at Gongenzaka's statement.

"I'm not sure… but if there's three people who favor me… and Yuto said that Yuzu looks like Ruri… then it's possible that… the person that Hugo was looking for… Rin Mashima… she may have a connection to this as well," he admitted.

"If that's true then… what in the world is going on?" Yuya shook his head.

"There's no way to tell at this point. But, I get the feeling that the battle taking place in the Xyz Dimension… is going to come knocking on our door soon enough," he said.

"Wait… this Hugo person… why was he looking for this Rin girl?" Yuya looked to Gongenzaka.

"He claimed that Yuto kidnapped her… but knowing what we do about Ruri being kidnapped by Academia… it's possible that they took Rin too, and if they did then…" Yuto tensed within Yuya's mind as a thought came to them both.

" _ **You're thinking the same thing I am too… about the mix up between Hugo and myself with that person…"**_ Yuya nodded in an almost unnoticeable way.

"Yuya?" scarlet met periwinkle.

"I just thought of something… Hugo said that Yuto was the one who took Rin… but… from the way it looked to me… Yuto didn't even know who Rin was… but he was adamant that Yuto was the one who did this… if Hugo mistook Yuto as his girlfriend's kidnapper… but neither I nor Yuto did it… then…" Gongenzaka felt his eyes widen.

"A fourth person who favors you must exist…"

 **{Fusion Dimension: Academia: Library, 1:40pm}**

A heavy sigh left a young man with purple-pink hair and amethyst eyes as he flipped through the pages of a book, his mind finding the subject somewhat dull, but at current he was in desperate need to avoid boredom and since his time tending to a garden was taken care of, his deck had been checked over as well as his Duel Disk, and no one quite desired to duel him, he was in search of a means to cull the looming lack of excitement. A frown came to his features as he thought of a few of his comrades – if he could even really call them that – that had been sent to inspect the Pendulum Zone, and wondered how things were going.

"Honestly… you think with such an extensive library… there would be more entertaining materials than _Twilight_ sitting in the fantasy section…" he muttered in an unamused tone as he messed with the magenta and copper pendulum crystal that rested against his clothes, holding it by the chain as it swung to and fro.

"Then maybe you should look into the mythology section, they might have something that was better written." Amethyst eyes met turquoise ones, and the young man smirked.

"I thought that all of you young ladies adored this kind of drivel?" he asked as the girl frowned.

"There is more fun in reading a Dictionary than that bullshit." The other rose an eyebrow.

"My, that sort of language is unbecoming of someone of your standing… Lady Serena," the boy stated.

"And your attempt at acting formal is failing you, Master Joeri." The other laughed a bit.

"You never cease to amaze me at the very least," Joeri stated as he frowned at a section he was reading.

"Did you expect anything less?" Serena sat down across from him ungracefully, a faint smirk on her face.

Serena Allister was the adoptive daughter of the Professor, the head of Academia, and one of the only students who had never been out on the field. She had been kept locked away on the island of Academia since she'd come here, an orphan with nothing to but her name and a bracelet to call her own. The same, could be said for the soon to be fifteen-year-old boy sitting across from her by the name of Joeri Mataeo. He had been on the field many times, proving himself to be an incredible Duelist – amongst many other things – and had risen to the rank of a practical Major by the time he was thirteen, but just like her, Joeri had come to Academia's floating fortress with nothing but his name and a pendulum crystal, his entire past fuzzy because he was brought there so young, much like herself.

However, the two of them were also quite different. Serena was a crass, mouthy, and stubborn girl with as much fierceness and sass as her Lunalight Felines, while Joeri was cunning, charismatic, and composed much like that of his Predaplant Monsters and their warped nature. Despite those differences though, and the potential that they would have clashed against one another greatly, Serena and Joeri had ended up becoming friends in a short time span. The Professor never quite seemed to be very fond of Joeri being around Serena, but the girl had insisted that he made her happy, and had refused to eat when the man refused her the right to be around the amethyst-eyed duelist.

And so, here they were, nearly five years later, still friends that had no need to speak to one another to know that they could rely upon one another, and understand each other when needs be. Joeri thumbed through the atrocity in his hands, and considered why Serena was present, a pout on her pretty face, turquoise eyes narrowed in a manner that made her seem rather cute in his opinion as her violet-blue bangs fell in her eyes. He knew, without asking, that she was annoyed by something, and there were only two things it could be: the Professor was trying to keep her from being around him again, or she was being refused the right to fight on the front lines. A sigh left him, and he sat the horror of a story to the side and folded his hands into his lap before looking to her.

"Something's troubling you," Joeri mentioned.

"I can't stand this place…" the other nodded.

"And yet, you won't leave because you know for a fact that if you did, the Professor would find you… and bring you back here, locking you away in an ivory tower once again," he told her.

"But I'm one of the best Duelists here… I want to fight… he's even started letting you go around and be on the field since you were twelve! But with me… he keeps refusing." Joeri sighed.

"It means that you are more important to him than I am. You are his daughter after all, and he seems to love you too much to put you at risk," he stated.

"Then he should cherish someone I care for too… I hate waiting here wondering if you're gonna come back or not. You're the only friend I have here… so… without you… this place is to boring and isolated to keep existing here…" Joeri eyed her.

"You always remind me of an oleander flower," he said.

"Oleander flower? What are those?" Joeri smiled just a fraction.

"They're beautiful pristine flowers with an incredible scent to them… they possess some of the most stunning beauty I have ever seen, and are typically incredibly delicate," he explained as the girl blushed, looking flattered before she glared.

"D-Delicate?! I am not delicate! Do you hear me Joeri Mataeo?!" the other laughed a bit.

"You're always so easy to rile up… however, there is something else that reminds me of that flower when I see you," he stated.

"And what's that?" Serena seethed as Joeri smiled.

"They're incredibly poisonous. At the right dosage… oleander flowers are lethal…" he said.

"So? How does that remind you of me?" Serena crossed her arms over her chest, bracelet clinking just a bit.

"My dear Serena… the danger of those flowers… is hidden by their beauty though… much like yourself," Joeri told her this with a small smile and Serena felt a flush come to her cheeks.

"Don't try and sweet-talk me… I'm still pissed at the Professor." Joeri nodded.

"I'm not trying to sway your mind… just give you a compliment," he stated.

"Then… thank you for it…" the other smiled once more.

"Your welcome." He grabbed the book again, suspecting Serena was done talking for the time being; however, not a moment later, the girl glanced his way and sighed.

"Hey… Joeri? I wanted to ask you something," she said.

"What is it?" Serena glanced down.

"Who are those girls that the Doktor has in the other rooms near me? I've seen them a few times and they seem scared… what's going on?" she asked.

"The Professor asked me to retrieve them. He stated they were your sisters, and that there are four of you who were split up upon birth due to something occurring…" Serena frowned.

"What? That's ridiculous! I'm an only child, I know that for a fact because my parents died when I was six! That was when I was sent to Academia's island, so I could have somewhere that was supposedly safe to grow up," she snapped as Joeri glanced to her, putting the book down.

"That was the story he fed me. Personally, I'm not entirely certain if I believe the Professor's excuse… but for the time being, I have nothing more to go on… but I do know something is… not quite right with this situation." Serena frowned towards him.

"They're from the Xyz and Synchro Dimensions… they told me that much. I don't like this…" she said.

"Nor do I, but there's nothing either of us can do at this point. Even if we both know that there's more to the Professor's scheme than he's told anyone here." Serena puffed out her cheeks a bit.

"Joeri?" amethyst met turquoise.

"Yes? Serena?" he asked.

"I'm going to the Pendulum Zone… I want some answers about what's really going on here and I get the feeling someone from the Xyz Dimension could give me a straight one," she said.

"That's dangerous, you could bring hell down upon all of us here if you just up and vanish…" Serena looked to him.

"Which is why I need to go and find out the truth. If the Professor is doing something he shouldn't, then he's gotta be stopped," she explained.

"You do understand what you're saying, right? The Professor is powerful, in more ways than one…" Serena rose an eyebrow.

"Is a Necros witch with the blood of a Grim Reaper shaking in their boots? I never thought I'd see the day," she told the other who shot her a glare.

"Hush! You know how people here view those with inferior blood." Serena scoft.

"If anyone is inferior around here, its everyone who thinks that being a pureblood, half-blood, or full-blooded witch without a strain is better than possessing one. All of that is bullshit, if you ask me… you and I aren't inferior… we're just who we are," she said bluntly as Joeri sighed.

"A Grim Reaper and a Siren, what an odd pair…" Serena looked to him.

"We're not that strange… besides… we're all each other has really got besides our monsters… so… Joeri?" she asked as he looked to her.

"Serena, I really don't think you should go to the Pendulum Zone alone… I don't doubt your strength, but I worry for your safety, and I – "she smiled.

"Come with me…" amethyst eyes grew wide.

 **{Sakaki Household: July 24** **th** **, 8:30am, 2014}**

Yuya sighed as he tugged on a black t-shirt, wondering why his mother had decided that it would be a good idea to do laundry today of all days. He blew his bangs out of his eyes as he stretched a bit, feeling his shoulders loosen up after the strange position he had found himself awake in that morning with his body half off the bed. Scarlet eyes glanced to Yuto's spectral form as the other looked out the window, watching the surprisingly empty streets outside the house while he kept an eye on the stadium in the distance. Yuya proceeded to pull his pendulum crystal over his head, making sure to keep Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon in his extra deck as he tugged on the darker wrist bands he had before putting his deck into his Duel Disk just before pocketing it.

"Are you nervous?" Yuya looked towards him.

"Yea, I'm pretty anxious… but it'll be okay," he assured him.

"And can you control your Waking Magic?" Yuya glanced down.

"I'm… not really sure. All I can do is try at this point… otherwise I'm going to stay scared of it for the rest of my life," Yuya stated.

"Just remember that the magic belongs to _you_ … if it starts acting up, make it listen, tell it and yourself that you aren't going to be its puppet, and that you can control it." The other smiled.

"If you ever come back to life, become a motivational speaker, you're really good at cheering people up," Yuya commended.

"Eh, I'll leave that to Ruri… she's an Avian Witch… so that's more her schtick." The other shrugged.

"Worth a shot…"

Yuya grabbed his goggles, putting them on his head before walking out the door, Yuto disappearing as he exited his room, turning off the lights before he went down the pole near the stairwell and went towards the kitchen where his mother was waiting for him, a smile upon her face as he sat down, and the two began to eat in silence. While the two of them had been on decent terms since the reveal about Yuya's mother, things had this strange stiffness to them every time he tried to talk to her. Yoko had been a wonderful mother to him, everything that he was certain his biological mother would have been if she had lived, but it didn't change how odd it felt knowing the truth.

A part of him wanted to know more about his parents, but another part of him was terrified that Yoko wouldn't want to tell him to much. Yaya, had been her little sister, and they had always been close, connected at the hip despite how Yaya had been three years younger than her, and normally younger and older siblings fought like cats and dogs. Yuya glanced down at his plate, thinking about the fact that his mother had been cherished greatly by her family and friends, and losing her couldn't have been something that they had gotten over easily. A deep breath left him as he slumped back in his chair while thinking about how greatly he favored his mother.

Did Yoko, Yusho, or any of his family have a hard time looking at him or meeting his eyes because he was the spitting image of his mother? Did any of them ever feel anxious because of that factor? Had they ever looked at him and seen his mother instead? Scarlet eyes softened a fraction as he picked at his breakfast, Yoko watching him as he found himself stuck within his own thoughts. The blonde-haired woman knew what he was thinking about, and it had nothing to do with her gifts as a witch. She knew that for the last few days, Yuya had been contemplating what his family felt being around him because of how much he favored his mother, and how it must affect her, seeing as he was her little sister's child. A small smile came to her features as she reached across the table and placed her hand upon his own, causing him to look towards her.

"Yuya, it's alright to ask questions…" she assured him.

"I just… don't want to hurt you by reminding you of her…" Yoko shook her head.

"Ever since the day you were born… I knew you would look like your mother. Boys often take after their mothers after all. Raising you after Yaya passed… helped me gain closure… because I was able to see her in you… and knowing that a part of her still lived… that was enough," she told him.

"But… if I…" Yoko grabbed his hands, causing him to drop his fork before looking to her.

"Listen to me… raising you for her, has been one of the greatest joys I've ever experienced in my life. By letting you grow and nurturing the gifts you were given… I honored her memory, and Yusho and I… we couldn't have wished for a better child… Yuya, your so precious to us… just as you were to Yaya and Ira… no matter what, we'll always love you and do what we can to protect you…" she reached forward, cupping his cheek as he looked into her eyes.

"I'm… sorry… I wasn't trying to make you feel like I don't appreciate what you've done… raising me for my parents and everything else… I just… there's so much I want to know… and it seems like there's not enough time to ask all the questions I have," he admitted.

"Everyone feels that way. Yuya, you can ask anything you want, just let me know when you're ready." Yuya nodded slowly.

"I will… um… what time is it?" he asked.

"Almost nine why – "the two looked at the clock and then to one another.

"WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!" the two of them rushed to finish what they were eating before throwing the dishes in the sink before getting their shoes on and flying out the door. Niknak and Florence looked to one another as they stood in the living room.

"Do you suppose Yoko will realize that she forgot the charm she was going to give to Yuya to help balance his magic during the finale?" Niknak inquired.

"I believe not, old friend." the gnome groaned.

"This is gonna be one hell of a finale then…" the duo nodded.

"Oh… most certainly."

 **{…..}**

 _Everything's about to change…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** This has not been a very good last few weeks. I apologize that you guys didn't get an update until March 9th, but things haven't been going very well for me. I require a service animal due to anxiety and depression, and back around the 9th of February, a pest control company came into my apartment and sprayed a chemical without my knowing… as a result, my chihuahua, who was an emotional support animal, died from poisoning. I've been in a deep depression, because I witnessed his passing, and have been recovering from that, and have also been in search of a new dog to begin training as a service animal.

Things are going okay, but it's been a rough road. However, I did get the update to you guys at long last, and I am sorry for the delay, but I hope you understand. Anyways, I hope you guys like the chapter, and tell me what you think, okay? I'll be looking for your reviews.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

The Song used up to this point is _**War of Change by Thousand-Foot Krutch.**_

This is the first time that Serena and Joeri have ever been shown.

Serena and Joeri are actually friends in this version of events, as they were shown in the anime to know one another, but no other interactions save for a handful were shown.

The Oleander Flower – particularly the White Oleander Flower – is a beautiful flower, but is actually poisonous if consumed and can kill you if the oils or juices from the flower get into your eyes, mouth, or blood stream.

There are a few loose ends that will be tied up soon pertaining to the Guardian's Incandescence, and the charm Yoko failed to give Yuya.


	40. Chapter 40: Magical Gifts

Chapter 40: Magical Gifts

 **{Leo Corp Tower: President's Office: July 24** **th** **, 2014, 7:00am}**

 _" **Everyone is gearing up for the finale of the Arc League Championships! We want the players to hold nothing back and fight as hard as they possibly can once more! And now, for tomorrow's weather report –"**_ Henrietta turned off the TV as she glanced towards her son who was staring out the window as the sun started to rise.

"It's finally starting, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes, the time to begin scouting for the Lancers final recruits have come. However, there is a slight disturbance that's begin to show up in the city…" Henrietta looked to him.

"What do you mean?" she inquired.

"Someone's come from the Fusion Dimension… that's why Hokuto Shijima hasn't been seen in the last twenty-four hours. I believe someone has decided to peg us." the woman frowned.

"And if someone's come, what does that mean?" Henrietta questioned.

"It means that an infiltration team will arrive in the city soon… most likely today. I've acquired these details from Sky, whose Duel Disk is still receiving orders from Academia. Apparently, a girl named Serena Allister has come here and she is to be brought back immediately," Reiji explained.

"Then I suspect the bracket team will be sent out to handle it once the Obelisk Force arrives?" he nodded.

"They will be. I've already given them their orders… Shay Obsidian also is going to be in the tournament seeking those strong enough to become Lancers via Dueling them to test their strength," he stated.

"And what of Sora Shuinin?" Reiji glanced to her.

"Sky has already become a Lancer, and I have a task for him that he will be informed of within the hour. It's time that he begins his job of protecting our Pillar," he said.

"Indeed… well, I believe I have some preparations for the Lancer's training period to finish overseeing. I'll see you once this tournament is over…" Henrietta started to leave, and Reiji nodded.

"Alright, and tell Sky to please come in." the woman glanced his way before giving a stiff nod as she opened the doors and the blue-haired teenager entered as she left.

Reiji had known for quite some time that preparing the final touches on the Lancers would be tricky, but not impossible. He knew who he wanted, and he also knew what had to be done to insure certain factors worked in their favor. Having a brief training period and gathering a few additional _insurances_ were a major requirement that he had been working ceaselessly on alongside his mother and by getting his hands on Sky Shuinin, he had already gotten one step ahead of his father's schemes. His next plan, would follow after he had dealt with giving his orders to Sky. Taking in a deep breath, he turned, looking to see the blue-haired Dyren witch present, hands behind his back as he kept a slightly nervous gaze on him.

"So, you wanted to see me?" Sky asked.

"Yes, the job I gave you with protecting the Pillar of our Zone… it's time to begin." Pastel green eyes glanced down.

"If you're ordering me to begin my task as a Lancer… that means you're positive the Obelisk Force will come to get Serena Allister," he stated.

"She's vital to some of my father's plots… just as a few others are. Right now, I will handle Serena, I know a way to protect her and make sure that whatever she's looking for is given an answer… as for yourself, our Pillar's safety is your main priority in addition to making sure that you cull the Obelisk Force's numbers to a degree." Sky smirked.

"Ah, an inside job. No problem! I can do that kinda stuff while sleeping. So, what's the plan?" he inquired.

"Protecting the Pillar is the main focus… however, the plan in and of itself is simplistic in a mild manner. I require you to infiltrate the Obelisk Force's ranks, use your cunning to your advantage and make them believe something went array with your Duel Disk's transmitter, but you were able to repair it. From there, you will lead them to the locations that will be the most open… the Ancient Ruins Field will do… and from there, you will begin to thin their forces… and gain the trust of Shay Obsidian for him to aid you." Sky felt his eyes grow wide.

"That guy's not gonna trust me nearly as far as he can throw me," he stated.

"I've already informed him that a person who is a Lancer has already infiltrated the Obelisk Force's ranks and will rendezvous with him in the Temple of the Ancient Ruins. Is there a way for you to change the color of your jacket?" Sky nodded.

"Color Change spells are so level one… five-year old's can do that. So, once I meet up with Obsidian, I gotta keep tabs on our Pillar, and begin thinning out the Obelisk Force?" he inquired.

"Correct, once the two of you have joined forces, I believe it will be simple with the two of you working together to stall the Obelisk Force long enough for us to… begin preparations… if things begin to go astray, I will permit you to use magic and brute force to stop them instead of dueling." Sky looked him over.

"You sure you're willing to start a Variance on live television when it's not disguised as a duel? If the witches in Maiami start getting jumpy things aren't gonna go well," he said.

"I am aware of that, which is why the feed of the duels taking place in the tournament will be cut once an Obelisk Force member shows up. Keeping everything under wraps will be best, as letting everyone know of the existence of witches will not benefit us… and making them aware of the invasion will be left to my hands once it's over. If we succeed in this little test run… a team will have been crafted and soon, my father will pay for his misdeeds," Reiji stated.

"Sounds good to me, what time do I need to head out?" Reiji turned to him.

"Thirty minutes after the Battle Royale begins, you will be asked to leave the area and meet up with the Obelisk Force once a signal is dropped for them. Find them, and have them spread out… a handful of my Bracket Lancers will greet them… but do not forget your job," he stated.

"I won't, and I'll be waiting for the signal in my room if anyone needs me. M'kay?" the other nodded, pushing a box forward.

"Take that with you, there's a few aids for your deck and new equipment that you'll need," Reiji said as he turned back around to the window and Sky took it before nodding.

"Alright, I'll wait for your orders." With that he left the room and the silver-haired teen took in a deep breath.

"Things will become undoubtedly messy… that is why I cannot afford to risk his safety… and why he will become one of the Lancers… for his own sake and ours," he muttered.

 **{Stadium: 11:47m}**

Yuzu Hiiragi stood nearby the entrance to the stadium grounds waiting for Yuya to arrive. The Junior Youth group would be entering at eleven-fifty exactly, and if someone wasn't there then, they would be immediately disqualified. Sighing, she glanced to Gongenzaka who stood with his arms crossed as they waited in silence for a few more minutes before finally, the boy turned the corner to the entrance area and came to a flying halt in front of them. He looked a little out of breath, indicating that he had run from wherever his aunt had parked before coming into the place. Yuzu frowned as she looked to him and he gave her a sheepish smile.

"S-Sorry I'm late," he said.

"It's fine, just hurry up and get in the entry way before all three of us are disqualified!" Yuya nodded and the trio got in line with the other Duelists present.

Last night, the group had gathered at the Sakaki house to see the line-up of Duelists that would be making it into the finals. Yuya, Yuzu, and Gongenzaka had been shown almost last, but they were on the list, and the praises they received from the reporter, had made them feel fairly confident that they could handle this final round with little difficulty, no matter who they faced. Yuzu glanced to Yuya and took in a deep breath. Whether Sora was here or not, she was still going to tell him how she felt once this was over, win or lose. At current though, her main concern was seeing how far she could make it in the tournament.

As they waited in the tunnel that lead to the arena for the start of the tournament's finale, a thought occurred to Yuzu that sent a chill down her spine. If Yuya made it to the top four in the finale, it was possible that the two of them would face off against one another. The pink-haired girl took in a deep breath, bracing herself for the possibility while she glanced to Yuya who had a thoughtful look on his face as he kept his gaze down towards the ground. She had recalled what had happened after the announcements on TV about the Duelists. Reiji Akaba had contacted Yuya personally, explaining a detail about the tournament that he had to get permission to carry through, the boy had agreed upon only tiny details, and had asked not to know anymore as it would be an unfair advantage.

It made Yuzu wonder what it had been that Yuya was told. A part of her had wanted to ask, but knew that if he was aware of something other competitors weren't, and it got out, things could take a sour turn for the boy. Therefore, she said nothing on the subject, but continued to wonder as the doors opened and the sixteen of them were let into the arena, preparing for the final rounds of the tournament to begin while the crowds cheered ecstatically. They prepared for it, knowing things were going to become intense as fireworks flared above them and they all stood together, preparing for the finals to begin.

"Hey… Obsidian isn't here," stated one of the Knights of Duels.

"Hmm? So, did he chicken out at the last minute?" Yuya narrowed his eyes.

"Doubtful," he muttered as Nico appeared from nowhere once more.

"HELLO EVERYBODY~! Sorry to keep you waiting~!" he stated jovially as everyone cheered and Yuya tensed.

" _Why do I have a feeling that something ominous is about to happen?"_ Yuya heard Yuto sigh.

" _ **It's potentially your nerves… just relax, you can do this."**_ Yuya took in a deep breath, relaxing himself as Nico continued.

"From here on out, our sixteen valiant heroes who have reached this point in the tournament will be fighting in a Battle Royale!"

Everyone found themselves slightly surprised by the statement, including Yuya who had only known that Pendulum Cards would be put to use during the finale of the tournament. It was a fairly shocking situation, as no one had ever done a Battle Royale tournament since the events of Battle City around two years ago, and that it had been a less than pleasant event. However, it was a slightly exciting thought, Dueling multiple people, forming a partnership with people who would eventually become your enemy, and while Yuya was sure he wasn't the only anxious one present: it did make him feel as though something was going to come of this Battle Royale that wasn't pleasant.

"Allow me to explain the rules! We'll be starting at exactly noon, within the next four minutes to be precise. The entire city is the battleground, and at noon the Action Cards will be scattered across the entire city, and the four different Action Fields, will be formed!" Nico explained.

" _ **Four different fields, and the entire city is going to become the battle field… Reiji Akaba is plotting something…"**_ Yuya kept his expression neutral as he listened to the rules.

" _You were thinking the same thing I was…"_

"And then, the important factor comes into play. Leo Corp has provided Pendulum Cards for this tournament, and they are scattered all across the fields, hidden in different locations for the Duelists to use," he stated as Yuzu looked to Yuya.

"So that was…" he nodded.

"Yep, he wanted to make sure I was okay with it once more before proceeding… I gave my permission because I knew that it would be an interesting way to see what the other Duelists can do with them," he said as the girl nodded.

"Our contestants will only be able to Duel after going through the city, and getting two or more Pendulum Cards! In addition, you must ante your Pendulum cards during the duel. At the end of the tournament, several Duelists will have Pendulum Cards; however, it now comes down to the last set of rules!" everyone watched Nico who took in a steady breath.

" _ **This should be entertaining at least,"**_ Yuto considered.

"Anyone who steals another's Pendulum Cards, will be disqualified, forming teams and tag-duels are allowed. In addition, you can duel until you lose four times, once you have, you are disqualified from the tournament. The time limit will be twenty-four hours, and we'll be using the Field Spell, Wonder Quartet!" Yuya felt anxiety unfurl inside him.

" _Lava, Ice, Jungle, and Ruins… terrific…"_ Yuya thought as he kept his expression calm despite the discomfort he felt inside.

"With this Field Spell, there will be four areas spread across the city. Our contestants can fight in whichever area they desire, just remember the rules, and have fun everyone!" the crowds cheered, and the Duelists looked to the clock.

They were only one minute away from the start of the Battle Royale, and everyone seemed anxious as they began to prepare themselves, strapping their Duel Disks to their arms as they looked to one another, nodding and giving each other a slight look of trepidation. As Yuya started his Duel disk up and shuffled the deck once before having it close in again, he heard someone approach him and looked up to see Reid Pepper present as he smiled to him, holding his hand out while Yuya returned the smile and took it.

"Best of luck out there to you, Yuya. I know you'll do great," he said.

"Thanks, and to you too. Maybe we'll get to have a rematch." Reid smiled, nodding once more.

"That is something I would most certainly look forward too. Well, time to get ready for the lunch rush, good luck again!" he stated as he walked off and Yuya waved before glancing towards the two Ryouzanpaku students who sent him a vicious smirk before focusing towards the main gate of the arena.

" _ **When you get out there, remain focused on controlling your magic and doing your best."**_ Yuto stepped in to begin Yuya advice, which he took in gratefully as he heard the spirit's suggestions.

" _Got it… I just hope I don't need to use a lot of my magic to get through this… but…"_ Yuya's train of thought stilled momentarily, and Yuto raised an eyebrow.

" _ **So, you got the same feeling as I did, huh? That something's about to happen, and it isn't going to be good…"**_ Yuya gave Yuto a mental nod, knowing that the spirit wasn't being paranoid, and he at this point, could only hope that they were both wrong.

"The starting time is almost upon us! Contestants, ready your Duel Disks!" Nico called as the Duel disks everyone had put on them whirled to life, notifying the Duelists that the Duel Mode had been engaged.

" **Battle Royale Mode – Engaged!"** the electronic voices of the Duel Disks sounded off and Yuya took in a steady breath.

" _Right now, we'll just make sure we survive to the top fours. Once we do that, we'll focus on winning,"_ Yuya thought towards Yuto who gave him a mental nod.

" _ **Sounds like a plan to me… I'll standby in case you need some extra help. If you need me, just call for me, okay?"**_ Yuya mentally agreed with him as the crowds began to cheer.

"Gate, open!" Nico called as the large gate-like door opened up while not far from the stadium, a violet-blue haired girl watched on a jumbotron as the starting rounds began.

" _There should be Xyz refugees among them… I'll find out what's really going on from someone… even if I have to beat it out of them,"_ she thought, arms folded over her chest as she continued to watch the TV.

"COUNT DOWN WITH ME NOW!" Nico shouted out to the crowds.

"FIVE!"

The entire group of Duelists stiffened, preparing to begin the final leg of this tournament. The crowds cheering, responding in time with the countdown on the clock.

"FOUR!"

Yuzu glanced towards Yuya who gave her a small smile as Gongenzaka nodded his head to his friends, and now rivals. The trio preparing to face whatever would come their way, knowing that this tournament's finale would hold an untold amount of surprises.

"THREE!"

Yoko looked towards the children present, her hands clenched into a fist in her lap. She had forgotten to give Yuya a small amulet that she had created to help control his magic at least to some degree, but now, she could only hope that the Waking Magic the boy possessed would listen to him during this last part of the tournament.

"TWO!"

Shay glanced towards the entrance of the stadium, walking away as he prepared to make himself blend in until the Duelists were scattered about. Even though he couldn't find Yuto, even if things had gone array with his friend, he intended to continue their mission, and bring Ruri home safely, something he knew his best friend would have wanted; therefore, he stood prepared, his Duel Disk on his arm, and his heart and mind prepared for his task, his magic waiting for his call as he prepared to step into the fray.

" _ONE!_ EVERYBODY! ALL TOGETHER NOW! AFTER GATHERING IN THIS SANCTUARY OF BATTLES, THE DUELISTS, ALONGSIDE THEIR MONSTERS – "the audience continued the call.

"KICK UP DIRT AND SPIN THROUGH THE AIR… AS THEY DASH ACROSS THE FIELD!" Yuya and the others present felt as though their hearts were about to burst from the anxiety and energy in the stadium, as all across the city, several eyes watched, and within the perimeter of the stadium, many Duelists were gathered, awaiting the start of the battle.

"TAKE A LOOK AT THE GREATEST EVOLUTION OF DUELING TO DATE!" everyone prepared for the end of the call and respond.

"ACTION!" the word was drawn out, the audience gearing up as the Duelists tensed, Nico raising his hand into the air.

"DUEL!" the duelists called out as the announcer snapped his fingers, the Action Cards disbursed, and the Fields were generated.

"LET THE GAMES BEGIN!"

Every one of the Duelists ran forward, hearts racing as they rushed into the streets of the city, the Action Fields appearing around them as they ran, the golden glow of the Action Cards hitting the ground in randomized areas as they began to search for the Pendulum Cards. Yuzu ran alongside Yuya while Gongenzaka, the Knights of Duels, and several others split off from them, the groups wishing one another good luck before heading towards different areas, looking through alleyways and trees in search of the Pendulum Cards they would need in order to begin a duel.

Yuzu glanced towards Yuya as they began searching through a few nearby bushes. They weren't near where the Action Fields had been activated, but they could tell that the massive fields were still in generation process through the faint hum that resounded in the nearby area as Yuya looked through a bush near her. The pink-haired girl was anxious, because she had made it this far, and a part of her was terrified that she would end up facing off against Yuya in the final four line-up. however, she was determined to try and get as far as she could, because when this whole mess was over, there was something important that she wanted to tell him.

It was a strange feeling, having made it this far, but having already lost several things along the way. Sora had disappeared, and from what Yuya had told her, he wouldn't be returning, while she had also witnessed a small break with the boy she'd fallen in love with. The day Yuya had lost control of his magic, had been a terrifying day, seeing him like he had been was nothing but a nightmare the longer she thought of it. Sighing, the pink-haired girl glanced towards the boy once more as he messed with a few of the other bushes before huffing.

"I don't think there are any Pendulum Cards near here," he said as he stood straight and she followed suit.

"Yea, I don't think so either… hey, did you see Shay Obsidian in our line-up?" the scarlet-eyed boy shook his head.

"No, but he'll appear sooner or later. He's probably already in the city taking part in this just so he can accomplish something else… remember, he's a Risulian Witch, so he'll most likely involve himself in this for a mission of some kind… maybe even fighting so he can find others who are part of Academia," Yuya admitted.

"Should we go looking for him?" the witch shook his head.

"Don't bother with it, he'll show up on his own. Right now, we need to find Pendulum Cards so we can start doing something about getting to the end of this tournament," he said.

"Yea… that sounds good. Let's split up, and we'll try to meet back up later, okay?" Yuya nodded.

"Sounds like a good idea. I'll see you later…" Yuya started to walk away and Yuzu stilled, thinking for just a moment before taking in a steady breath.

"Yuya!" scarlet eyes met her periwinkle ones.

"Yea? What is it Yuzu?" she bit her lip.

"When the tournament is over… I have to tell you something important, okay?" she said as the boy looked her over briefly.

"Okay… there's something I wanted to tell you too. So, once it's over, and one of us has won… we'll tell each other what we have to say… just… promise me something…" Yuzu looked to him.

"What?" a smile came to his features.

"Promise me you'll be careful, and I can see you soon, alright?" he asked as she stared into his eyes.

" _Why… do I get the feeling that this is… the last time I'm going to see Yuya… as he is right now?"_ the feeling of foreboding entered her mind, and she braced herself against it as she returned his gentle smile, nodding to him.

"I will be, just do the same, okay? Yuya?" he returned his smile to her, bright and warm like the sun.

"Promise, I'll see you soon, Yuzu." With that he turned away, giving her a final glance before rushing off as she stood there for just a moment longer.

" _Good luck, Yuya… I'll see you soon."_

 **{North Area: 12:15pm}**

Yuya had started running across a nearby bridge when he felt the ground shake, startling him momentarily before a series of brilliant lights covered the area, the Action Field taking over the normally calm river and bridge area. In a matter of seconds, a towering volcano that reminded Yuya greatly of the mental image he'd always received of Mount Doom from the Lord of the Rings trilogy stood in the distance, billowing out sulfuric ash at scalding lava as it turned the cool river into a molten path from Dante's Inferno. The boy tensed where he was, finding that he was standing on a chunk of volcanic rock as he started looking around.

It was interesting, and he had known that the Wonder Quartet Field Spell had four distinct areas; however, Yuya hadn't expected to be in the volcano area of that Field Spell. Sighing, the boy started looking around the area for Pendulum Cards, knowing that other Duelists would eventually find him, and he would need to be able to fight them without using his magic to much. However, Yuya also knew that he'd have to use it in order to avoid getting hurt to badly in these kinds of environments.

Scarlet eyes scanned the area as Yuya used a small spell to give himself a little extra agility as he hopped along the rocks and outcropping stones, seeking out the cards he would need before pausing and finding what he was looking for. He picked up the card, seeing it as a Scale one monster and nodded, adding the card to his deck before he started walking near the lava river and found another Pendulum Card stuck in a crack in the ground. He picked it up, seeing it was a higher scale and nodded feeling a bit relieved.

"Great, this'll work fine," he said to himself.

" _ **Now all you need to do is worry about beating your opponent when they show up..."**_ Yuya mentally agreed with Yuto's statement, knowing that even if the spirit didn't talk anymore than a few sparse occasions during the Battle Royale, he was still watching.

"So, you got your second one, huh?" asked a voice as Yuya looked towards the other side of the lava river, seeing two of the Ryouzanpaku students standing there.

" _Shit! I don't need to fight them… last time they…"_ a faint sting went through him and Yuto reacted.

" _ **Stay calm! Don't let the get to you…"**_

"The Ryouzanpaku Duel School will gladly take you on!" stated one of the Duelists wearing an orange head wrap.

"We'll leave you with the bitter taste of humiliation…" Yuya bared his teeth.

"Are you here to get revenge for your buddy or something?" he asked.

"Kachidoki is a talented Duelist, and an equally skilled martial artist… but you… whatever kind of demon you are, it's scarred him! After you defeated him… he removed himself from his comrades at the Dojo entirely… because of you and whatever kind of sorcery you worked… he's never been the same. So, the two of us are going to slay the demon before us and help restore his and our school's honor!" Yuya narrowed his eyes.

"A two versus one Duel, huh? At least tell me your names…" they smirked.

"Takeda and Umesugi, those are the names of the ones who will destroy you here and now," the one in the orange hat, Takeda stated this, and Yuya only gave him a faint smirk.

"You can try if you're up to it."

" _ **Keep your magic in check, I think they suspect something's different about you,"**_ Yuto warned him and Yuya nodded a fraction.

"Let's bet our Pendulum Cards according to the Ante Rules. One per Person," stated Umesugi.

"Fine by me! Let's Duel!" Yuya's Duel Disk whirled to life and the others followed suit while in the surveillance room, Reiji Akaba watched the duel closely, anticipating a few factors as he began to narrow down his chosen Duelists. On the field, Takeda and Umesugi held an arm out each, raising their hands in a come hither motion as they watched Yuya who narrowed his eyes.

"Show us what you really are, Sakaki… go ahead and bear your fangs if you want, we'll fight you… and win… all the while, we will cast you into the deepest depths of darkness." Yuya felt a flashback of Kachidoki appear to him and he shook his head, removing the image from his mind.

" _Even if my opponents are form Ryouzanpaku Duel School, and I have to use my magic in these duels to avoid to much injury… that's fine, I'll keep dueling like I always do,"_ he thought as he felt Yuto nod slightly as the scarlet-eyed boy glanced to his hand.

"I summon Performapal Skeeter Skimmer from my hand!" Yuya announced as he played the water-strider Duel Monster.

"Come on, then… little lost light…" Takeda grinned as Umesugi did the same.

"We'll drag you in soon… deep into the darkness," Umesugi said.

"The Darkness know as defeat, that is." Yuya felt his heartrate pick up.

"Darkness…"

" _You had better fall into the depths of the deepest darkness…"_ Yuya felt his heart start racing harder, to the point that it was painful as Kachidoki's words echoed within his mind.

" _ **You can do nothing to save them, because you can do nothing to save yourself… little light…"**_ a visible tremble appeared in his form, eyes staring in an almost glazed manner as Yuya felt his magic begin to flare up.

"You gave Kachidoki a horrible beating without remorse. That's how you really are, isn't it?" asked Takeda.

"No! Back then… back then, I was…" the memory of his actions against Kachidoki roared to life in his mind, the sharp prickle of his magic apparent to his senses.

"In truth, you're a vicious, cold-hearted demon… not a lick of goodness or light within you… it's thick in your veins and so apparent, I can see it within those blood red eyes of yours… that you are just another demon." Yuya closed his eyes.

"I didn't know _what I was back then_ … but I do now… _and I can control it_ … the power I was given won't be used to hurt others! I refuse to let it become something that only causes others to suffer! I won't duel like that again! I won't use the power I have in such a way!" Yuto smiled a bit as Takeda and Umesugi smirked.

"Admitting to being anything but human? If I remember correctly, your kind are typically called… witches," said Takeda.

"Shut up! I set one card, and end my turn!" Yuya narrowed his eyes.

" _I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure my Waking Magic doesn't control me again… I'm not that kind of witch, and I'm not that kind of Duelist… I refuse to be used by something that I have… I'm going to make it obey me, no matter how much it struggles…"_ he thought as Takeda prepared for his turn.

"My turn! Pendulums aren't your specialty anymore, witch boy! I use my Scale Five Pendulum Statue Purple Shield, and Scale Eleven Purple Sword to set the Pendulum Scales! Now I can summon Monsters between level six and ten at the same time!" Takeda stated as Yuya watched the Pendulum's pillars appear, looking similar to his own type, but lacking the web of stardust.

" _ **It's not nearly as pretty as yours… then again, your pendulum summoning is originally sourced from your magic, and it invokes every time you use it… so, I guess it only makes sense…"**_ Yuto's commentary caused Yuya to smirk a bit.

" _Reiji Akaba did a decent job all the same… it seems he fixed that glitch that his had from back when he dueled me… but I do have a slight advantage on the scale width when it comes to his own."_ Yuto received the mental image of the two pendulum cards that Yuya had gathered and a slightly fiendish grin came to his features.

" _ **Well, witches work best together, that's what I've always heard."**_

"Pendulum Summon! Come forth, Earthly Wind Star Tsumuji! And Heavenly Wind Star Arashi!" Takeda said as the two warrior monsters appeared on the field.

" _These people have no imagination!"_ Yuya thought in disdain over the repeating archetype from Kachidoki.

" _ **I know… I was hoping for something a little more original…"**_ Yuto's input had Yuya almost wanting to laugh.

" _Oh well, we can't have everything…"_

"I activate Purple Sword's Pendulum Effect! Once per turn, I can increase the attack points of my warrior-type monsters by two hundred!" Takeda explained as the Purple crystal sword began to glow and the two Air Attribute Monsters attack points went up to twenty-four-hundred and twenty-five hundred.

" _ **Someone call the lost boys! We gotta shoot these birds down!"**_ Yuya tensed as Takeda smirked.

"Battle! I use Tsumuji to attack Skeeter Skimmer!" he announced as Yuya responded.

"Skeeter Skimmer's effect activates! By switching it into Defense Position, I can negate the battle!" Tsumuji was destroyed, and Takeda laughed.

"It's not like I only have one Monster, though!" Arashi drew his bow back and Yuya started to run.

He went to get the nearest action card, but was quickly kicked to the side by Umesugi, causing him to nearly fall into the lava river. Yuya teetered a bit at the edge of the river, trying to recapture his balance when he felt gravity go in reverse and he was thrown backwards once more as Yuto momentarily appeared beside him in a crouch, nodding to him as Yuya silently thanked him, and then stood once again. Skeeter Skimmer was destroyed, and Umesugi grabbed the Action Card while Yuya glowered at Takeda. He knew in that exact moment, that this was going to be an extremely difficult duel, but he hoped and prayed that everything worked out in his favor.

 **{Dispatch Room: Leo Corp Tower: 12:27pm}**

A sigh left the blue-haired, pastel-green-eyed boy as he stood in a simplistic room with a metal tray where his Duel Disk and Deck were laid next to a small ear-piece that seemed to favor a small earring. He reached for it, being quick to put it in as he started to get himself ready. Sky had been sent to the room in order to be given a change of clothes in preparation for the assignment he was about to be on and was also having his Duel Disk checked, and had been given new cards for his deck that would benefit him later once he was out on the field.

" _At first… I didn't know when… or even why I decided to abandon Academia and its teachings…"_

Sky took in a deep breath as he pulled on a pair of dark gray pants similar to his old ones, but longer before adjusting the belt and tugging on his shirt, a simple black one with a v-neck as he retied his hair into his typical ponytail, and looked to the red jacket with it's black trim at the hem, collar, front, and sleeve ends alongside it's gold buttons and the Lancer lapel pin on the inside of the collar.

" _But… somehow… something about all of them… and especially…"_

Sky tugged on his shoes, zipping up the black boots with red panels on the sides similar to his old ones before grabbing his jacket. The cotton fabric felt strange in his grasp, but he knew, now that the curse had been lifted on him, that he had not made a mistake as he started to tug it on, straightening it on his shoulders as he took in a deep breath as he looked at the mirror opposite him. The small black earring with a red gem in the center of it, gleamed in the dull light of the room as he grabbed his deck, preparing to load it into the Duel disk before he paused.

" _Yuya… made me realize… I had to do what was right…"_ Sky touched the Duel Disk, going into the pictures of it and looking through them before he paused on a singular photo.

It was a picture of Yuya after one of their training exercises that Shuzo had created to help teach the kids how to best handle Action Duels. The boy was looking at him with a small smile on his face, holding out a hand to him as he held a purple popsicle in his mouth, one arm behind his head. It was an odd picture, one that Sky wasn't one hundred percent certain how he managed to get, but it and the other images present on the Duel Disk, reminded him of why he was doing the things he was right then.

" _So, I became a Lancer… with the job of protecting…"_

The former Academia soldier turned Lancer, bowed his head as he placed his hand upon the picture he had up of everyone present. Did he know why he was doing this? Yes, he did, for those he had come to care for after so many years alone. Was it the right thing to do? To turn his back against all of those who had given him a place to live? Given him food and clothed him? Yes, because they were doing it for their own gain, and had used a corruption curse on him, making him do things, that under a normal circumstance he would have never chosen to do.

"… _the Pillar of the Pendulum Zone….Yuya Sakai… my friend… and now…"_

Sky looked upwards, grabbing his Duel Disk as he plugged his deck into it, and put it into his pocket before he put a pair of black fingerless gloves into his other pocket, taking in a deep breath as he walked forward, and pushed the door open, knowing that his mission would be to first meet up with Academia's Obelisk Force, then he would rendezvous with Shay Obsidian, from there, they would thin the forces, and finally, he and Shay were to locate Yuya and keep tabs on him, making sure that the boy was kept safe. However, if things were to go array, he was to cut the plan from the Obelisk Force if he felt the situation to risky.

Taking in a deep breath, Sky stepped outside of the room, and began his trek into the thick of the Battle Royale's Action Fields, and towards the Ancient Ruins where the Obelisk Force would be appearing. It was now time to set things into motion, and via observation, Sky would know whether or not to make contact with the Obelisk Force, and would go from there.

"It's time to fulfill the oath I took, so here I come, Academia," Sky stated as he grabbed his Duel Disk, attaching it to his arm and activating it before he started to walk with a quick stride into the Ancient Ruins, prepared to complete his mission without fail.

 **{…}**

 _Holy water cannot help you now…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Whoa! Things are getting serious! I honestly have to say that my favorite part about this chapter, is seeing Sky's inner dialogue on his reasons for doing what he is now, and I really loved how it had this symbolic feel to it of him walking out of the darker room and into the light as he goes into battle. Sky isn't only going to protect Yuya, but he's also got a bone to pick with Academia, so look out Professor, your life is about to get very difficult… in more ways than one.

Well, tell me what you guys thought, and I'll look for your reviews!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Yes, Yuya is the Pillar of the Pendulum Zone. You'll learn more about the others as we go along.

There were 10 hints and foreshadowing events in this chapter.

Skeeter Skimmer is used 27 times throughout the Arc-V anime as Yuya's opening move. I actually have a friend who counted not to long ago, he said it was something he noticed had a bit of consistency to it, and got curious. Go figure.


	41. Chapter 41: Team

Chapter 41: Team

 _Serena walked quietly along the wall towards the warp point of Academia's southern court yard. Her mind perturbed by a few details as she kept moving all the while being certain that she was more than likely going to be caught, and end up being locked in her tower once again. Serena blew her bangs out of her eyes, having dressed in her uniform, and made sure to travel light as she kept edging around the castle, avoiding the search lights. It had seemed simple enough in her head, especially if Joeri had come with her, but he had declined, stating that it would be better if she stayed put and did her digging here where she could be safe, and where the Professor wouldn't try and send an army after her in the literal statement._

" _ **Joeri had a point, but the Professor would never let me know what's really going on here, and I need to know if some of the stories I've been hearing are true or not!"**_ _she thought._

 _The blue-violet-haired girl stilled as a light came to closer to her, and soon, she was rushing towards the nearest gate, and ducked into the alcove to hide as two guards walked by. Serena had tried escaping once, three years ago when she had been angry at her adoptive father for not letting her go out and fight alongside her comrades, but even with the help of his son – a young man by the name of Reiji Akaba – she had still been caught and locked away in her tower. That day had been the moment that she had started noticing something wasn't right with Academia, and it had been solidified even more when she had met the two girls in the tower with her named Rin Mashima and Ruri Obsidian. They told her stories that were less than pleasant, and that, was when she had chosen to go to Joeri, who had told her that he knew as much as she did, but had the feeling that something was wrong._

" _Then you should have come with me… dumbass…" Once more creeping about the area, Serena drew closer to the warp point; however, just as she was about to make it, someone seized her arms from behind. Instantly, she knew it was an Obelisk Force member, and glanced around to see the person grinning as they pushed her against a wall, keeping her in place._

" _Let me go you jackass!" she snapped._

" _I'm afraid not, Lady Serena. You have to return to your ivory tower." The Kontis Witch ground her teeth together before twisting about, attempting to get free from the Obelisk Force member as several others arrived._

" _I told you to let go of me! Do you hear me? Take your hands off me!" Serena roared as the others laughed._

" _As strong of a Duelist as you are, there's nothing you can do to help yourself now, Princess. Take her back to the tower, make sure the Professor knows about the little escape artist he has for a daughter… maybe he'll reward us." the girl stilled at the tone used._

" _Don't you even think about it! Do you hear me? You fucker?!" she snarled, bearing her teeth at the man._

" _Now, now, that's no way for a Princess to speak. Maybe we should have a little fun and bring her back afterwards, hmm?" a few laughs came from them and then a creeping chill came through the area._

 _In a matter of seconds a rush of icy magic unfurled, roaring like a wild animal as the Obelisk Force members were knocked back, and Serena was pulled up into someone's arms, the person standing next to the teleport station and somewhat startling her as she looked at the Obelisk Force members as they started to get up, and she remained held completely in the person's arms in a princess carry as she stared before looking towards the person, her turquoise eyes widening._

" _That is no way to treat a young lady, apparently you rabid dogs need to learn when to obey your Master's orders..." Serena stared at the person with her._

" _Joeri? What are you doing?" she asked as she was settled gently upon her feet._

" _You want the truth, and so do I… so I suppose you could say that I am aiding in your escape." The Obelisk Force members looked him over._

" _But if you do that! You'll –" Serena was cut off._

" _Damn traitorous witch! I knew keeping a Strain Witch here and putting one in such a position would be a bad move. The fuck do you think your doing Mataeo?" Joeri took in a deep breath._

" _What's right… for the first time in a long time, I'm doing what is right by helping someone I love to do what is right… even if I am a traitor, I've done good by my dearest person," he explained as he held his hands outwards, palms facing downwards as his left eye's sclera turned violet, and his iris black. Serena looked to him in disbelief._

" _Joeri! Come on, let's go!" she was given a small smile._

" _No, Serena… I'll keep them off your back. Go, and find out the truth… and if you find it to be as acerbic as we feel it to be… find a way to help stop them…" the Obelisk Force narrowed their eyes._

" _Your going to be indicted for treason, I hope you know," stated one of the men before them._

" _If you can take me down, then yes, I would… but how do you know that mere flybys can handle a real witch?" Joeri gave them a wild smile, the black flames appearing in his grasps._

" _Joeri… don't fight them! Come with me!" Serena stated as she grabbed him, and the Obelisk Force shot an attack towards the duo, the girl reacting quickly as she raised a hand up and stopped them with a shield of silver-looking dust._

" _There are eight Obelisk Force members present… I am a Necros Witch, I can do many things with their lives and not even kill them… and I am also the child of a Grim Reaper and a Witch… in this circumstance, I have the upper hand…" the girl glared._

" _No! I'm not going to…" the amethyst eyed boy took her hand, pulling her forward to place a kiss to her cheek, causing Serena to stare wide-eyed at the young man before her._

" _For good fortune, my beautiful princess of oleander flowers…" Serena looked to the Obelisk Force as they came closer and she shot a spell towards them, nailing one in the chest before one shot a spell back, grazing her upper leg, and causing a cut to appear._

" _Ahh!" Serena shouted in pain as she reached down and put her hand over the wound as Joeri looked to her and then to the others before them._

" _You dare… to hurt her?! YOU'LL BURN IN THE LOWEST RINGS OF HELL!" Serena looked to the boy as black flames curled around him and flared out menacingly, knocking the Obelisk Force back once more as the loud crash brought attention to the others on patrol and Serena looked to Joeri as she prepared to stand and fight alongside him._

" _Joeri, we've gotta go!" she said._

" _Serena…" turquoise eyes met amethyst ones as Joeri smiled to her in the way that he only ever did towards her._

" _What are you –" the boy grasped her hands._

" _Return to me, okay? Once you do, I wish to tell you something vital, so please… return here and stop this madness, so I can let you know what I have been keeping silent for all these years, please…" the girl stared at him, tears appearing in her eyes as Joeri pushed her back into the teleportation zone and blue light appeared around her._

" _No! Wait! Come with me! If they –" Serena the other sent her a confident smirk._

" _Have some faith in me… I can handle myself perfectly fine, my Princess… so go, find the truth…" the lights around her began to glow brighter, and in the blink of an eye, she was gone._

 **{Jungle Section: July 24** **th** **, 2014, 1:00pm}**

Serena took in a deep breath as she walked along the way, her mind recalling how she had gotten to the Pendulum Zone in the first place, and how despite her best efforts to shake the terrible memory from her head, she couldn't do it. Joeri had been by her side since she'd arrived at Academia, and while the Professor never was fond of him being around her, he always had been right there, and she had abandoned him. Turquoise eyes narrowed as the Kontis Witch took in a shaky breath, her hand clenching into a fist.

"I'm going to make sure I come back with some answers… once I do… I'm going to help you, I promise Joeri…"

She kept moving, her face tense as she continued to think of the best way to find an Xyz survivor. It was evident that some of them had fled to the Pendulum Zone; however, locating them would be a somewhat difficult task and as she considered it, she wasn't even sure what to do exactly. Serena took in a deep breath, glowering at the ground as she began to wonder if she should have thought her plan through more. The girl bit her lip, crossing her arms over her chest as she began to think about what was happening while her mind continued to run through the situation at hand.

"Seems like you're in quite the pinch…" Serena turned on her heels, a flush of mist seeming to appear at her fingertips.

"Whose there?" she asked sharply as the shadowy figure just in the tree line appeared, and outstepped a certain silver-haired, violet eyed youth.

"I'm surprised that you don't recall me, Serena Allister." The girl's eyes grew wide.

"Reiji Akaba… what the hell are you doing out in the open? Won't the public find it strange that you're present on the field of your tournament?" she inquired.

"No, the feed is cut to this area." Serena narrowed her eyes as she looked him over.

"What do you want? To send me back to your father?" she asked him sharply.

"Send you back? No, I have no desire to do that… instead… I have a proposition." Serena kept her guard up, eyeing the young President of Leo Corp with questioning.

"A proposition? For me?" Serena probed as Reiji nodded.

"Yes, would you be interested in hearing me out? Or would you prefer to attempt to take my head off with your shell powders?" Serena rose an eyebrow.

"How did you know that's what the mist had in it?" Reiji fixed his glasses.

"I've been doing quite a bit of research on Witches lately, and I have determined that Duelists with the power of witches is the best way to combat my father… " he stated as Serena laughed a bit.

"Please, do you honestly think most Witches would willingly go to war? A Risulian, sure, they'd have no problem… but over ninety percent of the global Witch population won't even listen to your proposal… or did you forget that one of our practices is to harm none?" Reiji looked her over.

"Not all of your kind would be so willing to allow another too trample upon their lives, destroy their towns, slaughter their families, and eradicate the world we live in under a presumption that killing our guardians will grant them the power to unify our broken world into a whole, either, Serena Allister," he stated pointedly as the girl stared at him.

"W-What are you talking about? I know that the Zones have to become Dimensions but… no… your… talking about guardians… so that means you've heard that old fairytale that our world, has people who are chosen by some kind of mystical power to protect it after the first of them died during a war, which is why our world is so fragile." Reiji sighed.

"You've done your homework; however, Millennium's Guardians… or… Pillars, isn't some fairytale… it's true," he explained.

Serena glowered at the young man before her. A part of her didn't trust a word that left him, only because he was the Professor's son; however, Serena had always heard a old legend about a Pharaoh who had once defended their world with his very life, and how when the world was split as it was now, people were chosen to protect each segment of it, showing a power and understanding of darkness and light, and the balance that must be maintained. Serena glanced Reiji over as he remained quiet, and she sighed, lowering her guard at last.

"If it's true, then do you have proof? I'm not going to just take something you say at face value." Reiji nodded.

"Yes, I have all the evidence I need… in fact, the Pillar of our Zone is in this tournament right now," he stated as he swiped his hand down a fraction and a holographic screen appeared before him, which he sent her way, allowing her to see a duel going on between two teenagers and a young boy with red-green-hair and scarlet eyes. Serena felt her eyes grow wide at the sight of him before looking towards Reiji with a snarl on her face.

"You better tell me why Joeri is here!" Reiji held a hand up to stop her.

"His name is Yuya Sakaki, he is the Pillar of our Zone, and subsequently, the youngest out of the ten current Pillars," he said.

"Yuya? Then why does he look like Joeri?" Reiji shook his head.

"I am still figuring out why Yuya favors three other boys as well. It just so happens, that you favor a young girl who is very close to our Pillar. Her name is Yuzu Hiiragi," Reiji explained to her as she pulled up a picture of a pink-haired periwinkle-eyed girl.

"Yuzu? And… Yuya? Wait, you said Yuya favors three other boys. So, that means you knew about Joeri?" Reiji shook his head again.

"Not completely, but I was aware from the things I have heard that a boy named Yuto Kisaragi was here searching for his girlfriend named Ruri Obsidian, and another boy showed up briefly, by the name of Hugo Matsumoto, who came in search of his girlfriend, by the name of Rin Mashima, under the impression that Yuto kidnapped her, to which he denied, and an ally confirmed… do you know something about this?" Serena felt a knot form in her stomach.

"Ruri… and… Rin… I know about them, they're being held in a tower in Academia. They said they were from the Xyz Zone and Synchro Zone," she admitted.

"They once were… my father sent an assassin named Paradox, to become the catalyst of the invasion of the Xyz Zone, resulting in massive casualties, and in succession, the death of the Pillar of the Xyz Zone, Yuma Tsukumo. In his death, his Secondary took his place … once a Pillar is killed, their Zone falls into Darkness, and becomes a Dimension… and while this does indeed make it easier for the different Dimensions to be pulled together into one world… Millennium cannot survive that amount of corrupt darkness… resulting in our world and all of its people… dying, our star blinking out of existence, for we are one of many worlds that glitter in the universe." Serena took in a deep breath.

"So… there are six Zones… how many of them are Dimensions now?" she asked.

"Three of them are Dimensions now. Paradox's actions created a domino effect, resulting in the Fusion Zone and Synchro Zone being cut into, their Dimensional counterparts are present alongside them, slowing devouring the Zones as the darkness in the Dimensions grows stronger…" Serena clenched her hands.

"Then what can the Pillars do? You said there are ten of them! Surely they can put a stop to this mess!" she said.

"They can do no more than you can alone to stop my father from going into a Zone, finding the Pillar, killing them, and then burning all witches at the stakes, executing anyone in their families, and carding mortals while laughing, making games out of the entire ordeal alongside using Corruption Curses on the Witches within Academia."

A sudden urge to vomit came to Serena as she put a hand to her mouth, dread filling her at the words. While she was not a Witch known for this gift, many of those with the skill of a Kontis Witch, and the bloodlines of a Siren, could tell if someone was lying to them if they listened to their voices. As Serena listened to the tone within Reiji's voice, she knew, without question, that he spoke nothing but truths, and even though it pissed her off to no end, she knew when to admit she was wrong. However, having to acknowledge that Academia's darkness truly had gone that deep, made her skin crawl. Every part of her knew easily that the Professor was doing far more than what his son knew, but she also had other things she needed to find out.

"Fine, I'm willing to hear your proposition," Serena told him as Reiji nodded.

"I am forming a group known as the Lancers, who are Duelists that have different strengths to be put to use in gathering allies from the Synchro and Xyz Dimensions, and then combat Academia on their grounds." The Kontis Witch stared at him.

"You want to send in people behind enemy lines? _Are you insane?!_ There are other Witches in Academia, and not to mention, the Professor has all the mortals hopped up on Fly-By-Night capsules, so they can use magic too! There are hundreds of people in Academia, and all of them have been trained and are armed to the teeth!" Serena told him as Reiji sighed.

"Yes, I am aware that it will not be easy. However, we have many powerful Duelists on our side already, and they each boast different talents and strengths. I was hoping, that you would join us as well," Reiji stated.

"J-Join you? Are you sure you want the Princess of Academia as your ally?" the other smirked.

"You're a gilded Princess… chained and imprisoned, unable to prove that you are a warrior… like I heard your mother once was," he said.

"My… mother?" Reiji nodded.

"Though I don't have much information, my father has a decent chunk of our world's history tucked away, because someone recorded events that he does not want others knowing of. In those records, I do not doubt that information about your parents is also present there," he informed her.

"So, what? In exchange for my aid in a fight against the Professor, you'll make sure I find out who my mother and father were?" Reiji looked her over.

"More than that, we will stop him from killing our world… and find out how the Pillars can be reconnected with one another… and hopefully put an end to this mess," he said.

"You realize he's probably got more reasons and plans than what's just on the surface, right? And there's a reason that he had Joeri kidnap Ruri and Rin… which makes me wonder why he wants myself and those two… plus… he'll probably send someone after Yuzu Hiiragi… and then there's those other three boys who favor Joeri…" Serena began to mutter towards the end and Reiji nodded.

"I understand all of those details, but the only way we can find the truth, is by working together to stop him," he stated firmly as the girl looked to him.

"Alright, I'll help… but I want to talk to an Xyz Survivor first. I want to know what really happened from one of their mouths…" Reiji rose an eyebrow.

"You're a Siren, aren't you? Can't you tell if someone is lying by the tone in their voice?" he inquired.

"I can, but I'm only half-Siren… which means I always double-check what I hear from two different sources if I can. There are some people who I can instantly tell are truthful… but you… I don't entirely know if I trust you or not…" the other reached into his pocket and threw an oval shaped device at the girl, who caught it.

"You can find an Xyz Survivor by the name of Shay Obsidian, in the Temple of the Ancient Ruins in the next fifteen minutes. I have a turncoat of Academia meeting him there to combat the Obelisk Force that is on their way to retrieve you. I will inform Sky of what is happening, and make sure that he is aware of someone else coming to meet them; however, I would keep your guard up, if things start to go array, Sky and Shay have both been given permission to begin a Variance against the Obelisk Force if it means protecting our Pillar and insuring the victory of our first defense against Academia." Serena took in a deep breath.

"Fine, I can get there in fifteen minutes… are you sure they'll be there?" she asked.

"Unless something goes wrong. If it does, the lining on the tracker will turn red, and hone in on both of them. Serena, once you meet Shay, ask him to sit down and tell you the whole story once this mess is over, for the time being, put faith in what your eyes see, and your ears hear." Serena gripped the tracker.

"I can wait… but… I'm reserving judgment on you… merely because I can feel that your hiding something, and in time, it will come out, and all of us will know," she stated.

"Very well, take this with you so that Sky and Shay are aware that you are one of our allies." Reiji walked forward and grabbed Serena's hand before placing a small lapel pin in her palm in the shape of a red shield with a golden knight wielding a lance on it, trimmed in the same gold shade with the letters LDS on it at the bottom.

"Alright, with this, I'm off to find those two… if things start going crazy, I can't promise that I won't start kicking some ass, so you better not berate me for potential property damage, got it?" Serena inquired as she put the pin on her jacket collar.

"I wouldn't dream of it. Use your magic, summon your Monsters with it if you wish, cause a Variance, or Duel… just don't die, and don't abandon your comrades." The girl smirked as she started walking away.

"Like you said: wouldn't dream of it. See ya," she said as she left, and Reiji sighed.

"Let's hope this goes the way we need it to," Reiji muttered as he walked away, pulling out his cellphone to prepare the next step in his plans.

 **{Iceberg Area: 1:20pm}**

Yuzu rubbed her arms as she stood in the field of ice and snow, wearing only a lavender t-shirt, her thigh-high leggings, pink converse sneakers, and a pair of dark wash jean shorts. The wind blew, and she shivered, suddenly wishing she had brought a jacket at least as she started looking around for Pendulum Cards. She had found one already, and it was loaded into her deck awaiting her use; however, if she didn't find a second one, she wouldn't be Dueling any time soon, and Yuzu knew that the sooner she started a Duel, the sooner she would be warming up because of motion.

"Brrr~ just _looking_ at this makes me cold. Why didn't they think of this before choosing such an insane field?" she thought aloud as she heard snow crunching behind her.

"So hot! Running around sure made me feel overheated, I didn't think that was possible in cold areas…" Yuzu turned to see a young man dressed in Arabic attire walking towards her.

"Oh boy…" the person looked to her and grinned brightly.

"Ah! Your Yuzu Hiiragi!" he said excitedly.

"Eh?" the other smiled.

"I am Halil from LDS Anatolia Branch. I am an exchange student from the Fusion Course! Nice to meet you!" he introduced himself with a bright grin as Yuzu smiled.

It was evident that Halil had only recently learned Japanese, but it was decent, if not a bit broken in some areas. Yuzu couldn't help but find him kind of funny in a good way, only because of his enthusiasm, and excitement to be in the tournament, and have made it as far as he had. Yuzu smiled in return, taking a moment to introduce herself as the other gave her a continuous grin.

"You as well. It must be a change from where you're from." Halil nodded.

"Indeed! It is always very hot in my country, and there is a lot of sand. This is my first time seeing snow! It is beautiful! But, you are the Fusion User who defeated Julia Crystal! I would so love to Duel you!" Halil stated in rapid succession as Yuzu smiled.

"I wouldn't mind getting the chance to Duel you either, but… I still haven't found my second Pendulum Card." The Arabic teenager shrugged.

"I picked up three running around before! If I give one to you, Miss Yuzu, we both have two and will be allowed to Duel each other," he said happily as he held the cards out to her.

"Are you sure?" he nodded.

"No problem. Dueling you would be an honor, pick the number you need." Yuzu eyed the three cards and grabbed the one she felt would benefit her deck best before handing the other two back to Halil.

"Thank you, you're so sweet," she said.

"It is no problem! Dueling you and Yuya Sakaki is something I deeply desire to do. But I will not lose this Duel or any other!" Yuzu smiled.

"Don't count on that, I'm not your run-of-the-mill Fusionist, you know! I'm an Entertainment Duelist who also uses Fusions," she stated.

"I am so thrilled! This will be most educational! To duel someone like you, Miss Yuzu." The pink-haired girl smiled.

"Just Yuzu is fine, and if you Duel Yuya, don't give him honorifics, he hates those things," she informed Halil who nodded.

"Understood! Shall we?" the pink-haired girl nodded.

"Let's Duel!" the two said as they drew five cards each.

"My turn! I Summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp! Then I place two cards face-down and end turn!" Halil stated as a familiar green genie appeared on the field.

" _First generation… normal Monster. If he has the Magic Lamp and other supporting cards for Fiends, I might have a problem especially if he has any anti-light attribute cards,"_ Yuzu thought.

"My turn! Draw! I set the Pendulum Scales using my Scale Three White Butterfly and my Scale Nine White Flower!" Yuzu announced.

"What?! Pendulum Summon?!" the girl nodded.

" _Okay Yuya, here I go!"_

"With this, I can summon Monsters level four through eight at once! So I'll –" Halil smirked.

"Continuous Trap, Spell-Absorbing Lamp, activates! It negates one of my opponent's Spell Cards and adds it to my hand!" he explained.

"What?!" Halil smiled, holding out his hand.

"White Flower, please!" he asked politely as Yuzu frowned at took the card off the disk and tossed it to Halil.

"And this was my first time using it too…" Halil smiled as he caught the card.

"Activated Pendulum Cards are treated as Spell Cards when in the Pendulum Zones, so it is good thing I learned this!" he said as Yuzu frowned.

"You didn't stop me from playing a Monster though. I Summon Opera the Melodious Diva from my hand!" a small fairy in a pink and purple ball gown with musical notes appeared, her pink and blonde hair done up in an elegant bun as she hummed a few bars and stood just above Yuzu. Her level only being a four and her attack standing at twenty-three hundred.

"Oh! What a pretty fairy!" Halil stated.

"Thanks, now, this card can't attack during the turn it's Normal or Special Summoned, so I end my turn!" Yuzu finished her turn, and took in a deep breath as she glanced to her hand.

" _Aria is in my hand, she's a level four as well… if I had an Xyz Monster, I could have done something on the next turn, but unless I draw Polymerization, I can't use my extra deck at all," s_ he thought.

 **{Lava Area: 1:30pm}**

Yuya had been thrown around, and nearly burned alive several times by this point, almost an hour into his Duel against Takeda and Umesugi, and it was starting to get to him. Every time he tried to grab an Action Card, they kept shoving him aside, causing him to use magic – _very obvious magic mind you_ – to keep himself from being thrown into the river of molten lava that was near them. It was an uncomfortable situation to be in, but even more so due to the history of witches and pits of fire or angry mobs not having a good background. A sharp pain bloomed in his side as he was slammed against the rocks nearby as Umesugi's monster struck him directly, causing him to land next to an Action Card, but his attempt to grab it was stopped as he was kicked in the chest, and his arm stepped on firmly.

"Pathetic, your supposed to be a Witch, aren't you? And yet this is how you fight? Where's all that power you had when you were beating Kachidoki to a pulp without remorse? Huh?! Answer me! You fucking freak!" Takeda kicked him again, and Yuya narrowed his eyes.

His body hurt, and he could feel the sharp ebbing pulse of his magic as it attempted to overtake him each time he was thrown about, or attacked physically by these two; however, he had done his best to keep it at bay, and the same went to Yuto who was trying to keep it down despite the fact that he'd never done so with his own magic, and had no prior practice. They had done well, working together as a team: but they both knew they were getting to the ends of their ropes. Takeda slammed his foot down on Yuya's arm, causing pain to race up the offended limb as he gritted his teeth in protest of the scream that wanted to escape him as the other jumped back and activated the Action Spell, Flame Ball, resulting in Yuya being slammed with two-hundred points of damage. He was thrown about again, and this time he did let out a pained yelp as he rolled onto his side.

" _Focus… focus… stay in control… you have three more losses after this if it goes bad… it's not a big deal… but they… shouldn't win… they shouldn't be given the opportunity to keep hurting people like this…"_ the snaring bite of his magic appeared in the back of his mind and Yuto reacted quickly.

" _ **Yuya! Calm down!"**_

" _I'll make them suffer for it… they won't beat me… no way in hell!"_ the boy stood, his mind hazy as a line of blood came from the scrape on other arm as he took in a deep breath, his eyes appearing to become a bit brighter than their normal scarlet shade.

" _ **Your hurt! And your magic is influencing you, think about this. Your arm might be broken, use a spell to heal it before you react! YUYA!"**_

"I'm going to… make you regret this." Takeda laughed.

"What will you do? Your down to eight-hundred Life Points, and haven't done a damn thing to help yourself. It's like you're not even trying!" he boasted.

"And part one of our revenge will end here! My Senkou attacks you directly!" Yuya stood, gritting his teeth against the sudden pain as he raised his right arm out.

" _It's broken, I can tell just by how it feels… but right now, I've got to hang in there and beat these fuckers!"_

"I activate the Continuous Trap, Performapal Pinch Helper! I can negate an opposing Monster's Direct Attack, and then, I can Special Summon one _Performapal_ from my Deck that has eight-hundred or less Attack, but its effects are negated! So, come out! Thunderhino!" a gray rhino with a decorative ring on it's shoulders appeared, a orange and red bowtie on it with green and yellow stars present on his cheeks while a small top hat with a yellow bow was upon it's head as it pawed the ground.

"In that case, I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Supremacy Fusion! I fuse Senkou and Todoroki together!" Umesugi declared.

" _ **This is why I hate most Fusion Users! They fucking pull this bullshit in the middle of the damn Duel!"**_ Yuto snapped as Yuya took in a deep breath, the pain in his arm seeming to keep him in minor control of the fog that was threatening to overtake him.

" _I can't exactly argue with you right now about that one…"_ Yuya thought back to the other as Umesugi began his Summoning.

" _Flash in the Heavens! Roar that rumbles the earth! Reign over all, Thundering God of Destruction!_ Fusion Summon! Come Forth! _Raijin, The Star of Supreme Thunder!"_ the towering monster adorned in golden armor with dark brown leather and orange cloth at the waist and near it's head appeared, boasting three-thousand attack points as Yuya tensed.

"Shit…" Umesugi grinned.

"When this card attacks a Defense Position Monster, it inflicts piercing battle damage! And a Monster Summoned during the Battle Phase can attack!" Yuya started running, ignoring the pain in his body as he did so.

"We've got you now! You little freak!" Takeda said as Umesugi sent Raijin after Yuya's Monster.

"Battle! My Raijin attacks Thunderhino!" Yuya took in a deep breath.

"I activate the other effect of my Continuous Trap, Pinch Helper! By sending this card to the Graveyard, I can halve the damage of battles involving multiple Monsters!" The attack hit Thunderhino, and the blast of electricity charged through the area, aiming itself at Yuya who tried to respond; however, due to the injuries he'd sustained, he didn't have the energy nor the time to conjure a protective spell, and it struck him directly in the back, knocking him across the ground, and causing an explosion of pain to rip through his body to the point that he could feel his magic move in, completely wrapping itself around him as he laid upon the ground, almost unable to breathe from the shock he'd just received.

" _ **Yuya! Please! You've gotta get up!"**_

His mind was hazy, his ears ringing as his eyes tried to focus, but failed to do so. Everything part of his body was in unsurmountable pain, and even though he was considering an attempt to move, his body wouldn't respond. Yuto began to panic, shifting about as he tried to find a way to help Yuya as the boy's magic formed around him, soothing his pain, protecting him, and trying to take control to end the dangerous situation they were in. Yuto understood the intentions of the Waking Magic, but he also knew that Yuya would potentially do a great deal of harm to his opponents if he were to lose control.

" _I can't move… my body won't do it… help… I've gotta get up… please…"_ Takeda and Umesugi watched from above as Yuya tried in vain to get his body to respond.

"There's nothing he can do. This is the end of him…" Umesugi nodded to Takeda's statement.

"He should stay down, like the dog he is… what right does a witch have to be in the same place as mortals anyways?" Yuto turned to look at the two of them at that moment.

" _ **You son of a –"**_ Yuto was stopped when he heard Yuya take in a shaky breath, and turned to see the boy slowly getting up.

"I have every right… to be here… just because I'm different… doesn't mean your better than I am." Takeda laughed.

"Well, I guess you really do gotta burn'em to keep'em down. So, let's send him down into the depths of darkness, and see how long he can handle it," he suggested as Yuya got to his feet, gritting his teeth as he did so.

"I won't lose! Like hell I'm going to lose to two sorry excuses for human beings like you!" the boy started moving and Takeda narrowed his eyes.

"You aren't a human being though! You're a Witch! Meaning you don't belong amongst us! So, there's no point in struggling! As soon as this turn ends, you'll take a total of one-thousand points of damage due to my Fuujin's effect, and once that happens, we're gonna drag you out in the open, and let everyone know what you really are! We'll tear away that pretty little façade you've put up for everyone and show them what kind of beast has been living under their noses all this time," Takeda stated.

"Fuck you! If you think they'll believe you think again!" Umesugi looked him over.

"Everyone knows your not normal Sakaki, hell, after the show you put on with Kachidoki, there's no way in hell anyone can doubt that _you're not human._ What was it you said earlier? That you didn't know what you were then? But you do now? So, tell me, _what are you?"_ Yuya gritted his teeth.

"…." Umesugi smirked.

"Got nothing to say? Fine, I end my turn!" he stated as Fuujin's effect activated and he went in for the kill, only to be blocked by some strange looking creature.

Yuya, who had shielded his eyes, hadn't seen it at first due to the bright light, but once it had faded, he was greeted by a clown-looking creature made from a juggling pin with a cape and a witch's hat on it's head juggling balls with question marks floating away as another person stood on the ridge, and swiped the hat of the Duel Monster's head, placing it upon his own as Takeda and Umesugi looked at the person in confusion.

"Well, two-on-one's just plain unfair! And here I was hoping that Japanese mortals would have better manners than the ones back home… guess I was just hoping for too much." Yuya tensed, feeling a magical pulse come from the person as they stood before him, adorned in a pair of dark gray pants, black loafers, a blue dress shirt with an uneven hem, and a bright orange dress jacket with only one sleeve. A red ribbon replaced the tie that should have been worn, and the person wore a singular black glove on the hand of the arm that had a sleeve. The person kept the orange and yellow starred witch's hat upon his head and Takeda and Umesugi looked at them in outrage.

"And who the fuck are you?" the person laughed.

"Oh my! Where ever are my manners?!" the person slid down the ridge and stilled next to Yuya before sweeping his hat off, revealing wild orange hair and blue-green eyes as they bowed formally.

"My name is Dennis MacField, I'll be joining this fight as well," he stated as Yuya gawked at him.

"Hey! What are you –" he was cut off when Dennis winked and placed the hat upon his head.

"Just thought –" Yuya watched as his Duel Disk lit up.

" **Intrusion Penalty – Two-thousand Life Points!"** the trio watched as Dennis was electrocuted, and knocked to the ground while the scarlet-eyed boy blew his bangs out of his eyes, not bothering to remove the hat on his head at this point. A moment later, Dennis recovered from his shocking discovery and stood back up, patting off his form as he coughed.

"My god! What a shocking situation!" Yuya gave him a bland expression.

"You were saying before you became a bug zapper?" Dennis smiled.

"Sorry! I came to help!" Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"Why?" he questioned.

"Because, as I was going to say before… I thought it would be good to lend a hand to one of my own kind." Yuya felt his eyes widen.

"You're a –" the other smirked.

"No time to chitchat just yet my brethren friend _! It's show time!"_

 **{…}**

 _Thousand armies couldn't keep me out…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Takeda and Umesugi seem to know an awful lot about Yuya being a Witch, huh? Well, there's a reason for that, and you'll find out soon enough. Atop that, we were introduced to a few new characters, and some crazy conversations went on in this chapter that I think have got a lot of you thinking about where in the hell Reiji is getting this information from, well, fear not, before the Synchro Dimension Arc starts, you'll get a sort of answer… unless I decide to be evil and have Reiji explain it to you later. Well, tell me what you guys think, and you know the rest of that drill!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Serena is a Kontis Witch, her Skill is with making special magic powders from shells, and also controlling things from the sea. She is an Ocean Witch, but is opposite of Hugo who is a Storm Witch.

Sirens can detect truths and lies by listening to a person speak. Serena is a half-Siren, meaning that she has the ability to do so, but at times, it isn't as clear to her as it would be for a full-blooded Siren.

As time goes on, more Witches both good and bad, will come out of the wood work.

Halil, he is one of my favorite side-cast characters. He's so giddy and has a passion for learning, and I just find him really adorable. He reminds me of my youngest brother.

Dennis MacField, you'll learn more about how he fits into certain events as time goes on; however, it is rather interesting that I actually went to school through junior high all the way to college with someone who is basically his real life counterpart, magic tricks, crazy hair, attire, behavior, and everything else. He was a Theater Major at the university I went to for a short while, and for the reader who went to school with me: _you might know who it is I'm talking about._


	42. Chapter 42: Fever

Chapter 42: Fever

 **{Outer Rim of the Ancient Ruins: 1:50pm}**

"They aren't here yet… what the hell is going on?" Sky asked himself as he looked around the area.

He had already breezed through the other areas, double checking for any signs of the Obelisk Force, and had seen different Duelists such as Reid Pepper and that Trout – or whatever his name was – working together in order to find more Pendulum Cards in the Jungle area, while Yuzu and Gongenzaka had been Dueling against Halil and Olga in a tag-duel in the ice Berg area, and at current he could see that Yuya was still in a Duel with Takeda and Umesugi, but had finally gotten some help from someone. However, through all of his searching, he hadn't once laid eyes on so much as a trace of any Obelisk Force members, and that worried him to no end. The Bracket Team of Lancers were already scattered about the playing fields, prepared to go to war, and he knew Shay was waiting for him in the Ancient Ruins area, but the Obelisk Force had still not shown up.

"This reeks of a trap… the Professor probably suspects something happened to me and now he's going to try and trip me up… like hell that'll be happening, I have a job to do, and if they're not going to show up then –" just as he was about to walk away, a flare of light appeared from behind the half-destroyed stone walls and he froze, panic curling in the pit of his stomach as he made quick work of getting far away and hiding himself, at which point, he managed to get a better look at the uniformed, mask-wearing people present.

"Shit!" Sky muttered.

There were at least a hundred and fifty Obelisk Force members present. All of them dressed to begin a hunt, and carrying a pouch of what Sky knew were Fly-By-Night capsules on their belts. These weren't just any members of the Obelisk Force, these were what the witches in Academia called the flybys, people who were mortals drugging themselves with the pills filled with the liquified remains of the Fly-By-Night flowers. It was a scary thought, that a hundred and fifty armed and dangerous mortals had just dropped in under the impression that they were doing noble work, and going to have a little fun on the battlefield hunting down by witch and mortal. Sky ground his teeth together, and took in a deep breath.

" **Come in Sky…"** the blue-haired Dyren Witch placed a hand to the receiver he had tucked in his ear.

"I'm here, and they've just arrived," he said as Reiji's voice came in over the receiver's speaker.

" **How many of them are present?"** Sky bit his lip.

"About a hundred and fifty give or take a few. They appeared right behind me, but they haven't seen me… yet," he told him.

" **Then we will have to go with plan two, do you have everything ready?"** Sky nodded.

"Yes sir, I do. Are you sure baiting and trapping is a good plan though?" he inquired.

" **We don't have a choice. Try not to kill them, if you do their bodies will be transported back to Academia… we want to minimize casualties, but we cannot let that many of them run loose in the city. I am giving you permission to card them."** Sky bit the inside of his cheek.

"Roger that, Captain. I'll begin the baiting process now, and lure them towards Obsidian. We'll rendezvous by two-fifteen," he confirmed.

" **Good, now. Begin the operation**."

The Obelisk Force members began to split up into groups at that point, and Sky watched and waited until a group of about twenty were present in the Ancient Ruins while smaller groups of three had divided themselves up to the different areas, spreading out to begin their search as Sky watched them from above in one of the windows of a building that had appeared due to the Solid Vision system. He was planning on screening them with a spell, and was going to leave his Dueling for later if needs be, but in the moment, he was about to cast his spell, the leader of the group that had arrived picked up his receiver and began issuing orders.

"Our obligation is to find Lady Serena, and capture two individuals by the names of Yuzu Hiiragi, and the Pillar of this Zone, Yuya Sakaki. Hiiragi is to go to the towers immediately upon return, so don't rough her up if you can help it, and Sakaki is supposed to go to the Professor, so just make sure he's not to damaged by the time we bring him back. All others can be executed or carded. Either one's fine, just so long as it's not messy and we get the job done. Am I clear?" Sky narrowed his eyes.

"Why the interest in that boy?" asked one of the soldiers.

"Eh, who knows. Maybe he's piqued the Professor's interest for some reason. That extra spy informed us that he's a witch with quite a bit of power, so maybe the Professor think's he'll make a good puppet." The Dyren Witch could take no more.

" _That sick, twisted, vile, sorry excuse for a Zefrent! I'm gonna send his goons straight to the fiery pits of hell if they even think of laying one hand on either of them!"_

"Anyways, Beta team is searching for Lady Serena and –" an explosion stopped the person from speaking, startling the rest of the members present as they turned.

"Where the hell did that come from?" the smoke remained in place as a series of lights appeared in the smoke.

"I use my Scale One Edge Imp Cotton Eater and my Scale Nine Fluffal Fox to Set the Pendulum Scales! Thus, I can summon Monsters Level Two through Eight at the same time! _Swing in harmony Pendulum of Trials! Form a woven thread that pierces through all! Pendulum Summon!_ Come forth! My trusted Monsters!" the Obelisk Force stared in disbelief as two pillars of green-blue tone manifested and a moment later a set of Monsters appeared upon the field.

"Those are… Sora Shuinin's Monsters!" stated one of the men.

"What the hell is happening?" the smoke began to clear and soon Sky stood present, Four monsters on his field.

"Master Sora! What is –" the other narrowed his eyes, bearing his teeth.

"My name isn't Sora! You fucking flybys! _My name is Sky!_ Now! I activate the Spell Card Polymerization from my hand, and I fuse together my Edge Imp Chain and my Fluffal Sheep! _Demonic shackles that bind their prisoner eternally, innocent creature of a lost heard! Form as one, and wreak havoc upon those who stray from the flock! Fusion Summon!_ Come out! Frightfur Sheep!" Sky announced as the Obelisk Force members stared in disbelief.

"He's a traitor! Fight back!" ordered the leader.

"You'll regret it if you do! All of you are going to die right here! I won't let you touch Yuya or Yuzu! _Do you hear me?!_ " the Obelisk Force members stepped back as Sky took in a deep breath, his eyes shining with a ferocity unlike anything they'd ever seen before.

"Fine! End your turn!" Sky nodded as the Leader activated his Duel Disk.

"I set three face downs! Turn end!" he stated.

"I'm up then, draw! From my hand, I play polymerization, and I fuse together my two Ancient Gear Hounds! _Fierce mechanical beasts inheriting ancient souls! Come together as one! Fusion Summon!_ Come to me! Ancient Gear Howitzer!" Sky narrowed his eyes as the giant of a mechanical beast appeared.

" _I'll make spare parts out of that atrocity! By the time I'm done, the Obelisk Force is going to know me as a thing to fear!"_ he thought.

"Now, I enter my main phase, and I can inflict one-thousand points of direct damage to my opponent! Feel the burn of your punishment! Traitor!" Sky braced himself as he was slammed with eight-hundred points worth of damage.

"Shit…." The blue-haired Dyren Witch brushed off the attack, and the others cheered while his Life Points dropped down to three-thousand.

"Get him! Tear him to pieces!" pastel-green eyes narrowed.

"Show him who the real Masters are!" called another.

"Teach that Witch traitor to know his place!" Sky stood straight, keeping a glare upon his features.

"Once I wear you down to nothing, we'll burn you at the stake like your kind deserve," the leader stated as Sky took in a deep breath.

"Then attack me! Or are you to scared?!" the other laughed.

"Please, I activate the Spell card Ancient Gear Restoration! This boosts my Monster's attack points to twenty-four hundred!" Sky tensed as the Monster's attack points rose from their original one-thousand.

"Great…" the Obelisk Leader smirked.

"It is, now! I battle! Howitzer! Destroy Frightfur Sheep! Teach this traitor a lesson!" he said.

Sky braced himself as he considered his face downs and hissed, knowing that the only card would help him would be Mirror Force, which unfortunately he hadn't drawn yet, and the other three wouldn't help him at the time being. The only thing he could do, was let the attack go through, and so he braced himself and took the hit, knowing that his plan would work if he kept himself in check and did as he had reviewed and planned earlier, it would work in his favor.

"If you were gonna stop us, maybe you should have been using the Ancient Gear deck that the honor students get when they finish their training." Sky spat out a bit of blood as his Life points went down to twenty-six hundred.

"Why would I want to be some _predictable_ carbon copy fake? When I can be genuine?" the group of twenty laughed.

"Then you can be genuine all the way to the stake you witch trash! I end my turn. now show me what you got before I finish you off and show you what the Masters can do," the leader said.

" _It's now or never… please… I know what I've done was wrong… but please… respond to me,"_ Sky thought as he took in a deep breath.

"My turn! I draw! Right here, I'm going to prove that your wrong!" he stated.

"Wrong about what?" Sky narrowed his eyes.

"You're not my Masters… I am my own Master, and after today, you'll know me as the Master of Nightmares and Lost Dreams!" the group laughed.

"And how is that going to happen?" Sky settled his gaze upon them.

"With this! I use my two Fluffal Leos to build the _overlay network!_ " he called.

"T-The fuck?!" Sky took in a deep breath.

" _Oh, great winged creature of silken midnight, that which quotes nevermore the unending toll of interest and stands guard at the door of the darkest hours. Carry a new nightmare upon your shadowed wings! Xyz Summon!_ Rank Four! _Frightfur Raven!_ " Sky raised an arm into the air as the giant beast took flight in a torrent of midnight blue and black feathers, dark green overlay networks floating around it as the creature gave a might caw, flapping its massive black feathered wings as a jagged beak snapped and sinister looking hooked talons curled outwards as it's sharp glowing green eyes narrowed upon them, the stitching in the side of it's beak and wings displaying it as a taxidermized bird with a deadly intent as they looked at the attack points of the monster that stood and twenty-six hundred.

"An… Xyz… Summon? B-But how can you –" Sky smirked.

"It's easy, I put my faith in the heart of the cards, and it came through for me! Now, I activate the effect of my Frightfur Raven! By detaching one overlay unit! I can cut my opponent's Life Points in half! _Riddle Wings!"_ he called as the Winged beast flapped its mighty wings and in an instant, the other's Life Points dropped down to two-thousand.

"You still have my Monster to deal with! And once it's gone, you're gonna burn you little fucker!" Sky looked to him with a seething glare.

"The only ones burning here, are the lot of you… I activate the other effect of my Frightfur Raven! By detaching the other overlay unit, I can automatically destroy one monster on my opponent's field! I chose your Howitzer! _Death Caw!"_ the enormous bird opened its great maw and let forth a terrible screech, causing those in the area to cover their ears while Sky merely stood there, the sound not bothering him as he prepared to take down the people who threatened those he cared for. The monster was destroyed, and the Obelisk Force member began to tremble as Sky stared them down, standing in the shadow of his Xyz Monster.

"You… betrayed us… and joined those Xyz dogs!" he shouted as Sky laughed.

"Please, I didn't join them… someone helped me realize what we were doing was wrong, and I joined someone who will stop you! Now, I battle! Frightfur Raven! Attacks you directly! _Midnight Cry!"_ The battle was over in an instant, the Obelisk Force's mission leader's Life Points dropping instantly as Sky looked at the defeated man, and acted as he had been ordered to, pressing a button on his Duel Disk, he carded the leader, stepping forward as he flicked the card forward, startling the others as he held his Duel Disk up.

"W-What are you –" Sky smirked.

"I'm protecting my comrades… and showing Leo Akaba that he's going to suffer for what he's done to our home world, that he's going to be held accountable for his crimes… and for _daring to curse me!_ " the Obelisk Force members went to flee, and were caught in the green-blue wave as they were all turned into cards.

"What a bunch of pansies…" he said as he gathered up the cards and put them into a holster on his belt.

" **Job well done, Sky. Now, proceed to the Temple in the Ancient Ruins, Shay Obsidian is awaiting you there."** Sky nodded as he pulled a sucker out of his jacket.

"Roger, I'll be there in a jiffy," he stated as he shuffled his deck and started walking towards his next destination.

 **{Ancient Ruins Area: 1:59pm}**

Shay started looking around the area, his mind contemplating what was happening as he felt randomized influxes of magical pulses in the area around him. It didn't take much for him to know that witches were on the battlefield and were in the thick of fighting; however, he also was having a bit of a hard time with finding anyone worth his time, in the literal sense that thus far, he had met no other Duelists. Sighing, the Risulian Witch pondered leaving the Ancient Ruins area, but decided against it when he considered that another Lancer was going to be meeting him soon and if he wasn't present when they arrived, stopping the Obelisk Force from invading the Pendulum Zone would be impossible.

" _They better get here soon… in this situation, I'm hoping that they haven't been captured… the last thing we need is to lose allies before our fight has even begun,"_ he thought.

While it was a frustrating situation, Shay kept himself calm, knowing that he needed to remain focused on his task even as he sat there crouched on the ground in an open area, just near the Temple awaiting the other to arrive. Since he and Yuto had decided to join the Lancers, Shay had begun to wonder why he'd agreed to it when this Zone wasn't there home. However, as time went on, and Reiji Akaba began informing him and Yuto or more facts, he began to understand the reasons behind him deciding to join the Lancers. It wasn't because his best friend since childhood had joined, it wasn't because of fear or because he was forced into it, no it was far simpler. Shay had agreed to join the Lancers, because he never wanted to see the things that befell his home and those he loved, happen to someone else ever again, and that was a good enough reason.

"We finally found you, Shay Obsidian!" the tawny eyes of the Risulian Witch glanced over his shoulder as he noticed two of the Knights of Duels present.

"Why were you looking for me?" he asked as he stood.

"To clear away Charles' mistake of letting you win." Shay looked to the three of them.

"Mistake of letting me win? Please, he lost because he was weak, not because he let me win. Are you that gullible?" he inquired.

"We are not, but perhaps you are!" the blue-haired member of the Knights held out a small crystal orb that was incasing a dark red shadowy mist. Shay tensed where he stood, knowing what the object was as he glanced towards the other two members of the Knights with a glower upon his features.

"I see. I knew something was off about you four… and now I understand why you've been wearing all that armor… it's to hide the scars on your bodies, isn't it? From your hunts," Shay stated.

"Oh, he's a clever one, pinpointing us so quickly." The one in the green cloak informed him of this, and Shay kept himself on guard, knowing that the situation was anything but good.

" _They're shouldn't be any here in this tournament though… and if they're here…"_ tawny eyes scanned the trio.

"How many more of you are there? I know better than to think that your kind would only send in four people for a tournament of this size. That would be suicide if you were planning on getting in a few kills," Shay stated as he remained where he was, not willing to give any of the Knights a reason to throw the orbs they were using.

"Then the stories of Risulian Witches being tactful in their thinking is true! Very good, Shay Obsidian." The Xyz Duelist narrowed his gaze.

"Tell me now! How many of you are here? You had to of known that this tournament would boast many witches… and that Maiami is a proverbial hotbed of my kind… so answer me! How many of you are there?!" he snapped.

"Someone's getting antsy. Must have to do with the solvent orbs we have… you must know what happens if we throw one at a witch… all of their magic is sapped away for the next forty-eight hours… leaving them completely defenseless… not to mention, it makes all of you so pathetically weak, that you wouldn't have a prayer against us." Shay ground his teeth together.

"This is why I can't stand you Hunters… you think you're so high and mighty, but in reality, your no better than anyone else… so you better answer me before I get pissed: _how many of you are here?"_ he snarled.

"Fine, before you become the rust on our blades… we'll humor your last request." Shay growled low in his throat.

" _Last request my ass! If they think I'm not going to take them out, then they've got another thing coming!"_ he thought.

"As of now, there are two of us in the Lava Area, if memory serves me, they're Dueling two of your kind, one of which is named Yuya Sakaki… in the Iceberg Area, we have one of our members, a young woman with a love of the cold climates. She's more than likely seeing if Sakaki's friends could be good bate… after all…" the blue-haired Hunter stepped forward.

"After all what?" Shay asked.

"Waking Witches are _quite the prize._ And that one in the lava area is so young, but so incredibly powerful… because of this… he'll be worth a pretty penny in the magical black markets… or as a toy for our needs. Using his magic would benefit us in capturing more of your kind… seeing as when they're pushed over the edge, Waking Witches completely lose all sense of reasoning…" a crazed grin came to one of their faces as Shay narrowed his eyes.

"Your disgusting! Yuya Sakaki's friends are mortals, and even if he is a Waking Witch, you're more likely to end up dead than with him as your puppet." The orange-cloaked member looked at him.

"That may be, but you'll find that we have a way of getting what we want. And if that means killing you off and making an example of you for the world to see, so be it!" they readied their Duel Disks and Shay smirked.

"Wow, the three of you are already so terrified… you aren't even willing to use your equipment as a Witch Hunter to fight me… very well then! I accept your challenge, just know this… my type of which has a very specific set of skills, and whether I am in a Duel or a Variance… they will only result in your defeat." A sinister shadow seemed to form around him, his magical pulse starting to make itself known as he prepared to begin his fight with the three beasts before him.

 **{Lava Area: 2:15pm}**

"Who is this clown? Another one of your witch allies?" asked Takeda.

"Now, let's not get to testy, this is a Dueling tournament, not a Witch Hunter's gathering." Yuya felt his eyes grow wide, looking towards the two Ryouzanpaku students.

"So that's it? You're Witch Hunters?! That's why you keep pulling all this bullshit?!" he snapped.

"Took ya long enough. Ya know, for your type of witch, you aren't the brightest at times. Not to mention, we pegged you the second we saw what you looked like… those eyes of yours give away what you really are… and as for that little assistant next to you, it won't make a difference. Once you're defeated, everyone's gonna know that your kind have been infesting everything, and it'll start when we show them what kind of monster you are as your magic completely overthrows you!" Dennis took in a deep breath.

"Whew, so heavy! Don't these two know anything about the air of excitement in dueling and entertainment?" Dennis questioned as Yuya looked to him.

"They're Hunters! I don't think they care!" the orange-haired foreigner eyed the boy next to him.

"Hmm, well… maybe we can show them what having fun in a duel means with two scarlet witches working together as Entertainment Duelists?" Yuya blinked a few times.

" _ **Where did this guy come from? Wonderland?"**_ Yuto thought.

" _I'll make sure to ask Florence… he's an escort rabbit from Wonderland, so maybe he'll know if the Mad Hatter's gone missing…"_ Yuya sent the thought to Yuto who snickered a bit as Dennis looked at their opponents.

"Anyways, why did the Effect Damage just disappear?" Yuya asked as Dennis glanced his way.

"Ah, it's like this. The moment I entered the Duel, I sent Performage Damage Juggler from my hand to the Graveyard, activating its effect. If a Monster activates an effect that inflicts damage, my card's effect permanently negates that effect. As a result, after this turn, Fuujin's damage dealing effect can no longer be activated!"

" _ **Well, color me impressed. That is one serious disappearing act,"**_ Yuto's statement had Yuya almost wanting to laugh, if not for the dire situation.

" _Would you prefer purple or pink as your color?"_ the spirit sent him a scowl as Dennis eyed the form that appeared next to the boy who seemed to be thinking over the situation while the orange-haired exchange student looked at the smaller teenager before him, seeing his form trembling, and a terrible dark bruise forming on his arm.

"So, you're trying to help me?" Yuya asked.

"No worries! You don't need to thank me!" the scarlet-eyed boy sighed, knowing that the eccentric person before him would more than likely be his only way of succeeding against two Witch Hunters.

"What pointless pretentiousness! You Witches are always so full of yourselves… looking down on mortals because of the power you were born with. It's time you learned your places! Beneath our feet!" stated Umesugi.

"How rude. We're not full of ourselves, most of us just want to live peaceful lives… it's when people like you Hunters who think it's your Gods give right to put us down like stray animals show up that make us become hostile, otherwise, we leave you alone." Yuya glanced to Dennis.

"Careful…" he muttered as the other sighed.

"I wanted to entertain the two of you so badly, but it seems that is not meant to be. Oh well, maybe next time." Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Are you sure you want to help me?" he asked as Dennis nodded eagerly.

"I would be honored to fight alongside someone such as yourself, if you'll allow me to, that is." the other thought for a moment.

"Alright, your move," Yuya said with a bright smile as Dennis nodded.

"Okay! Here comes a marvelous performance! My turn! Draw!" Takeda narrowed his eyes at Yuya.

"Yuya Sakaki, come next turn, you will meet your end, so prepare yourself!" he warned.

"The Waking Witch only has two-hundred Life remaining, if we expose one of his types, no one will want a Witch in their city… it'll be a mass extermination of these vermin." Dennis looked to the two and then towards Yuya.

" _His form keeps trembling, and he has a heavy physical strain right now due to so many injuries. His arm is definitely broken, and with his kind of magic he could have healed himself instantly… but these two ingrates haven't given him a chance yet. Alright, I need to make sure that he's safe… from there… I can watch him work his magic as a Duelist,"_ the orange-haired exchange student thought as the two Hunters made a mad dash to search for an Action Card, and Yuya started running, following them as Dennis kept pace.

"So, you're Yuya Sakaki. I've heard quite a bit about you, and I apologize for not introducing myself properly," he said.

"Circumstances… it's fine…" Yuya kept running.

"I'm Dennis MacField, I'm an LDS student from New York City. I attend the Broadway Branch, and when I heard you were entering this tournament I sent in my application immediately," Dennis explained.

"Why?" the other smiled.

"I saw your Pendulum Summoning, and I heard about the contract you have with Leo Corp. I wanted to meet the creator of Pendulum Summoning in person, who knew that you'd end up being a Witch like myself!" he stated happily.

"Thanks… dammit! They're to far ahead of us!" Yuya conjured up a wind spell, giving himself a burst of speed as Dennis followed suit.

"Your first match, I must say, was sublime! It had me so stoked! And it showcased your abilities as a Duelist and Entertainer," Dennis said.

"We're in the middle of a Duel here!" Takeda grabbed an Action Card.

"The Action Spell, Flame Ball! It inflicts two-hundred points of damage to the opposing player! How about a rehearsal for your execution?!" he declared as a ball of fire shot towards Yuya who looked towards a rock not far from him and saw an Action Card. Dennis watched as Yuya, with all his bruising and broken arm, reached forward, grabbing the Action Card and cartwheeled to a crouch, causing him to whistle, impressed by the boy's ability to recover so flawlessly.

"Action Spe –" Dennis stepped in, causing Yuya to stall in his action.

"I summon Performage Flame Eater! When Effect Damage is dealt, that effect is negated, and this card can be Special Summoned!" a large googly-eyed cartoonish bomb with a fuse for a tail appeared, a jagged mouth and disproportioned eyes present as a small blue and yellow starred witch's hat on it's head with a red cloak. Yuya huffed, looking at the hat that was still somehow on his head.

" _ **Did you actually forget about it?"**_ Yuya internally fumed at Yuto's jab.

" _I don't wear my hat normally, okay? Only on Halloween!"_ the spirit chuckled as Flame Eater did what its name suggested, and devoured the fire ball, burping a bit as it did.

"Okay… that was weird," Yuya said as he tugged the hat off his head as Dennis turned to him.

"However, that second match honestly scared me half to death! When I saw what happened, I realized you were a Waking Witch immediately! You know –" Umesugi reached for a nearby Action Card.

"This time for sure! Action Spell! Flame Ball! Here's your vision of the future you can expect Sakaki! Once you're made an example of why Witches need to be destroyed!" another fire ball came towards Yuya and Dennis immediately responded.

"I activate the secondary effect of Flame Eater, when the same effect is activated on my turn, I can summon another Performage Flame Eater!" Dennis announced as another cartoonish bomb appeared, ate the fire ball and burped as Dennis started fuming.

"The fuck?!" the orange-haired New Yorker glowered.

"For Pete's sake! I'm trying to have a conversation with Yuya here, so can you stop being so rude and kindly butt out?!" he shouted in outrage. Yuya felt his expression become one of utter confusion.

" _ **Yep, Wonderland just called, they need the Mad Hatter back for a tea party."**_ Yuya rolled his eyes.

" _If you ever come back to life, become a stand-up comedian Yuto… it suits you…"_ he thought towards the spirit who shot him a perturbed look.

" _ **Not as much as that orange Witch's hat did you…"**_ the boy scowled in his direction.

"Damn spirit…" Dennis snapped his fingers.

"Oh! Would you look at that?! I've got two Monsters of the same Level on my field! I guess that means I gotta show you some of my own skills as a Duelist and Witch now, huh? Alrighty then! I use my two level four Flame Eaters to Build the Overlay Network!" two red spirals appeared, Yuya watching in shock as Dennis called forth the summoning of his Xyz Monster.

"He's an Xyz User?!" asked Umesugi.

" _The show must go on!_ _Illusionist of the sky above, dash elegantly across the stage set before you! Xyz Summon!_ Come out, my Rank Four! _Performage Trapeze Magician!"_ a colorful spellcaster in a white perriot costume adorned with gold, green, pink, and red accents with a deep purple cape, cartoonish gloves and a mask with a cone-shaped hat appeared. A trapeze baton in it's hand as it appeared with two golden overlay units, the Monster's attack standing at twenty-five hundred.

"Whoa…" Dennis grinned.

"Okay!" the other jumped high as the Monster swung by and Dennis joined it in the sky, reminding Yuya greatly of his uncle's stunt of working with his Performapal Sky Magician. In just another moment after circling the field, causing a series of rainbow fused stardust specs to fall in a glittering torrent across the field, Dennis was back on the ground next to Yuya, who remained in a crouch as the other witch took the lead.

"Now, take a look! This is how Witches put on an Entertainment Duel!" Dennis stated.

"Fucking kidding me? That thing's a joke!" Yuya narrowed his eyes.

"Shows what you know about Xyz Monsters! It's not their current stats that define them, it's their effects and the Duelist who uses them!" he snapped, somewhat startling Yuto.

"Yuya is right, so, how about we get this show on the road? Now, as long as Trapeze Magician is on my field, it negates any Effect Damage equal to or lower than this card's attack points. Basically, you two won't be able to act like complete cowards, and rely on the Action Spell, Flame Ball." Yuya stared at the two Hunters who had looks of anxiety on their features.

"Shit…" Dennis smiled.

"Now then, I suppose my role ends here. Turn end," he stated.

"Eh? Just like that?" Yuya looked at the other Witch who glanced his way.

"Well of course, you're better suited for the finale," Dennis explained. Yuya looked to him in confusion as he slowly got to his feet, his legs wobbling a bit under the intense pain his body was feeling right then.

"A-Alright…" Yuya took in a shaky breath, his vision swimming as the bite of his magic started to grow stronger.

" _My body feels so heavy and weak… my ribs are throbbing every time I try to get a breath in… and my arm hurts so much I feel like I'm going to throw up… my heart keeps racing, and my vision is blurring… if I don't end this soon, my magic is going to possess me again…"_ Yuya thought as he prepared himself.

"My turn! Draw! I set the Pendulum Scales using my Scale One Red Devil and my Scale Seven Red Angel! Thus, I can summon monsters between level two and six at the same time!" he announced as the stardust pillars appeared, their shining whites and blues relieving his anxiety from the last time he'd Pendulum Summoned as he looked to the bat-like statue with it's black and red wings curled around itself and then to the statue with red angel wings wrapped about itself. Yuya nodded as Dennis stared in amazement at the sight of it.

"Wow that's amazing!" Yuya took to his summoning, focusing closely on what he was doing.

" _Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light in the sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Appear, my Monsters! Level Four, Performapal Silverclaw! And Level four, Performapal Whip Viper!" he stated as the Monsters appeared on his field, and in the blink of an eye, a flash in his mind of Dark Rebellion appeared, and Yuya felt a stabbing pain in his chest, as though something was squeezing his heart. His vision blurred, his body curling in on itself as a faint aura formed around him, his eyes starting to turn a brilliant crimson as they took on a glow to them and Dennis turned to the other, going to him, and putting a hand on his back.

"Yuya… Yuya, look at me," he called gently as the boy cast his eyes on him, the pupils having contracted into fine slits as his entire body shook with the effort it was taking to hold his magic back.

" _ **Come on, you can stop it!"**_ Yuto tried to encourage him as the boy's vision started to unblur, showing that Dennis was crouched next to him, looking to him with a gentle smile.

"Yuya, it's alright… take a deep breath and relax," he stated as the boy's form almost slumped forward, and Dennis caught him, placing a hand on his chest to balance him, feeling the boy's heart pounding frantically against his palm as he kept eye contact with the other.

"I-I can't… control it… it hurts to much…." Yuya gritted his teeth as Umesugi and Takeda grinned.

"Go ahead, lose control Sakaki, the moment you do, everyone will know what you really are." The boy's glowing red eyes looked to them and Dennis shook his head catching the other's chin as he made him look back at him.

"Don't listen to them, okay? I understand what's wrong. You're afraid you'll end up like you did during your match with Kachidoki, huh?" the boy swayed a bit, and Dennis put his hand on the boy's other shoulder, turning him to face him.

"It hurts… and I can't shake it off..." Dennis nodded.

"Everyone gets like that with their magic sometimes as it starts to mature. Don't worry, right now, this is a Duel, and you're not alone. Your spirit guide is here, and Trapeze Magician and I are here as well. We're Witches, and we've got to stick together… so I'm here for you, okay?" he stated as Yuya took in a few steadying breaths, his mind starting to clear as he focused on making the magic back down and obey what he wanted it to do. The biting cold of the magic retreated to the edges of his mind, his eyes returning to their normal scarlet tone as his form stopped trembling as much.

"Thanks… Dennis…" the boy slowly stood straight and the other grinned.

"Of course, that's what fellow Witches are for!" he said jovially.

" _ **You ready to do this?"**_ Yuya nodded.

"Let's go! I'm using my Level Four Silverclaw and my Whip Viper to build the Overlay Network! _Fangs of treason from the pitch-black darkness, oppose crass, foolish power! Descend before us now! Xyz Summon!_ Appear! Rank Four! _Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"_ Dennis stared in awe as the midnight and violet dragon appeared with a screech-like roar as it's dark purple overlay units began to circle it, the creature towering over Yuya who had turned his gaze to it, his bangs hiding his eyes as he bit his lip, anxiety filling him as he prepared for his next move.

"Haha! Finally! You've stepped into the deep darkness and are about to show us what you really are! Summoning that Dragon proves it!" Takeda stated as he pointed to Yuya.

"You're wrong…." The two Hunters stepped back as Yuya looked to them, his eyes the same sharp scarlet that they had seen before his magic had threatened to overtake him.

"What?!" Yuya grinned.

"Here comes the fun part!" Dennis cheered.

"It's showtime!" Yuya leapt onto the back of Dark Rebellion, the Dragon seeming to let out a faint purr as he gently placed his hand upon its slender neck.

"Okay Dark Rebellion, I need you to help me win this thing. Can I rely on you?" the Dragon let out a thunderous roar and Yuya smiled.

"Atta boy!" Yuto blinked in surprise.

" _ **Are you sure your skill isn't being a Tamer Witch? You just got him to put trust in you like he does me! Dark Rebellion never does that for anyone,"**_ he mentioned as Yuya smirked.

" _Maybe he likes me? Or maybe it's because you're here with me as well…"_ Takeda and Umesugi eyed the boy atop the dark dragon as Dennis watched in excitement as Trapeze Magician came and picked him up again, and he went straight into action.

"Everybody enjoy! Let's all have a good time! So, I'll start by helping my friend! I activate Trapeze Magician's effect! By detaching one Overlay unit, I can allow a Monster to attack twice during the same Battle Phase! I choose Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!" Dennis winked and Yuya nodded.

"I'm up next! I activate Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's effect! By detaching one Overlay Unit, I can halve an opponent's Level Five or Higher Monster's attack points, and increase Dark Rebellion's Attack Points by the same amount until the end of the turn! I choose Fuujin! _Treason Discharge!_ " Yuya announced as Fuujin's attack went down to fifteen-hundred, and Dark Rebellion's went up to four-thousand.

"What the fuck?! This Witch ain't playin' around!" stated Umesugi.

"I use the remaining Overlay Unit as well! I choose Raijin! _Treason Discharge!"_ Dennis watched in excitement as Yuya's Monster's attack points went up to fifty-five-hundred.

" _Oh my God!_ Looks like you boys messed with the wrong Witches! Let'em have it Yuya!" Dennis called out as Yuya nodded.

"Battle! I have Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon attack Fuujin!" Dark Rebellion opened its wings, purple electricity sparking around them as the membrane turned the same moonlight blue as the fire Yuto once controlled.

"W-Wait! You don't gotta be that –" Yuya narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, I do! _Rebellious Lightening! Disobey!"_ he called as Dark Rebellion sliced through Fuujin, spiraling into the air and up above the battlefield as Yuya looked down to Raijin and Umesugi as Takeda's Life Points were dropped to zero in a heartbeat.

"So… this is how vicious a Waking Witch can be when provoked…" Dennis laughed.

"No, not even. This is what an _Entertainment Duelist_ can do, when they're not being ganged up on by cowardly people like the two of you!" he said as Yuya nodded, looking to Umesugi.

"Alright, once more, Dark Rebellion! Attack Raijin and end this Duel! _Rebellious Lightening, Disobey!"_

Dark Rebellion went sweeping downwards at an alarming speed, the rainbow gleams from Trapeze Magician cascading past them in a spiral as Raijin was hit with the Dragon's attack, and Umesugi was defeated in the blink of an eye. Dark Rebellion touched down as Dennis came to stand next to the Dragon and the young Witch astride it while he grinned broadly at the exciting finale he had been able to witness.

"Yuya! Well done, I knew you could do it!" Dennis told him.

"Yea, thanks for your help! This was a lot of fun." The boy returned his smile, and Dark Rebellion disbursed, causing Yuya to nearly fall to the ground, only for Dennis to catch him and help him settle smoothly on his feet.

"Since they're toast, let's go somewhere and check those injuries of yours," he suggested as he looked at the horrible bruise that had formed over half of Yuya's forearm.

"O-Oh… yea…" the orange-haired Duelist moved Yuya to the side, out of the way of the cameras as they ducked behind a rock, and sat down.

Dennis watched the young boy as he caught his breath, looking him over in questioning. Yuya struck him as an odd one, even for a Witch, and that mainly stemmed from his appearance. When he had seen Yuya on TV, he hadn't expected the boy to be as tiny as he was; however, he made up for it in his capabilities as a Duelist and more than likely as a Witch. The orange-haired New Yorker kneeled on the ground and looked at the boy as he took in a few ragged breaths, his entire form giving off small tremors as Dennis smiled and reached forward, startling the other somewhat when he brushed his bangs away from his forehead.

"W-What are you doing?" Dennis smiled.

"You've got a bruise on your forehead. I happen to be quite skilled in healing magic, so if you'll allow me to help you out, I can probably mend those broken bones of yours," he informed him.

Scarlet eyes gave him a wary look, but relented as Dennis pulled the boy's goggles off his head and felt along the top of his head for any bumps that had appeared, and continued to heal the bruise forming on his forehead after his quick inspection. He proceeded to then feel of the boy's throat and collar bones before going towards his left arm, setting the Duel Disk aside, and checking and healing any abrasions that he felt would cause the boy to much trouble during his next Duels. Dennis felt along the boy's hand, making sure none of the bones were broken there before he looked to the other's right arm.

"You know, you're the first one I've ever seen…" Dennis commented as he went to start checking the boy's right arm.

"Huh?" the Performage Duelist smiled.

"A Waking Witch, I mean. I've never met one before," he stated as he pressed a bit on the bruised area and Yuya grabbed his shoulder, a firm, almost vice like grip clamping down on the area as Dennis found himself stilling, a concerned, and pained expression on his face.

" _Dear sweet Athena! He's stronger than he looks!"_ Dennis thought as he tried to push the amount of pain his shoulder was currently in out of his mind.

"I-I kinda n-need you to l-let go of my shoulder… before you break something, please…" he said in a high-pitched voice.

"Okay… sorry…" Yuya dropped his arm to his side as Dennis looked at his other arm.

"It's definitely broken. So, I'm going to have to set it before I heal it, okay?" Dennis stated.

"A-Ah… wait, I don't –" the other smiled.

"Just talk to me, okay? Now, I hear that less than one percent of our global population have your kind of magic, makes you pretty special, huh?" Dennis inquired.

"Kinda… I didn't know that I had it until the Duel with Kachidoki." The other nodded.

"When I saw you on the field and what you were doing, how drastically your behavior changed, I understood what was happening, and that you couldn't have possibly known," he said.

"My aunt didn't tell me and – " Dennis shifted the bone in his arm, Yuya's eyes went wide and in the next instant he let out a loud scream of pain that had Yuto covering his ears as Dennis winced against the noise.

" _That was terrifying… I hope I never have to hear him scream again…"_

" _ **You had to have one of those screams? I feel like I'm gonna be sick,"**_ Yuto mentioned with an ill expression.

"Alright, Yuya I'm going to start healing it, can you focus your magic into the area to ease the pain?" he asked as Yuya nodded slowly, his face pale and tears pricked in the corners of his eyes.

"Y-Yea…" Dennis nodded and proceeded to start healing the broken bone there.

"The bruising will stay, but I can fix the bone and mend it so it won't be nearly as painful," he stated.

"Okay…" the other looked to him and then to the spirit beside them.

"So, who are you?" Yuto gave him a pointed look.

" **Whose asking?"** he asked in a surly tone.

"Just curious, the two of you favor so much. I thought that maybe you were his jiminy cricket or something." The other glowered.

" **The freaking tooth fairy, that's who I am!"** Yuya laughed a little.

"Oh? Really? I wasn't aware that they became spirit guides for young witches now-a-days," he said as an irritated look came to Yuto's face.

" **I'M AN ATTACHED SPIRIT YOU FREAKING NUMBSKULL! DO I LOOK LIKE A DAMN TOOTH FAIRY TO YOU?!"** the other sent him a long look and Yuto felt his eyebrow twitch.

"Yuya, your spirit guide is very interesting… and if your wondering about your question, I –" Yuto bared his teeth at him, his Phantasmal-Imp traits still appearing even now that he was a spirit.

" **That was a rhetorical question! And if you finish that sentence, you'll never be found!"** Dennis felt his eyes widen.

"An attached spirit with creature blood," he stated.

"Yuto is a witch with a Strain… there was an accident, and I was present during it when he died, so he somehow got stuck with me." Dennis smiled.

"Well, I guess he'll be helpful with gaining a better control on your magic." Yuya smiled a bit.

" **My job is to make sure Yuya stays safe, and learns how to control his magic… not be a talking cricket with a top hat! I'll leave that to the actual Jiminy Cricket, thank you,"** Yuto stated pointedly as Dennis finished with healing the break in Yuya's arm.

"Thanks, you've been a big help Dennis… but um…" the other looked to him.

"Yea? What is it?" he asked.

"What kind of witch are you?" he questioned as Dennis laughed.

"Oh my, sorry, I never explained who I am completely. Time for a reintroduction, I am Dennis MacField, a Charm Witch of the intermediate level. I'm in the last year of the Junior Youth class." Yuya smiled.

"A Charm Witch, that's kind of neat. And if you're the last of the Junior Youth class, that must mean your about fifteen almost sixteen, right?" he inquired.

"Bingo! Now, we need to get going. Are you able to stand?" the red-green-haired fourteen-year-old nodded as he slowly got to his feet and looked himself over, grabbing his goggles back from Dennis before putting them back on.

"I'll be fine, thank you for your help… if you make it to the final four, maybe we can have a duel against one another," Yuya suggested as Dennis smiled in a broad manner.

"Yes! I'd love to! Just make it to the end of the tournament, and I'll see you around." Yuya nodded with a smile.

"Good, I'm going to head to the next area. If you see a girl with pink hair, tell her I said hi and that I'll see her soon, okay?" he asked.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Yuya felt a flush come to his cheeks as he glanced down in a sheepish manner.

"If everything goes right… she will be after the tournament is over," he said as Dennis smiled knowingly.

"Planning on confessing your love for her after the tournament is finished… how romantic! I'll be sure to let her know that you're okay, and if she needs my help, I'll make sure she gets it, promise," Dennis told him as he held his hand out to the other and Yuya took it.

"Thanks Dennis, good luck and I'll see you around..." with a final wave he left, and Dennis smiled after the boy.

"He's something else… that's for certain," the Charm Witch stated to himself.

 **{Umino Fortune Academy: 2:20pm}**

Aura Houchun was many things, a Duelist, a Witch, and a person gifted with foresight. She prided herself in all her skills, and remained a sureness of her own being no matter what happened; however, at this moment, she found herself in fear of what might come to pass soon as she sat in her room, her hands upon the crystal apple she used for her divination. Normally, it let her find people and see what was happening in the near future, rarely with any ill intent shown, but not this time.

At this point, she saw fire, ash, and blood; her mind revealing a horrific area that had been none other than the Ancient Ruins area, people were laid about, several injured and trying to get up to fight men wearing masks and blue coats as they fought with them, and then, her gaze turned to the figure clutching their side, blood slipping between their fingers as they stood in an attempt to keep fighting, a spirit holding them up as their eyes glowed with a vicious and icy crimson shade, teeth bared to reveal fangs and a wild and threatening aura surrounded them as screams filled the air.

"This is… horrible… Yuya and the others… they're in danger," she muttered

The young witch fell back against her chair, a pained breath leaving her as she put a trembling hand to her mouth, panic and fear evident in her peridot eyes. Aura was a young witch, so she could understand why such a vision had never crossed her before; however, as she had heard her entire life, there was always a first time for everything.

"I need to leave and find him, so they can be warned! My broom! Come to me!" Aura grabbed her witch's hat off her desk, and with a wave of her hand, her windows opened, and she got atop the broom, and looked forward as she placed her hat upon her head, and looked towards the window.

"Hold on guys, I'll be there as fast as I can!" with that she flew out of her window, and high into the sky, heading towards the area that she knew Yuya would be in as quick as her broom would take her.

 **{…}**

 _I don't want your money, I don't want your crown…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Sorry that the update isn't as big as it usually is. I hit a bit of a snag, and was also trying to juggle a few of my Kingdom Hearts stories, and my Seraph of the End story, so this is all I got right now. Anyways, everything is coming together, and it seems a lot more serious things are happening behind the scenes. In the next chapter, we will be seeing Yuzu and Gongenzaka again, and also Reiji and more of some of our other characters, as well as the return of a certain Synchro user. Be prepared people, it's about to get real. Let me know what you guys think, and I'll be looking for your reviews.

P.S: I want to get this story up to 100 reviews! Help me get there, just leaving a few reviews for each chapter as time goes on, would push it that high.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Sky's Xyz Monster was inspired by the fact that I thought that if he were to have an Xyz Monster, it would be a darker kind of monster, and would fit the theme of his deck, but be reminiscent of the Resistances monsters.

Frightfur Raven's information: _Xyz Monster – Rank 4 – ATK: 2600/DEF: 2900 - Effect: Up to Twice per turn you can detach one overlay unit and use one of these two effects: Cut your opponent's Life Points in half. Or Automatically destroy Monsters your opponent controls._

Fluffal Fox's information: _Pendulum Monster – Scale 9/ Level 2 – ATK: 1700/DEF: 2000 – Pendulum Effect: When this card is active in the Pendulum Zone, you can add one Frightfur Monster back from your graveyard by paying 500 LP. You can only use this effect once per turn._

The Knights of Duels, Takeda and Umesugi as well as a few other Duelists, are actually Witch Hunters.

Charm Witches - Gifted in crystals, incantations, healing-mending spells and enchanting items, Charm Witches are fairly common, and normally have hyper, energetic, and jovial personalities. They don't have a discerning color that they go by, but are usually vibrantly dressed and are keen on entertaining people and making them happy as they draw their power from the joy of others.

This is the first time that the Witch's hat is ever shown or mentioned for the witches in Millennium.

A jiffy, is a scientific measure of one-one-millionth of a second.


	43. Chapter 43: Ancient Ruins

Chapter 43: Ancient Ruins

 **{Arena: July 24** **th** **, 2:20pm}**

The Duel with Yuzu and Gongenzaka wrapped up in a flourish with Yuzu's usage of the Pendulum Scales as Olga and Halil were defeated swiftly, just behind Yuya and Dennis's victory while in the Ancient Ruins area, Shay Obsidian had demolished his three opponents while Yoko continued to watch in the stands. For some reason, the audio had been glitching a bit, but no one really cared so long as they got to watch the duels; however, Yoko, as a Fortuna Witch, had developed the habit of reading lips, and quickly amassed what was happening in the Volcanic Area where her son and Dennis MacField had been present. The blonde-haired woman narrowed her eyes, mind combing over the situations that had just arisen as a terrible feeling seeped into the pit of her stomach.

" _Those two from Ryouzanpaku were doing their best to make Yuya use his magic openly, and while he did a good job of guising it at least a little, I get the feeling that – "_

"Mrs. Sakaki? Was Big Bro Yuya using his magic in that duel?" asked Allie as Yoko stared at the girl.

"I told him to use his magic in the duels here to keep himself from getting hurt too bad… it seems that something else is going on here…" Shuzo looked to her.

"What are you talking about? Yoko… is something going on here?" he inquired as the woman chewed on her thumb nail.

"Yes… those two Ryouzanpaku students… and those Knights of Duels…" the others eyed her.

"Is something wrong with them?" questioned Tate.

"They seem very unfriendly…" Yoko nodded.

"As they should… they're all Witch Hunters," she answered, much to the shock and horror of the others.

"W-Witch Hunters?" Yoko looked to the screens, concern on her face.

"Yuya's never dealt with them before, so he wouldn't know the first thing about how to fight them… and Yusho and I never taught him how to really conduct himself in combat… mostly because here in Maiami, there aren't any Witches who desire to fight, and there aren't any Hunters here…" she stated.

"Then why are they here?" Yoko glanced to Shuzo.

"My guess is that they know Maiami is a proverbial hotbed of Witches… they're probably on the lower side of the ranks and want to boost their current standing in order to become better established. Defeating Risulian Witches is considered worth quite a bit… the same could be said for Witches bearing Strains… or…" Tate felt a look of realization come to his features.

"Big Bro Yuya's a Waking Witch, right? Are they worth anything to these kinds of people?" he questioned as Yoko bit her lip.

"Waking Witches are extremely rare, and so most Hunter societies don't want to kill them off… instead they use them for their own personal gain, or… sell them in the underground black markets. However, the last known Waking Witches lived a little over a century ago… but both perished… so on a fortunate side, most Hunter Societies now-a-days don't know the first thing about fighting Waking Witches and can't handle them." Shuzo tensed at the information.

"They need to be disqualified… we should alert Reiji Akaba about the situation, and – "Yoko shook her head.

"All of you are mortals, so I understand that you can't sense it, but a ward has been put around the arena… none of us are going to be able to interfere with their hunting… and even if we did, they would activate the spells that are on the talismans… meaning… that the witches in the stadium would be exposed… putting all of us in danger… besides, I get the feeling that Reiji Akaba is already very aware of the situation at hand," she stated.

"I hope you're right… for everyone's sake."

 **{Volcanic Area: 2:40pm}**

After having split up from Gongenzaka, Yuzu had headed towards the Volcanic area in search of her next opponent, but also hoping to catch a glimpse of Yuya and see how he was doing. The pink-haired girl had decided that she wouldn't duel the boy until they both were in the final four, and then they would go from there. However, as she kept walking, hearing the occasional explosion from another duel, she had started to get this terrible sense of foreboding that had chosen to settle deep in the pit of her stomach. It made her feel as if something bad was about to happen, but couldn't quite place what it was.

"If you're looking for Yuya, he's already gone." Periwinkle eyes looked up to the orange-haired person sitting atop a rock.

"Who are you?" she asked as the person jumped down.

"Sorry, my name is Dennis MacField, I'm a student from the Broadway Branch of the Leo Duel School in America. I'm also a friend of Yuya's." he bowed to her politely and she smiled a bit.

"I'm Yuzu Hiiragi, nice to meet you Dennis," she said.

"As it is you. Hmm…" the orange-haired New Yorker looked her over and Yuzu frowned.

"What is it?" Yuzu inquired.

"Yuya's lucky to have such a beautiful young lady as his closest friend. I was told to deliver a message from Yuya if we crossed paths." Periwinkle eyes widened a bit.

"Oh… um… what did he say?" Dennis smiled.

"That he's alright, and will see you soon," he stated.

"Good, I was worried about him…" the other smiled.

"Because he's a witch in a tournament where magic could be exposed in a far tpo easy manner?" Yuzu felt her back stiffen, panic coming to her eyes as Dennis looked to her knowingly.

"H-How did you know that? If you do anything to expose Yuya or the other witches here, I will – "Dennis put his hands up.

"Easy, I'm a Charm Witch myself. I wouldn't dream of exposing another one of my own in a situation like this one," he explained.

"You're a… but you didn't make me feel uneasy, how come?" Dennis raised an eyebrow.

"So, you can sense most witches, interesting… must be from being around Yuya so much," he mentioned.

"How come I couldn't sense you?" Yuzu glared at him and Dennis smiled as he started walking onto the bridge.

"Would you care for a duel?" he offered.

"Fine by me, just keep talking…" the two readied their Duel Disks and drew their first five cards.

Yuzu watched Dennis as he began his first turn. The fact that he was a witch and she couldn't sense his presence struck her as odd, when she had been able to with every other witch she'd encountered; however, she had also noticed that she never had gotten that feeling from Yoko at any point of being around her, and she hadn't felt the sense of unease around Sora either. With Yuya, Aura, Yuto, and if she had the chance to get close enough, most likely Shay Obsidian, she had felt that odd feeling of discomfort. Yuzu frowned, wondering if it was possible that as a witch got older, they learned how to prevent others from possibly detecting them by reigning in whatever it was that caused that sudden feeling of unease to appear in mortals.

"Here we go! When there are no Monsters on either side of the field, I can special Summon this card from my hand! I special summon Performage Stilts Shooter! I then set one card… and then I set the Scale Ten Yellow Scarab in my Pendulum Zone!" Dennis stated as the colorful Spellcaster monster on green stilts appeared on the field just before a yellow topaz Egyptian Scarab formed in a pillar of light.

"You're only setting _one?!_ "the orange-haired New Yorker nodded.

"Yes, and this is why! I activate the Pendulum Effect of my Yellow Scarab! It increases the Attack Points of Spellcaster-Type Monsters by three-hundred!" he explained as Stilts Shooter's attack points went from twenty-two hundred to twenty-five hundred.

"Okay, I see. It's because you wanted to use that effect." Dennis nodded.

"To Pendulum Summon, you need two cards, but you can activate the cards individually. I've seen Yuya's duels enough to know that," he informed her.

"Impressive." Dennis bowed.

"Why thank you, my lady, now, with that, I end my turn." Yuzu smiled as she began to process what to do.

" _Since he only used one, it means he didn't have two Pendulum Cards in his hand… in that case…"_

"It's my turn! Draw! I set the Pendulum Scales using my Scale Three White Butterfly and my Scale Nine White Flower! With this, I can Summon Level Four to Eight Monsters at the same time! _Swing my pendulum of light, form a bridge of hope within the stars! Pendulum Summon!_ Take to the stage! Soprano the Melodious Songstress! And Tamtam the Melodious Diva!" Yuzu called as her Monsters took to the field, revealing the beautiful green skinned Soprano, and a newer Melodious Diva she had that wore green and orange shorts that puffed out, and a matching jacket, a blue waist corset, white thigh-highs, had her blue-gray hair in a bun, and carried a baton with a red and gold jewel at the end with a musical note gong.

"How pretty, so you have a thing for music, do you?" Yuzu smiled.

"My mother sang to me all the time when I was little… and I learned to play the harp from her… so my deck is an extension of myself. Now, if I control a copy of Soprano on the field, I can Fusion Summon without using a Fusion Spell! I fuse Soprano and Tamtam together! _The angelic resonance of harmony, the thunderous rhapsody of the soul! Swell into a crescendo of grace and power! Fusion Summon!_ Appear upon the stage to perform the song of victory! Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir!" Yuzu declared as one of her ace Monsters appeared upon the field in a flourish of petals and light.

"Fantastic! How beautiful! It befits someone who has the deepest attentions of a powerful and talented Duelist Witch such as Yuya. My dear, you have quite the elegance to your performance!" Dennis complimented Yuzu who smiled.

"Thank you, but praise me after I'm done attacking. I activate the effect of my Tamtam the Melodious Diva, who was used as a Fusion Material! Bloom Diva loses five-hundred attack points, and I inflict that same amount in damage to my opponent!" she stated as she signaled for the attack to start.

"My Gods! How brutal!" Yuzu pointed her finger towards Stilts Shooter.

"Bloom Diva, attack Stilts Shooter!" she announced as the fairy moved in for the kill.

"But her attack points are – no… wait, I remember. Bloom Diva isn't destroyed by battles with special summoned monsters, and the damage you receive is negated." Yuzu nodded.

"Correct! Go, Bloom Diva! Instead, you'll be taking the damage I would have received while your monster is destroyed!" she called as the attack struck home, sending Dennis flying backwards before he started to use a spell to keep himself from being blown off the bridge.

"That's quite the odd Monster you have, where did you get it?" Dennis asked as his life points went down to fifteen-hundred.

"Yuya gave it to me. With a promise that I would put her and the other ones he gave me to good use!" Dennis smiled.

"Then this Duel is going to be a blast!"

 **{Ancient Ruins Area: 3:15pm}**

"Shit, shit, shit!" Sky muttered to himself as he rushed through the area, searching for any stray Obelisk members as the Battle Royale went on.

While he had defeated the Obelisk Force with little trouble, too many of them were already on the move, and that had been shown even more when he realized that according to the radar on his Duel Disk, there were roughly fifteen of them heading towards the Volcanic and Iceberg areas, meaning that the plan to find Serena, Yuzu, and Yuya was already underway. Taking in a deep breath, Sky ran faster, knowing that he needed to find Shay before one of the Obelisk members found anyone they were looking for.

" **Sky, come in!"** the blue-haired Dyren Witch stopped where he was.

"Yea?" he answered, placing a hand to his ear where a small communicator was.

" **You need to rendezvous with Obsidian immediately. There are Witch Hunters within the tournament."** The blue-haired teenager cussed under his breath.

"Are you serious? Where's Serena, Yuzu, and Yuya? What are their current locations?" he inquired.

" **Serena is heading towards the Volcanic area where Yuzu is currently engaging in a duel with another duelist…"** Sky gritted his teeth.

"Dammit to Tartarus! You need to send in someone to the Volcanic area now! There are at least five to fifteen members of the Obelisk Force heading directly for Serena and Yuzu!" he stated to Reiji on the other end.

" **Very well, I will dispatch the Fuma brothers to aid them."** Sky nodded a bit.

"Wait… where's Yuya?" he questioned.

" **At current he is… head to the Temple immediately, he is approaching that area. Shay Obsidian is awaiting you there, and Yuya will arrive before you… the Knights of Duels are also present in that area."** Sky felt a twinge in the center of his chest.

"The Knights of Duels… they're witch hunters, aren't they?" he asked.

" **They are. Obsidian dealt with them for the most part already, but… I do not doubt that they will make a second attempt to do harm to Obsidian, and if Yuya is present, they will attempt to harm him as well."** Sky narrowed his eyes and started running again.

"Not happening. I'm not going to beat Yuya there, but I will get there in time to stop the Obelisk Force from doing anymore damage than they already will…" he stated as Reiji took in a deep breath on the other end.

" **Where are the other Obelisk Force members?"**

"They're… right on top of us… shit…"

" **Hurry."**

Sky didn't need to be told twice as he rushed as quickly as he could down the streets, hoping that he made it in time.

 **{Skies: 3:20pm}**

Aura found herself tensed as she flew against the winds above the city. Though it was summer, the air had a strange chill to it, making it stagnant and heavy. The girl took in a deep breath as she pushed her broom forward, trying to find Yuya and the others as quickly as she could. Aura flinched as she continued to fly through the blustering winds, holding onto her hat as she glanced down to the broom, seeing the runes glowing purple as she kept going, panic settling into her system.

"I've gotta get to them as quickly as possible… if what I saw happens, there will be such darkness, and the world will be in danger…" As Aura kept flying, she glanced down to see a certain familiar figure in the distance. Taking in a deep breath, Aura lowered her broom and started to fly down towards them. With a whistle, Gongenzaka turned to see Aura on her broom.

"Aura? What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm looking for Yuya." Gongenzaka eyed her.

"Why?" he inquired as Aura puffed out her cheeks.

"He's in danger! There are Witch Hunters here, and they're looking for Yuya and the other witches!" she explained quickly as Gongenzaka took in the words.

"This is a tournament for everyone to enjoy! Not for a slaughter fest! Do you know where Yuya is?" Aura shook her head.

"Not exactly. I can sense one of my own kind when I'm nearby one of us, but I still can't track him at this distance…" Gongenzaka looked her over.

"Do you have a way to help track him?" Aura thought for a moment.

"One thing… my familiar," she answered.

Aura reached into her dress pocket and grabbed a silver coin, flipping it into the air as light consumed it, and within a few seconds, the coin was replaced with a small falcon-like bird with a blue series of feathers scattered throughout its body mixed with white and shining wing tips, a white-yellow beak and sharp blue eyes. The young witch held her arm out, and the bird flew down to land upon the outstretched appendage. Gongenzaka stared the bird over as it twittered for a moment and then looked to Aura.

"Mistress Aura, how may I assist you?" the bird asked in a very human voice, startling the giant teen momentarily.

"Tsuiteru, I need you to find Yuya Sakaki." The bird tilted his head.

"The Waking Witch? Very well, I shall look ahead, please await my return, I will be swift," he informed her before flying off as quickly as he could.

"Will he find Yuya in time? And what happened to let you know all this stuff anyways?" Aura looked to Gongenzaka.

"You probably should have asked this first, but I get why you chose to help me first. I had a premonition… of a terrible battle breaking out, and Yuya was injured along with several other duelists, but… just like during his duel with that Ryouzanpaku student… his Waking magic was completely out of control… and as I flew here, my magic allowed me to divine the root of this dark vision… and it was determined that Hunters are here seeking out the Witches within the tournament grounds," Aura informed him.

"So, if that's the case… how can we help?" Gongenzaka questioned.

"If Yuya and the others are informed of it… then we can potentially help them fight off the Hunters and their advancements." Gongenzaka nodded.

"Then I will assist you. Even if I'm not a witch, I will not abandon Yuya and the others to the hands of those who would seek to harm them," he stated.

"Good, I'm probably going to need some help."

Gongenzaka didn't know how he would exactly help against a bunch of people who had been trained to hunt and kill witches; however, he knew that something had to be done. Ever since learning that Yuya was part of this strange world, Gongenzaka had feared that it would somehow harm his friend. The day he'd seen Yuya's magic overtake him had been a moment that had woven itself into his mind to the point that he was certain it would never leave him be. Yuya was powerful, there was no questioning about that, but he was still inexperienced in many things, and that meant that when it came to fighting other witches or witch hunters, the boy could fall short in his ability to defend himself. At this point, the only thing they could do was hold on and find the others as quickly as possible.

 **{Ancient Ruins: 3:56pm}**

Scarlet eyes glanced around the area of the ancient ruins as Yuya walked further along the crumbling streets, the sun high in the sky as he tried to observe any duels happening. Unfortunately, he hadn't seen any other duelists in the place, and was currently focused on trying to find more Pendulum cards so that he could potentially battle any of the Duelists that could cross his path. Sighing, Yuya picked up a card, seeing it was a Scale Thirteen card known as Angel Magus, nodding he started to look further around the area and headed over towards the temple where he soon located another card, and found himself relieved to find the Pendulum card to be a Scale Zero one titled as Demonic Magus. Sighing once again, Yuya held onto the cards and started to explore the area, going up the steps of the temple, looking around at the crumbling state as he glanced up to see an oculus in the roof.

"You…" Yuya stilled where he was when he heard the person's voice, and realized it was someone he knew.

"Shay Obsidian?" he asked as the other shot him a narrow glare.

" _ **Yuya, be careful… I don't know what Shay might do…"**_ Yuya internally nodded to Yuto.

"I've got some questions for you," he snapped as he started towards the boy.

"Questions? Um… what do you mean?" Yuya retreated into himself just a bit, not wanting to make them appear as though he wanted to fight, but also not being willing to completely allow Shay to have control over the whole situation.

"I want to know how you got a hold of Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!" narrowed his eyes as the boy looked up to him as Shay glowered down at the boy.

"Yuto asked me to take care of it…" tawny eyes gained a sharp glint.

"Then where is Yuto?" he questioned.

"I… um…" Shay snagged Yuya by the front of his shirt, pulling the boy up to the tips of his toes as the boy tensed, and he glowered down at the boy.

"Answer me, dammit!" he snarled.

"He's… not here…"

Yuya tensed as Shay kept his gaze locked on him. The older witch knew that the boy was different, even though he had only interacted with him once. However, right now, he wanted to know what had happened to his friend, and how Yuya was involved in the entire mess. Tawny eyes looked into scarlet ones, and he growled just a fraction as he tossed the boy to the ground, and Yuya made a pained hiss as he met the rough surface. Shay looked at the boy, taking in his tiny frame and the way he looked to him as though he was annoyed by his actions and then to the pendulum crystal that hung around his neck.

"Where did you get that pendulum crystal from?" he inquired as Yuya gave him a confused look.

"Why do you want to know?" Shay sent him a withering look.

"Do I have to justify my reasons for wanting to know something?" he asked as Yuya stood up with a glare.

"When it's a personal question, yes you do! Or do Resistance members not consider another's emotions when they seek information? Instead they just intimidate and threaten the person until they get answers? Is that how things are operated? Because if it is, you're not much better than your enemies!" Shay snatched the boy by the throat, hoisting him into the air as Yuya choked a bit.

"And who do you think you are to say such things? You haven't experienced anything close to that hell! I can smell it on you… that you've never had to face the hardships of a battlefield, you've been well cared for, and lead a peaceful life… unlike those of us in the Resistance, who have endured the pain and suffering of being hunted like animals for the last year and a half!" he snapped as he tightened his grip on the boy's throat.

 _" **SHAY!"**_ the Risulian witch stilled as he heard Yuto's voice and looked at the boy in his grasp.

"Did you…" scarlet eyes welled with tears as he looked down at Shay, who felt his gaze widen.

"I-I…" Shay glowered.

"You know what happened to Yuto… you better start talking!" he growled as the boy was lowered to the point that he was on his knees, Shay keeping a grip on the boy's throat.

"I… Yuto is…" Shay looked down at the boy.

"You know… I've heard stories of your kind… how powerful and dangerous Waking Witches are… but from what I'm seeing, you're pathetic… and you have no means of fighting because your heart is far too soft," he stated.

"Let… go…" Shay glared.

"Why should I? Be honest, you don't really have the will to fight me, do you?" the other's hand tightened on his throat and in that instant a jolt of magic shot through Yuya's body, the boy letting out a pained scream as Shay was forced to release him and he crumpled to the ground, coughing violently as the other stared at the boy, who tried to get his breathing to regulate while he felt his magic form around him as a crimson shimmer, causing Shay to step back as Yuya glanced his way with eyes that glowed brightly.

"W-What the hell?" Shay watched as Yuya got his bearings, taking in a few deep breaths before sitting up on his knees, red finger marks appearing on his throat as he rubbed the offended area gently.

"My magic… will protect me if I'm threatened… Shay… I don't want to fight you, because I see no reason. Yuto left Dark Rebellion in my care… so that I could help other people… not because I hurt him…" Shay looked the boy over.

"I see… and the crystal?" he inquired as Yuya took in a few more deep breaths.

"My mother gave it to me before… she passed away." Shay felt his eyes widen.

"Passed away? That's bullshit! I've seen your mother with you through this whole tournament!" he snapped.

"No… Yoko is my aunt…" Shay kept his gaze on the boy.

"Then that means, Yusho is your uncle… but what about your father?" Yuya slowly stood.

"He's dead as well… they died when I was a baby… and I know it doesn't matter, coming from someone whose had it easy compared to all of you… but at least your family members were around long enough for you to be able to have them in your memories… I don't even recall what my parents sounded like or what it felt like for them to hold me…" Shay took in the boy's words, eyeing the bruises that already covered his body.

"You've ran into some Hunters, haven't you?" he asked.

"How'd you know?"

Shay looked at the bruises on the boy's arms, the one forming at the rim of his shirt collar, and the fain cut on his cheek while on his throat were the bruises he'd placed there. Yuya had been beaten up badly and another witch had healed him clearly; however, the boy was still harmed, and beneath his clothing, there were undoubtedly more injuries that were being concealed. Sighing, the Risulian witch, stepped closer to him and Yuya flinched, a faint trace of crimson mist appearing around the boy's form as he watched, being careful of what he was doing as he approached.

"You reek of anti-magical auras… like sulfur and smoke," he stated.

"That could be because I was in the Volcanic area…" Shay eyed him.

"No, it smells nothing like fire, more like charcoal," he mentioned. As soon as the words left his mouth, a sudden blast was sent their way, causing Yuya and Shay to tumble across the hard floor before coming to a stop as the distinct clink of armor caught their attention.

"Then you have no experience in combat, little one…" scarlet eyes looked up alongside tawny ones as three figures made themselves known.

"The Knights of Duels?" Yuya questioned.

"Witch Hunters…" Shay got into a crouch and Yuya slowly staggered into a similar position.

"Look at that… the Risulian witch who thinks he's above us, and our special prize, the Waking Witch," stated the Knight with a green cloak.

"James, he's a bit younger than I thought…" the other smirked.

"That only means he'll be easier to train," stated James as Yuya felt a chill race down his spine.

"You need to get as far from this place as you can," Shay muttered.

"What? No way in hell am I leaving you to deal with them alone!" tawny eyes looked into scarlet ones.

"How sweet, are you going to fight alongside him? Little one? Even though you're not really capable of it?" asked the orange cloaked Knight.

Shay glanced towards Yuya momentarily, wondering if there was any way for them to escape the situation, when it was obvious that the Knights of Duels were no longer going to be using their decks, and were about to resort to the standard methods of their kind. Taking in a deep breath, Yuya got to his feet as Shay did the same and he kept his form tense, letting Shay know that he desired nothing more than to stand right where he was. The Risulian witch sighed, looking back to the Knights before nodding just a fraction.

"Can you actually fight?" Shay muttered to him as Yuya took in a deep breath.

"I'm not adapted to it, but I know how to use specific spells that can help us." the orange-cloaked Knight laughed.

"You don't have any experience in battle, do you?" the red cloaked member smirked.

"That means you're very _innocent… how cute…"_ Shay growled low in his throat.

"Alright then, let's go!"

Within an instant, Shay had let out a sharp yellow electrical spell that had sent one of the Knights flying into a pillar as the others prepared to combat the two Witches. Yuya got himself prepared to attack as an orb-like object was tossed their way and the boy raised his hands out, flaring the magic forward as he took in a few deep breaths, and before the object could reach the ground, it was cleaved completely in two, causing it to disintegrate as Shay glanced towards Yuya, who had a series of crimson mist-like tendrils forming around him, his scarlet eyes brighter than normal.

"Shit, that kids got a bit of skill," stated the red cloaked member.

"Timothy, I suggest you take down that Waking Witch." The other nodded and sent a dagger forward, which was blocked by a sudden black wave.

"Not on my watch! You aren't touching him," Shay warned.

"Even though you were so willing to strangle him to death earlier?" Yuya narrowed his eyes.

" _ **Can you use one of your offensive spells? Those will be more of a benefit against them,"**_ Yuto's suggestion was heard loud and clear as Yuya nodded.

"It was my mistake! I shouldn't have lost my temper like I did, so I'm making up for it!" Shay stated sharply.

"Don't make me laugh! You Risulian Witches are like wild lions who will turn on anyone who is a potential problem to you alone!" Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Herald of the Fires of the South, I summon forth the flames of which you render to your will! Turn my enemies to ash! Lay before me nothing but the cinders of your tyrannical reign!"

Shay moved just in time to avoid the sudden onslaught of fire that raced through the temple, startling those present as Yuya controlled the flames with an easy outstretch of his hands. Amidst the fire, Shay could see the boy's magical aura standing strongly against it, wrapping the boy in a gentle embrace as the heat and wind of the fire ruffled his hair and clothes. A wave of flames rushed forward, burning through the cloaks of one of the Knights as they shrieked in pain, feeling a lash of flames lick across their face, searing the flesh of their right cheek as Yuya let out a breath he had been holding, the flames fanning out almost like wings as Shay smirked.

"What the fuck?!" Yuya smirked, causing Shay to eye him.

"Are you scared? Maybe you should be, because honestly… I'm not fond of you Hunters storming in here, causing all this chaos and harming innocent people who are just wanting to watch us put on a good show… your idea of entertainment is so lackluster," he stated, a wild glint apparent in his glowing eyes.

"What kind of monster are you? Huh? I've read up on Waking Witches for years! None of them are described as being like you!" Yuya tilted his head, a smirk remaining on his lips as Shay drew electrical sparks to form in his palms.

"Then your information forgot to mention… that Waking Witches are territorial, and are extremely dangerous when provoked… just as a Risulian is!"

The Knights were thrown from the Temple as a blast of fire and lightning roared around them, causing Yuya to take in shaking breaths as he fell to his knees, the spell having drained him as Shay stood his ground, more adapted to combat than the other as he glanced towards the boy. While it was painfully obvious that the child wasn't used to fighting like this, he undoubtedly had untapped potential and was incredibly gifted, and that didn't just come from being a Waking Witch. Shay reached down and held his hand out the boy, who gave him a weak smile as he accepted it and he was pulled to his feet just as the Knights of Duels got to their feet, and looked towards the two of them.

"This is far from over!" snapped James as the two Witches prepared for another attack.

"Oh, it is!" a sudden purple light engulfed James, causing the four present to stare in shock and horror as a card floated from where the other had once stood.

Yuya and Shay ran forward, and down the temple steps as they witnessed a trio of people in masks wearing blue and white uniforms. Shay tensed as he looked at the sight of the two Knights cowering in a corner as one of the soldiers picked up the card and showed them James's picture. A whirl of terror filled Yuya as two of the masked soldiers looked to them and before either of them could react, a blast of some kind of magic was sent their way, causing Shay to push Yuya out of the way, sending him flying with the added force as he was sent over the bridge and towards the top of a pillar. Yuya turned, grabbing onto the edge of the pillar to keep himself from falling as he felt his entire body shake from the sheer force of the spell's magic.

Slowly, he pulled himself up onto the flat surface of the pillar, remaining on his stomach for a moment to get his bearings as he tried to shake off the pain before he looked forward, and fear curled in his body at the sight of Shay laid out in the road, unconscious and smoking from the blast as the three soldiers laughed and spread out, the two remaining Knights of Duels being subjected to the same purple light one by one that had turned James into a card.

"S-Stop! Stop!" Yuya slowly got to his feet, swaying as his body protested him moving.

" _ **Yuya! Calm down!"**_ the boy's breathing started to pick up, his heart beating rapidly against his ribs as his scarlet eyes took in the scene of another card floating down to the ground, and Shay's wounded form.

"Please… stop… _they don't deserve this!_ " Yuya felt a strange pain develop in his head as Yuto felt the same pain, his mind replaying memories that he knew Yuya was also witnessing as the boy let a choked breath leave him, his heart racing wildly, form trembling at the horrific sounds and sights that were being forced into his mind.

" _ **Listen to me! You've got to calm down! Yuya!"**_ scarlet eyes looked to Shay's form and he moved, beginning to hop down to a lower pillar until he was almost level with the bridge present.

"He… protected me… why? What did…" a painful jolt raced through his head, and Yuya clutched his forehead, gritting his teeth against the sudden agony as he looked onward, seeing another flash of purple light.

" _ **Don't look! Turn your eyes away Yuya! Please, don't watch this!"**_ the sight of another card fluttering to the ground sent a thrill of horror through Yuya as he saw the three soldiers turn to walk away as they picked up the three cards, putting them away as Yuya took in shaking breaths as his mind felt the memories of Yuto's experience in the Xyz Zone to fill him and his eyes took in Shay's unmoving form.

"No… stop it…" they raised their Duel Disk forward, and Yuto felt himself being pushed to the side as Yuya let out a terrible sounding scream of pure agony as he clutched at his head, pain ripping through his body as if acid had been injected into his veins.

" _ **YUYA!"**_

 **{…}**

 _See I've come to burn your kingdom down…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Sorry I haven't updated recently. I got kinda busy with some personal matters, and hadn't had the time to sit down. So, now I'm giving you guys the ending of what I call Season 1 – B of Midnight Script. You'll be getting large updates soon, like I've been doing, I just need to get this part done so we can get to the Synchro Dimension. This is where things will also differ a bit, because as we all know, Sky is already on the Lancer's side, so he won't be hiding and only doing something once the Synchro Dimension's finale comes into play. Every character will be playing more important parts from here on out, so pay attention, because the different stories and segments we've been getting will soon be converging. Tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

 **Trivia:**

Each character has their own Pendulum Summoning Chant, I wanted to do this because in the anime, we see several people use Pendulums, but only Yuya and Reiji ever have a Summoning Chant.

Tsukikage and Hikage's last name, Fuma translates into: To Undergo. It's actually a basic verb.

Aura's broom having runes on it is something taken from _Mary and the Witch's Flower._

Aura's Familiar is actually a Peregrine Falcon, which is a breed of the Falcon bird species that has blue feathers.

Aura's Familiar's name is Tsuiteru, which actually is a Japanese verb meaning: To Be Lucky. Meaning he brings good fortune. This is also a play up on the fact that Aura is a Fortuna Witch.

Anti-Magical products and equipment is rubbed down with sulfur, willow ash, blessed oils, iron shavings, and wrapped in dogwood bark. Iron shavings will affect witches with Fae bloodlines, and dogwood bark is in reference to the Bible, as the Dogwood was the tree used to make the cross that Jesus was crucified on. All of these things can be toxic to witches of certain skills or bloodlines. More will be told later.

Yuya's Fire Spell was inspired by Natsu's Fire Dragon Slayer Magic from FairyTail.

Am I the only one who noticed that Yuya spent a decent chunk of the Arc-V anime in a lot of pain because of him being possessed off and on? Every time he loses control, he endures a lot of evident agony, and I guess that would push anyone over the edge from time to time, huh?


	44. Chapter 44: Wicked Pendulum

Chapter 44: Wicked Pendulum

 **{Volcanic Area: 4:20pm}**

Though no one knew it in the dueling fields, the video feeds for the Volcanic and Ancient Ruins areas had been cut by Reiji's team the moment trouble started. In the Volcanic area, Yuzu's duel had ended in her first loss of the tournament, and that had been to Dennis's wonderful dueling. It had gone well, despite her being a little disappointed that she had lost; however, that had all changed the moment someone had called out to them both, startling them a bit as they had turned, and had been met with a purple-haired girl with turquoise eyes. She was adorned in a red uniform, and had a frustrated look on her face that let them know she wasn't in the mood for any nonsense, but what had gotten them both the most, had been the fact that this girl favored Yuzu significantly.

"Are you... going to introduce me to your twin sister?" inquired Dennis nervously.

"Who are you?" the girl shot Yuzu a questioning look.

"Who's asking?" she asked.

"I'm gonna guess that means you don't know one another…" the girl shot him a glare.

"No! I don't know her! Who the fuck are the two of you? I suggest you answer me before I get really pissed off. I don't like being ignored when it comes to important questions," she snapped as she activated her Duel Disk, causing Yuzu to eye her.

"I'm Yuzu Hiiragi." The orange-haired New Yorker smiled.

" _So, that's Yuzu Hiiragi, the girl close to the Pillar of the Pendulum Zone… I guess the two of us are in over our heads for the same reasons…"_

"And I'm Dennis MacField, from the LDS Broadway Branch, pleasure to meet you ma'am," he said as she frowned.

"Then neither one of you are Shay Obsidian." Yuzu felt recognition come to her.

"Are you… looking for Shay?" she asked.

"I am, for various reasons…" Yuzu took in a steady breath.

"Your name wouldn't be… Ruri, would it?" she inquired.

"Please, does that look like my name? I'm Serena, Serena Allister! Now, tell me where I can find Shay Obsidian!" Dennis frowned.

"Why do you want to find him?" he probed.

"If you have to know, there are some things I've gotta confirm by talkin' to him. He's an Xyz Survivor, and there are answers I'm seeking." Yuzu felt her eyes widen.

"You're… from the Fusion Dimension," she muttered.

"How do you know that? Are you a witch?" Dennis and Yuzu looked to the two as the girl narrowed her eyes and Dennis felt a curl of magic in the air.

"Oh, my Gods! You're a witch yourself, aren't you?" he inquired as Serena narrowed her eyes.

"And if I am? How do the two of you know about all of this?" Yuzu felt tension forming, and she prepared to try and stall the situation.

"We're friends with a Waking Witch named Yuya Sakaki, and he knows Shay and his friend Yuto, both of which are also Witches, and they told Yuya everything that happened," she explained as Serena glowered.

"A… Waking Witch? I see… that's what he meant, then…" Yuzu frowned.

"Who meant what?" Serena sighed.

"I'm trying to go to the Ancient Ruins area, so let me pass," she stated, stepping forward.

"Hold on a second! Why not have a duel with me? This is a tournament after all, and I want to have a duel with you, Princess." Serena narrowed her eyes at Dennis.

"Only one person gets to call me that, and you aren't him! Got it?!" Dennis nodded.

"Understood, but if you duel me and win, we'll take you to the Ancient Ruins field personally, and make sure that we help you find Shay Obsidian," he suggested.

"And if I lose?" Dennis hummed.

"You have to… come with us while we look for Yuya." Yuzu looked to him.

"Why would we – "Dennis winked.

"You want to meet him as well, I suspect?" Serena narrowed her eyes.

"I get it… you're a Charm Witch, so you have diverse skills and can read auras… you guessed what I was trying to do just by reading my energy. Clever, alright then… I'll duel you, but when I win, you better help me find Shay Obsidian!"

"Very well! Let's – "started Dennis.

"DUEL!" Yuzu stepped back as Serena drew her five cards alongside Dennis.

"I'll be going first! From my hand, I activate the Spell Card, Polymerization! I fuse together my Moonlight Blue Cat and my Moonlight Purple Butterfly!" Serena announced.

"Ah, I guess it would make sense she would use Fusions…" the girl took in a deep breath.

" _Esteemed familiar of witches, wandering within the blue darkness of night! Alluring creature of Mother Earth, carrying a venom of the deepest violet, allow the gravity of the moon in it's brilliance intertwine your souls to form a mystical connection! Fusion Summon!_ Appear! Beautiful beast dancing in the light of the midnight sun! _Moonlight Cat Dancer!"_ a beautiful pale lavender-skinned feline in flowing garments appeared before them with two daggers in her hands, pierced feline ears evident and matching her long, wild magenta hair and tails. She wore ribbons on her arms and legs that were held on with golden hoops while a purple, blue and golden crescent moon mask was worn upon her face alongside a fan-like crown behind her head.

"What a lovely summoning! Quite elegant," Dennis applauded.

"My creatures of the moonlight are always elegant and powerful… they display the power that the moon has over all living things. I set one card and end my turn, begin your turn, jester!" the other nodded.

"Very well, it's _showtime!_ My turn! Draw! Oh, just perfect! I summon Performage Flame Eater from my hand! And if there's two Monsters on the field, I can Special Summon Performage Hat Tricker from my hand!" Dennis stated as the green cloak with orange goggles, cartoonish white gloves, and a spliced purple witch's hat with yellow stars appeared on the field.

"Two Monsters of the same Level… I get it…" Dennis smiled.

"Indeed! But first, I apologize for being a little rude… but _it's bath time!"_ Dennis stated as he activated a spell card from his hand and counted to three before snapping his fingers as rainbow fused bubbles appeared.

"What's with the bubbles?" Dennis smiled.

"I activated the Continuous Spell, Bubble Barrier! With this, each of my Performages with fifteen-hundred or less Attack Points can negate an opponent's Monster's attack. And with that, I end my turn," he stated.

"Huh?! You aren't gonna Xyz Summon?" Serena sighed.

"Fine then, my turn, I Draw! I summon Moonlight Blue Cat from my hand!" the blue feline Duel Monster appeared with sixteen hundred attack points.

" _This is a combo similar to my Melodious Monsters… Tchaikovska gets additional points or an extra attack if I have one or more Melodious Monsters on the field,"_ Yuzu thought.

"I activate the effect of my Moonlight Cat Dancer! I release my Blue Cat, with this, I can attack every Monster on my opponent's field twice! My Cat Dancer attacks your Flame Eater!" Serena exclaimed as Dennis smirked.

"Due to the effect of Bubble Barrier! Once per turn, an attack is negated!" the attack was dispelled, and Serena smirked.

"Attack Flame Eater again!" this time, Flame Eater was annihilated, dropping Dennis's Life Points down from four-thousand, to twenty-eight hundred.

"Whoa…" Serena smirked.

"Cat Dancer! Attack Hat Tricker!" she ordered as her feline warrior hit the bubble barrier, which popped, and Dennis tensed.

"Oh, cat tails…" Serena pointed to the now defenseless Monster.

"Once more! Full Moon Cresta!" she commanded as the attack went home and destroyed Hat Tricker, knocking Dennis back and his Life Points down to fifteen-hundred as Yuzu looked to the girl.

"That was… impressive…" Dennis sat up and Serena nodded.

"I end my turn; your turn, jester!" Serena stated.

"Haha… you're relentless…" the girl sighed.

"Hurry it up! I need to find Obsidian!" she snapped.

"Wow, you sure are scary! But, since you're in such a hurry, I suppose just this once… I've gotta get super serious! My turn! Draw! Now I can – "Dennis suddenly lost all of his coloring and his expression became one of dismay as Yuzu watched dumbfounded by the sight alongside Serena.

"Um… Dennis?" the red-haired Charm Witch hung his head, his voice becoming small as he spoke.

"I've lost… I set a Monster face-down in Defense Position… I then Set one card face-down and end my turn…." Yuzu continued to watch, and Serena sighed.

"Something told me it would be like that, you should have Xyz Summoned. Jeeze, what a clown… my turn! I Draw! From my hand, I Summon Moonlight White Rabbit!" the girl announced a bunny-like Duel Monster with blue skin and a hammer appeared on the field next to her with eight-hundred attack points.

"A… bunny?" Serena looked to Dennis.

"This should look familiar to you, seeing as you're a jester and act like a magician! So, let me explain the act! This card, once per turn, sends one Spell or Trap Card on the field back to the hand! I select Bubble Barrier! Then I activate the effect of Moonlight Cat Dancer! I release White Rabbit so she can attack twice!" she explained as Bubble Barrier was sent away and White Rabbit soon left the field, causing the blue fabric upon Cat Dancer to glow as she destroyed Dennis's face down, and then the Monster appeared.

"You won't be getting rid of this monster so easily!" Serena shrugged.

"Trap Card open! Moonlight Dance! When a Moonlight Monster attacks during the Battle Phase, the Battle Positions of all Monsters my opponent controls change! So, your Monster goes from Defense to attack position! Once it's in attack mode, it's attack and defense points are halved until the battle ends!" she informed him as Dennis gawked.

"For real?!" Serena took in a deep breath.

"Battle! Moonlight Cat Dancer, attack Trick Clown!" Dennis smirked.

"No! It's time for a miracle illusion to – "the Charm Witch stopped when he saw two figures fly down from the rooftops, and the sound of footsteps coming closer. Due to his pausing, Cat Dancer's attack went through, dropping his Life Points to zero as their monsters vanished and Serena stepped towards them.

"Alright, I won, now help me find Shay Obsidian," she told them.

"Fine, you don't have to push us or – "Dennis and Serena felt a whirl of anxiety tare through them just before Yuzu did as well, causing the three of them to look behind Serena as she turned on her heels, and standing before them, were three soldiers in masks with white and blue uniforms.

"Obelisk Force," Serena muttered.

 **{Ancient Ruins: 4:50pm}**

The three soldiers laughed as they walked away, chatting casually about what they would be doing next; however, in the instant that they passed a pillar on the bridge, a sudden whirl of terror flooded them, and the sound of footsteps caught their attention, causing them to turn and look at the person before them. It was someone they vaguely recalled as the boy that the other blue-haired teenager had shielded from the spell they'd used to knock them unconscious for the time being, but the boy's entire form radiated an ominous and twisted energy, something dark and malicious. It formed in a shadowy aura around his body, causing everything about him to wash through the three soldiers as a warning that this boy was dangerous, and not to be taken lightly.

"Who are you, kid?" asked one of them as the boy looked up to them, revealing glowing crimson eyes.

"I won't forgive you." The trio smirked.

"Oh, really? Well, then," stated the one on the left.

"The Fusion Dimension…. Academia… they're vile beasts…" the trio laughed.

"And who in the hell are you?" the boy merely settled cold eyes upon them.

"Why did you come here?!" Yuya bared his teeth at the three soldiers who smirked.

"Like we owe you an explanation! That's not something for you to know, kid," stated the one of the left.

"I know… what you've done… when you entered the Xyz Zone… and I will not allow you to do as you please!" the trio gave him a once over.

"Wait a sec… red-green hair, scarlet eyes… he's that boy we're looking for!" Yuya looked to them with a glare.

"Duel me now!" he stated coldly as the three soldiers laughed.

"Do you want to know your place that badly? We're Obelisk Force members, Academia's elites! Even if you are one of our targets, we'll still stomp your ass before taking you with us." Yuya smirked just a fraction.

"If you believe that you can do so, then quit pinning bouquets on yourselves and do it!" the trio turned on their Duel Disks.

"Alright, then. My turn! I summon Ancient Gear Hound! Turn end. Let's get this over with quickly, the Professor wanted this kid, Lady Serena, and Yuzu Hiiragi," stated the Obelisk member with a red gem in his mask.

"Got it! My turn! I summon Ancient Gear Hound as well and attack directly!" the green-gem masked Obelisk member smirked as Yuya rushed to the left, grabbing an Action Card as he prepared to stop the attack.

"Pointless efforts! If Ancient Gear Hound attacks, until that attack ends, my opponent cannot activate Spell or Trap Cards!" the attack hit home, lashing Yuya in the back, shredding his jacket as he went tumbling across the ground, going face first into the pavement as his Life Points were dropped to three-thousand.

"Turn end! You're up." the other with a yellow gem smirked.

"My turn! I will also Summon Ancient Gear Hound, and attack directly!" he announced.

Yuya felt the attack knock him backwards, causing him to roll across the pavement. The rough surface left scratches and cuts on his arms and body, his jacket's remains hanging barely upon his frame like gauze as he laid upon the ground with his Life Points dropped to two-thousand. He felt his magic surge through his body, pain ripping into his being as sharp throbs came from his chest and head, making him grind his teeth together as the Waking Magic fought to overthrow what little control he still possessed.

"Turn end…" the red-gem Obelisk Force soldier laughed.

"Just like that, the little freak's already hanging by a thread," he stated.

"He's not such a threat, don't see why the Professor is so interested in him." Yuya slowly got himself up on his knees, his body trembling with the effort as he felt his breathing come out in ragged gasps of air, the pain of the Waking Magic trying to sway his control eating away at his barely held together restraint as he got to his feet.

"You'll suffer the same fate as these guys, kid. Even if you gotta be taken back to the Professor, we were told to card ya if you resisted," stated the red-gem Obelisk member.

It was in that second that the sight of those three cards were the linchpin for his control. Yuya felt his resolve to restrain his magic slip from his grasp as the intense cold of his magic wrapped around his body and slowly became numb to the feeling of blood slipping down his arm, or the ache of his bruises, the fire-like pain that scorched through his chest and head faded almost to the point that he didn't feel it anymore as he took in a slow breath, swaying slightly where he stood before he turned his gaze upon the trio of Obelisk Force members, his eyes having transcended to a full blown crimson, the shade of freshly drawn blood as he straightened his stance, his pupils retracting into oval shapes.

"W-What the fuck?" asked one of the Obelisk Force members.

"My turn! I draw…" a sinister smirk appeared on Yuya's features.

"The hell is this kid?" Yuya held up two cards.

"I set the Pendulum Scales with my Scale Three Xiangke Magician, and my Scale Eight Xiangsheng Magician!" the sky turned black and red, blood-colored pillars of light appeared in the sky as the two Magicians took to the macabre sky, standing in the midst of it like heralds of demise as a golden arcane designed three and eight appeared beneath them, the Pendulum crystal upon Yuya's neck circled within the sky, forming a blood red web as the three Obelisk Force members stepped back.

"What is this?" Yuya smirked, revealing slightly sharpened canines.

"With this, I can Special Summon Monsters between Level Four and Seven at the same time!" the trio of Obelisk Force members felt a tremendous sense of sadistic intent come from the boy.

" _He's some kind of demon…"_ Yuya continued to smirk.

" _Swing, Pendulum of Souls… carve a rift between this world and the next within the sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Come forth, my faithful Monsters! My Level Four Performapal Whip Viper, and the Level Four Performapal Skeeter Skimmer!" the two creatures appeared on the field, and the trio watched in disbelief.

"The hell is this kid? The way he looks, it's like…" one of the others stiffened.

"Like he's not human…" Yuya gave a faint laugh, his sinister smirk remaining upon his lips.

"I Overlay my Level Four Whip Viper and Skeeter Skimmer! _Fangs of treason from the pitch-black darkness, oppose crass, foolish power! Descend before us now! Xyz Summon!_ Appear! Rank Four, _Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"_ the ferocious black Dragon of the Xyz Zone appeared with a thunderous roar as the Obelisk Force members watched onward in disbelief.

"A Pendulum Summon for an Xyz Summon?" Yuya looked to them, a faint dark series of lines appearing just under his eyes as his pupils began to shrink, becoming more feline-like.

"Battle! I use Dark Rebellion to attack Ancient Gear Hound! Dark Rebellion! Put that foul beast down! _Rebellious Lightning Disobey!"_ Yuya watched as the Dragon did as he requested, and the first of the Obelisk Force members who had summoned the Machine Monster was cut down, his Life Points dropping to twenty-five hundred.

"I end my turn." the trio looked to one another as the boy kept those unsettling eyes upon them.

"J-Just who the hell is this guy, exactly?" asked the green-gem Obelisk Soldier. The boy smirked, displaying his teeth just enough for them to tell that his canines had grown longer and sharper.

"L-Let's just hurry up and take care of this! My turn! I once more summon Ancient Gear Hound! When there's a Monster on my opponent's field, Ancient Gear Hound can inflict six-hundred damage to my opponent once per turn! _Hound Flame!"_

The trio of Obelisk Force members watched Yuya get knocked down by the attack; however, whatever satisfaction they had gotten from it, was removed when the boy rose up into a sitting position like a resurrected corpse, cold crimson eyes looking to them with a lack of response, as though he felt no pain while he sat there upon the ground for a moment longer, his body swaying a fraction as an emotionless expression remained upon his features. His life points had dropped to fourteen-hundred, but that went unnoticed by the trio as they stood there with sickened expressions as the boy remained where he was.

" _What the fuck is this thing? It's disgusting, like some kind of demon!"_

"I end my turn!" stated the red-gem member in a frantic manner.

"M-My turn! I also use Hound Flame!"

The attack hit Yuya once more, sending him flying; however, just like last time, he rose up, and this time, stood to his feet, the ragged remains of his white jacket looking like strips of rotted burial gauze as he remained before them, unfazed by the action even as his Life Points dropped down to eight-hundred, his cold blood-colored eyes remaining locked upon them, the pupils retracting further as the boy narrowed his gaze a fraction, as if daring them to do the same thing again.

"I-I end my turn… g-go…" the yellow-gem member took in a shaking breath.

"Are you scared?" the trio flinched as they heard the boy speak, his voice hollow as they watched him.

"W-What?" glowing crimson eyes looked to them with a glint of malicious intent.

"Are you scared? Of this form?" lips pulled back just enough for them to see sharpened fang-like teeth, the smirk on the boy's face looking demented as he kept his gaze upon them.

As this was happening, Aura flew up with Gongenzaka at her side, the duo having followed Tsuiteru to where Yuya was, and they first had seen Shay lying upon the ground and were going to help him when they had felt a sense of immense dread fill their bodies. A second later, Gongenzaka looked forward and felt his heart skip a beat. From their angle, they had a perfect view of the three strangers, and Yuya who stood before them with a sadistic smirk upon his face, eyes glowing a venomous crimson while the blood red and black spires of the Pendulum Summoning method hung over head, casting an eerie light upon them all.

"Y-Yuya?" Gongenzaka questioned.

"Darling?"

Yuya licked his lips, smirking once more as Aura and Gongenzaka watched the boy, the sinister appearance he possessed causing fear to seep deep into their forms as the boy watched the three Obelisk Force members stand there as though they were frightened little children. It sent a whirl of elation into his very body as he watched them, his form startling to tremble just a fraction as the trio and his two friends watched as a sinister laugh began to bubble forth from his throat, and he opened his mouth to let it fall out, and the sound made it feel as though their bones were being encased within ice as Aura and Gongenzaka took in the visage of the kind boy they'd known dissolve into a wicked creature, demonic laughter being ripped from his lips as he bared evident fangs for them to see.

"Are you scared? Of this form? Because you should be… hahaha…. Come now, show me a repeat of your earlier tactics! Being bold enough to think that will scare me… if you've seen it once, you've witnessed it too many times, so show me what you one trick ponies can do!" Yuya's normally kind and warm voice game out as harsh and grating, carrying a level of sadistic intent that couldn't be ignored.

"My turn! I also activate the effect of my Ancient Gear Hound! I inflict six-hundred points of damage to the opposing player!" Yuya was sent flying nearer to Aura and Gongenzaka, who stared onward in disbelief as Yuya let out a sharp yelp, only taken back by the sense of being thrown before he rose up once more like a reanimated corpse, and laughed, baring his fangs in full view of Aura and Gongenzaka.

"Darling!" Aura hopped off her broom and went to run towards Yuya, but was stopped by Gongenzaka.

"Wait!" he said.

"But if things keep up, Darling will be –" as she started to speak a faint hiss of pain came to their attention, and the duo looked towards Shay as he tried to get to his feet.

"Obsidian!" Gongenzaka went to the other as did Aura to help him sit up while Shay looked around.

"Where's… Yuya?" he asked.

"He's over there, but…" Shay looked towards the boy as he got to his feet a small laugh coming from him as the Risulian Witch stared.

"What am I… seeing?" he questioned, eyes wide in disbelief.

"We're not sure…" another laugh came from Yuya and Gongenzaka stared at his friend.

"Is… that really Yuya?" he asked, almost to himself as Shay watched from where he was crouched on the ground.

Yuya's entire form had begun to radiate a dark energy once more, even as he swayed a bit, laughing in a slight manner that sent discomforting chills down the spines of those who heard it while Aura watched on. This felt akin to what she had feared would happen to him after she'd first met him, but it wasn't truly an outside force causing this behavior, this was his own magic, the Waking Magic, taking over his body and influencing him. It was a terrible sight, something she couldn't bear to stand and witness, but she also knew that going within a few inches of him when he was this far into the madness that accompanied Waking Magic, could result in him attacking her. Yuya let out a wicked laugh, the dark energy around him spiraling outwards in a flourish, startling those present as they found themselves bracing against it.

"What the fuck is this thing?" Shay narrowed his eyes at the words of the Obelisk Force member.

"My turn… I draw!" Yuya looked at the card he'd drawn.

"We have to get rid of him immediately, he's dangerous!" they wanted to attack him, but their turns were over, and now, it was this monster's turn.

" _Swing once more, Pendulum of Souls! Carve a rift between this world and the next!_ _Pendulum Summon!_ Come forth, my faithful Monster!" Yuya called forth his Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, who let out its roar as it joined Dark Rebellion upon the field.

"What is he going to do?" questioned Gongenzaka.

"I don't know… but with the state of mind he's in… it's probably not going to be good…"

"My mighty Xiangke Magician, who presides of Discord _, use your power of honing to bring in line the aberrant stars!_ Xiangke Magician's Pendulum Effect! Once per turn, I can target an Xyz Monster, and convert that Monster's Rank into a Level of equal value. Thus, my Rank Four Dark Rebellion becomes a Level Four Monster," Yuya stated, his voice remaining cool and hollow.

"A-An Xyz Monster with a Level?" Shay started to stand.

"We've gotta get him to snap out of this," he stated as he wobbled, and Gongenzaka caught him by the shoulders.

"Hold on, okay? Charging in won't help matters." Shay nodded slowly, feeling the pain of the spell that had been used on him.

"My graceful Xiangsheng Magician, who presides over harmony! With your ethereal powers, multiply the stars that hang in the sky far above! Xiangsheng Magician's Pendulum Effect! Once per turn, I can target one Monster and make its Level the same as another I choose! My Dark Rebellion's Level becomes the same as my Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon's, level seven," Yuya explained further as everyone witnessed the action.

"No way… what is he – "Aura was cut off as Yuya narrowed those cold eyes upon the Obelisk Force members.

"I overlay the Level Seven Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!" the violet-black fuse of the two monsters melding together flashed into a vortex upon the ground as magic laced the air, and a form began to appear just as the trio watching heard a series of footsteps rushing up behind them, but refused to look away.

"What is this?!" Yuya closed his eyes for just a moment.

" _I call upon thee, Dragon with dichromatic eyes! Eradicate my defiant foes who would dare incur your supreme dark wrath! Xyz Summon!_ Come from the abyss of the further realm! The Rank Seven Dragon whose eyes shine with rage and fury at the Master's call! _Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon!"_

In a spiral of black wind, the Dragon appeared, knocking the four people behind Yuya over as the beast let out a screeching roar that seemed to almost cause the ground to shake. It was massive and black, and bore red marks across his legs, chest, and wings, which spread out in a threatening manner while all who witnessed this beast trembled before its might. The Dragon stood in at three-thousand attack points, and had such a tremendous aura to it that the group almost wondered how the Obelisk Force members weren't running in terror.

"What is that thing?" all eyes turned to the form beside them and felt their eyes widen.

"Sora?!" the blue-haired Dyren Witch swallowed nervously.

"Shuinin, what the fuck are you doing here?" snarled Shay.

"I'm your meet-up partner, I got stopped by some Obelisk Force members who were going out in a large group, so I got here later than I was supposed to… this is… is that really… Yuya?" Aura bit her lip.

"I'm… scared to say that it is him…" the boy smiled in a wicked way, lips curled back over his lips to reveal his fanged teeth, crimson eyes glowing and pupils retracted into fine slits as he laughed once more.

" _Yuya… what happened to you?"_ Sky thought as he watched the horror show before him.

"Because Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon used the Level Seven Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon as Material, it destroys all Level Seven or lower Monsters my enemies have, and inflicts damage equal to their Attack Points! _Dark Halo!"_ a torrent of black-purple rings echoed from the Dragon's mouth, destroying the three Ancient Gear Hounds and dealing one-thousand points of damage to all three of the Obelisk Force members, knocking their Life points down to three-thousand for two of them, and fifteen-hundred for the other respectively.

"Shit!" Yuya kept his gaze upon the three before him.

"Also, by detaching one Overlay unit from Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon, it can attack once for each Monster destroyed during this turn!" Yuya stated with a emotionless tone.

"For… e _ach_ monster destroyed?!" Gongenzaka questioned as Sky tensed, preparing to put a plan in action.

"Three Monsters were destroyed during this turn. And so, I can attack _all three of you pathetic wretches_ directly!" the three Obelisk Force members stiffened.

"Please! There's no need to just – "Yuya settled them with a vile smirk, showing a side of the boy none of them expected. The expression Yuya wore suited a demon, and showed off the changes that the Waking Magic had brought on, displaying a dark series of marks just under his eyes, and the way those crimson eyes shined with bloodlust and ill intent, and his fanged teeth seemed better suited on a monster than their friend.

"Yes, there is a need… useless trash such as yourselves doesn't belong in this world…" Sky crouched, preparing to use a speed spell.

"N-NO!" the dark dragon opened its enormous wings, crackling purple lightning appearing as the creature awaited its Master's orders.

"Take them, Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon! _Wrathful Rebellious Strike!"_

The trio of Obelisk Force soldiers were destroyed in seconds, their Duel Disks sending them back to Academia as the monstrous Dragon dispersed and Yuya started to walk away, having turned his gaze upon the others who recoiled at the sight of his eyes, shadowed by his bangs. Sky responded before any other could, racing forward with the speed spell in place. The other three watched in disbelief as Sky went to attack Yuya, but the boy smirked and snatched Sky by the throat, throwing him into a pillar, his fingers adjusting about his throat as Sky felt the boy's nails lengthen just a fraction.

Staring into Yuya's eyes when he was like this felt as though he was looking death in the eye. Sky had been scared before, but the current sensation he felt was nothing short of an unbridled terror as he felt himself cough and tasted blood, the others starting to move forward as Sky felt blood run down the corner of his mouth. Aura went to move forward and the blue-haired Dyren witch shook his head, causing her to still while Gongenzaka stopped near her while Shay staggered to his feet, clutching his wounded side.

"Y-Yuya! Stop! You gotta – "Sky was slammed against the pillar, the ragged strips of the boy's white jacket beginning to fall off his form as Yuya's wicked smile remained.

"Shuinin!" Shay called out to him, not liking the boy, but knowing that if Reiji Akaba had gotten him to side with them, that right this moment wasn't the place to mistrust him.

"W-Wake up! I-It's me… So – "another slam against the pillar as Yuya leaned a bit closer to him, revealing those sharp fangs to the blue-haired boy.

" _What the hell is inside his body that would cause this? It isn't his magic…"_ Shay thought as he observed the situation.

"Yuya! Listen to us! We don't want to fight you!" he stated as he moved closer to Yuya who hissed at him, bearing his fanged teeth at him in a threatening manner.

"He's… not going to listen, we've gotta… knock him out…" Sky was slammed into the pillar once more, causing him to cough up blood as he held onto Yuya's wrist, trying to keep the boy from strangling him to death.

" _If I don't snap him out of this soon, he's going to kill me…"_

Sky knew that getting Yuya back to his senses was his top priority; however, he also didn't want to die, and knew Yuya would never forgive himself if he were to not live because of this encounter. But looking into Yuya's eyes right then, though, Sky knew that his friend was completely possessed by his magic, not even a fraction of his normal behavior was there, and that was where the main problem laid. As he thought this through, the grip upon his throat grew tighter, and he gritted his teeth as the boy's mouth opened a fraction as he moved closer to him, and Sky kicked him back a bit, only to be slammed into the pillar once more.

"Yuya! You gotta remember! P-Please… Y-Yuya!" Shay took a few more steps forward.

"Sakaki! Wake the fuck up!" an inhuman growl came from the boy as he glared at Shay over his shoulder, causing the Risulian Witch to pause where he stood. Those eyes spoke volumes of what would happen if he took another step, and he read it loud and clear. Shay remained as still as he could as Sky looked to him with a faint nod while Aura and Gongenzaka read what was going on, knowing they would have to help.

"Please… Y-Yuya! Snap out of it! Think about what you're doing!" Sky stated loudly as Yuya leveled those soulless eyes on him.

"I know... what I'm doing…"

Sky was suddenly pulled forward and he felt sharp teeth graze the side of his throat, only for it to be pulled away from him a moment later as Shay grabbed Yuya around the waist, causing him to drop Sky, who coughed violently as Shay struggled to keep his grip upon the other witch. The moment this happened, though, and Sky was able to stagger to his feet, a burst of magical energy shot Shay and Sky away from him, making them tumble across the ground, and the pillar Sky had been slammed into to crack and begin to fall. There was a shout, and Aura screamed, covering her eyes as Sky and Shay tried to move quickly to get to Yuya, only for Gongenzaka to take the brunt of the pillar's fall upon his back as he pinned his long-time friend to the ground, causing the boy to scream in what could only be described as anger and pain as he bared his teeth at him and Gongenzaka gripped Yuya's wrists.

"Hurry!" he called as the trio looked to him.

"What?" Gongenzaka looked to them.

"I can't hold him in place for long, just find someone to help us! Obsidian! I need you to help me hold him down, I can't do this and keep this pillar on my back!" Shay nodded and came limping over to them while Sky felt a line of something wet run down his neck, and placed a hand to the area before the Risulian Witch reached forward to hold Yuya in place, struggling to do so as Gongenzaka threw the pillar off and went back to holding the boy down with Shay's help.

"We'll find someone quickly! Just hang on, guys!" Sky called as Aura looked to him.

"Can you ride a broom?" she asked.

"Kinda…" Aura summoned her broom once again and hopped on.

"Get on! Tsuiteru!" she called for the blue falcon and the bird came flying from the distance, as she had not recalled him earlier.

"Yes, mistress?" Aura looked to him.

"Help us find some people to help Yuya!" Tsuiteru nodded.

"There are several people in the Jungle area, we shall go there immediately." With that the duo flew away on the broom while the falcon leading the way while Shay and Gongenzaka struggled against Yuya, who at this point was gritting his teeth and struggling against their grasps. Right at this point, the only thing Gongenzaka and Shay could really do was hope they could hold the boy down until more help came.

"Yuya, please, look at me, you've got to wake up!" Gongenzaka stated sharply as Shay tried to hold the boy's shoulders in place but instead was nearly bitten.

"We'll have to try another tactic…" the other nodded.

"Pin his arms above his head and I'll hold his legs, we'll have to try that," he said.

Shay was quick to grab Yuya's wrists, holding them firmly before pulling the boy's arms above his head as he hissed in a manner that sounded almost feline-like as he bared his teeth at him as he struggled while Gongenzaka held Yuya's legs down by his ankles, trying to keep him from fighting to badly as the boy writhed like a snake in hot coals, trying to break free of their grasps. Gongenzaka found himself tightening his grip upon the boy's legs as he struggled, the sound of the boy's tattered jacket ripping against the pavement and his own body resounding in their ears as the boy arched his back, trying to use his flexible body to pull himself free, but to no avail.

"Yuya, quit struggling, we're trying to help you!" Shay looked to Gongenzaka and felt himself bite the inside of his cheek.

"He won't stop, he's possessed by his magic… we'll just have to wait until this calms down," he explained.

"How do you know it will?" Shay looked to Yuya, who had his eyes closed tightly as he struggled against them as best he could.

"Waking Magic when it's invoked like this stems from the person's natural need to defend themselves. It relies upon instincts, once Yuya runs out his energy or the need to protect himself starts to subside, he'll stop fighting," he stated.

"Let's hope so…"

 **{…}**

 _Holy water cannot help you now…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** That chapter is literally one of the ones that worried me the most. There were some vast differences, and let's be honest, in the anime, it was intense; however, I'd also like to point out that in this chapter, there were some important hints to future events that you might want to pay attention to. Well, tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Charm Witches can read auras, which means they have a talent for being able to guess what the person wants by reading the colors of the aura.

Serena's summoning chant for Moonlight Cat Dancer was inspired partially by the original one, and by the fact that traditionally, cats were the standard familiar for witches.

Sky ex Machina mode… eh, let's be honest, Sky had terrible timing, but he tried.

Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon is a powerhouse of a monster. I run him in my deck, and even if I only summon him without using an Xyz Monster, he's still very strong, and because he's a Pendulum Monster, he keeps coming back.

Xiangsheng and Xiangke are Chinese words meaning Creation and Destruction respectively, hence the activation chant for their Pendulum Effects.

Do you think it's obvious that Serena has a thing for Joeri? Yea, me, too.


	45. Chapter 45: The Two Souls

Chapter 45: The Two Souls

 **{Jungle Area: 5:00pm}**

Reid Pepper had just finished dueling Olga and Halil who had departed quickly for their next destination while Trout was counting up the Pendulum Cards he received when a blue falcon came fluttering down upon them both, stopping right between them, and catching their attention as not a moment later noise came whistling through the air as they watched two people descend on a broom just before them. Aura, with her witch's hat still upon her head, looked to her familiar, who nodded to her and came to rest upon her outstretched arm while Reid and Trout stared dumbfounded by the sight. Sky looked to them as they gawked, being thankful that he'd radioed Reiji and told him to cut the feed to the Jungle area until they left, because he doubted anyone could be fooled into believing that this was just stage tricks.

"Aura Houchun? And Sora Shuinin?" Reid asked as Trout gawked.

"A broom? Did you just ride a broom down here?" the girl narrowed her eyes.

"I'm a witch! Deal with it!" she snapped.

"Yikes!" Trout hid behind Reid as the caramel-magenta-haired teen looked to Sky and Aura.

"You're a… witch?" he inquired as Sky sighed.

"As am I! but that's not the problem! We need your help!" Trout shook his head.

"No way! We ain't gonna go anywhere with two freaks," he stated.

"Reid, I remember hearing that Yuya and you are friends, is that true?" the chef nodded.

"We became friends during my duel against him. Wait… why are you asking?" Sky hopped off the broom.

"Yuya's been hurt really bad and he's lost control of himself. Gongenzaka and Shay Obsidian are trying to help him, but we need more people, can you please help us?" Sky informed the other as Reid stared at the two of them.

"Reid, you ain't really gonna – "Reid nodded.

"I'm going, lead the way. Trout, you're coming too!" the other gawked.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" he asked in outrage.

"There's no time! Yuya's in danger and we've gotta get to the Ancient Ruins area asap! So, move your ass!" Sky allowed his magic to crackle around his form as a fuse of blue-green electricity.

"O-Okay…" Trout stated in an almost silent voice. Aura and Sky hopped back onto the broom and Tsuiteru fluttered towards Reid and Trout.

"Follow us and Tsuiteru, we need to get there as quickly as possible," Aura explained as the two nodded.

"Lead the way!"

With that, Aura and Sky flew ahead and Tsuiteru remained close to the ground in order to keep the other two following them. Reid wasn't sure what had happened, but he knew Yuya needed his help, and had no intention of just leaving the boy behind for his own gain, that wasn't the kind of person he was. Trout was merely wondering by this point why they were following two witches into a thick forest and towards a place where who knew what happened. While he didn't mind helping people, he expected compensation if it was something that made him go far out of his way to do so. The two ran through the forest following Sky and Aura, while the blue falcon glanced back occasionally to make sure the two of them were still following him.

As they flew, Sky began to radio back into Reiji, informing of what was happening and that segments of the cameras in the Jungle area needed to be completely cut so the could take Yuya somewhere less open in case more Obelisk Force members came looking for him. He received confirmation, and soon the two of them were flying into the Ancient Ruins area, making Sky glance back to make sure that Reid and Trout were following them still. It was a risky move getting mortals involved when they didn't know that Yuya himself was a witch; however, at this point, it didn't matter if they were mortal or witch, someone needed their help, and any of the three witches present would deal with any ramifications that would come once they were certain Yuya was okay.

Ten minutes after they had taken off to find help, Aura and Sky landed near Gongenzaka and Shay, who were still holding Yuya down by his wrists and ankles, the boy taking in ragged breaths as he tried to maintain his strength to get free while Tsuiteru landed on Aura's shoulder and Reid and Trout came to stand beside Sky. Shay glanced their way while Gongenzaka tried talking to Yuya, who had his head turned to where his bangs were shadowing his eyes as Reid and Trout started to come closer while Sky came to Shay's side, asking him if he was alright, even though it was obvious that the older teenager had severe wounds.

"How is he?" asked Aura as she came closer to the others while Reid and Trout looked at the sight of the boy being held in place.

"No real change. He's not struggling as much, but I think he's just out of breath right now." Trout looked at the boy who kept taking in ragged breaths as he looked at the two that were holding him down.

"What the hell happened to this kid?" he inquired.

"We'll explain in a bit, right now we need to get him into a secluded area." Reid looked the boy over, wondering what had happened to him.

Yuya's body was covered in bruises and cuts in different areas. His arms were laden with dark bruises and scrapes that were still bleeding, his jacket was shredded into nothing but strips of cloth, his shirt had an evident tare at the bottom of it past his belt, and bruises that looked like fingers had formed on his throat while across his cheek was a cut that seemed to still be dripping blood as well. He started to come closer, and in the second he did, the boy looked to him and his and Trout's forms went unnaturally still while a sense of fear filled their bodies, the blood in their veins turning cold.

"His eyes… what in the hell is wrong with him?" Trout asked as Shay tightened his grip on Yuya's wrists, keeping the boy's arms pinned as Yuya started struggling again.

"We need help moving him to the Jungle area, we've gotta get him away from an open area like this, or we'll all be in danger." Reid nodded.

"Alright, how can we help?" he asked.

"It's going to take most of us to get him back to the Jungle area, but the main thing I'm worried about isn't him getting his hands on one of us at this point…" Trout raised an eyebrow.

"What do you – "Yuya let out an inhuman hiss, bearing fanged teeth at them as the fisherman nodded.

"I see the problem!" he stated quickly.

"So, we need to gag him?" Shay nodded as Reid began feeling around in his pockets for anything while Trout did the same just as Sky started to feel around on his own person for anything before Shay huffed.

"Sora, can you hold him in place for a moment?" he asked.

"Wha – I think so." Sky was quick to change places with the Risulian Witch, and soon found himself struggling against the strength Yuya was using to get free.

Shay worked quickly, taking off his bandanna, and waited until Yuya opened his mouth to bare his fangs at him to wedge the fabric between his lips, and tie it in place as the boy struggled against the material, narrowing his eyes while he grabbed one of the boy's arms and Sky did the other as he looked to Gongenzaka and the teenager nodded, coming up to take Yuya's other arm before the two helped him into a sitting position. The boy wriggled against their grips trying to get lose as he narrowed his sharp eyes at them.

"Should we really do this?" asked Trout.

"We'll take the gag off once we're in the jungle area. Right now, we need to keep him from biting… I don't know about you, but I don't want those teeth sinking into me anywhere." The group looked at the boy as he tried to pull forward but was stopped as Shay gripped his hair and pushed his head down.

"Then we better hurry, I don't think he's very fond of this…" the boy settled those unnatural eyes onto Reid, who swallowed nervously as he finished this sentence.

"Right, let's get him to his feet…"

 **{Jungle Area: 5:19pm}**

It had been a struggle to get Yuya to the jungle area, but the moment they had removed the gag, the boy had nearly broken free and that had forced Shay to tackle the boy to the ground, pinning him face first into the ground as he bared his teeth to him, hissing and struggling as he had his arms pinned behind his back and a hand knotted into his hair to keep him from struggling. That had been a few minutes ago, before Gongenzaka, Reid, Trout, and Shay had been able to turn the boy onto his back and hold him in place while Sky and Aura tried to do a task as a lookout.

However, their concentration had stopped when Yuya let out an agonized scream, his eyes snapping shut and his back arching off the ground. At this point, he was still screaming, struggling against the pain that seemed to have reared its head again as Sky and Aura came to settle on the ground with the others. Though Yuya was covered in wounds, they weren't certain if he had more severe injuries that were causing him to scream in pain like he was. The boy writhed in their grasps, shaking his head as though he was trying to remove whatever influence had overtaken him as he took in rattling, shaky breaths, and continued to try and get free from their grasps.

"How in the heavens did this happen to him?" asked Reid.

"I have no idea! When Aura and I arrived, Shay was unconscious on the ground, and Yuya was fighting these three people in uniforms…" Aura nodded at Gongenzaka's words.

"The longer we watched, the more he changed," she stated.

"It's almost as if something's possessing him… wait… who were those people?" Shay narrowed his eyes.

"They were the Obelisk Force, the same people who invaded my hometown and killed thousands of people," he explained as he looked to the boy who struggled against his grasp.

"What? Then what's wrong with him?" Trout looked at the boy whose left arm he was holding down.

"Yuya is a witch, his kind of magic actually would cause this, but these changes… it's like something else got inside him when his magic took over," Sky informed him.

"Wha – cut it out! Yer givin' me the – "just as Trout went to speak, Yuya turned his body at a slight angle and tilted his head forward, biting down hard on Trout's arm, drawing blood as his fanged teeth pierced the skin as though it was soft butter.

"Yuya!" the boy's head was pulled back by Shay, who had handed over pinning Yuya's right arm down to Sky while he held the boy's head in place. Trout pulled back, looking at the deep bite on his arm just at his wrist, which oozed blood before looking at the boy, who swallowed the blood in his mouth before baring his teeth at him, now bloodied as a line of the fluid slipped down the corner of his mouth.

"This is some exorcism shit!" Trout exclaimed as Aura came over to him, and reached into her pocket to pull out a small compact-like object, which she opened to reveal a thick yellow paste.

"Hold still, this is mixed with yarrow, it'll stop the bleeding." The other let Aura put it on the bite while Reid looked to the boy.

"Why do I have to suffer through this supernatural bullshit? I ain't even friends with this kid," Trout stated as Reid looked to him.

"I wasn't friends with you ever, but I heard out your request and became friends with you. I figured if I worked with you, I could duel many times and polish my skills. Now, it's time for you to hear my request out! I need you to help Yuya, because he's also my friend." Trout sighed and looked at the boy as he held onto his arm again, the fourteen-year-old was currently a bit more still than he had been in the last twenty minutes, but his entire form trembled, and his eyes were tightly shut in what they all knew was pain.

"He's hurting… isn't there anything we can do?" asked Gongenzaka.

"I'm not a witch that specializes in healing, so I'm basically useless as it stands… if my sister Ruri was here, she could help him. Shuinin?" Sky looked to him.

"It's Sky, not Shuinin. We're on the same side, so don't just call me by my last name, okay?" everyone eyed the teenager, taking in the red jacket he was wearing for the first time.

"Regardless, isn't there something you can do?" asked Reid.

"Do you think Witches are all-powerful or something? I know healing spells, but like Shay said, there are different witches with different skills that specialize in healing. If an Avian, Tempastus, Icilis, or Gaia witch were here, sure, they could probably heal Yuya, but I'm a Dyren witch… healing magic isn't my specialty, energy manipulation and offensive spells are what I'm best at." Aura looked at them.

"I'm only a Fortuna Witch, but I might be able to find out what's going on inside him," she stated.

"Inside him? How?" she pulled out her crystal apple.

"Every witch may have a main skill they are labeled under, but every witch has a special skill that is all their own, and with mine, I can see within the person's body and see their soul and the natural energy that influences their bodies… I can probably discern what's wrong with him," she informed them.

"Alright, then, I guess it's worth a try…" Shay moved to the side, being thankful that he could take a moment to rest his wounded frame as Aura held the crystal apple over Yuya's head, the boy's body still shook with pain, his eyes clenched tightly as Aura focused her magic into the crystal apple within her hand.

"Will you be able to actually see anything?" asked Trout.

"I'm Aura Houchun, a Fortuna Witch with powers beyond my years… my personal skill is far more developed than any other of my same type and age… so I know I can help him… so if I just amp up my power…" the crystal apple began to glow, startling some of the people there as she focused her magic into the object.

" _That's amazing!"_ Reid thought.

"Anything showing up?" Aura nodded, her eyes widening.

"By the Gods…" the words left her in a rushed tone, her face going strangely pale.

"What's wrong?!" Gongenzaka asked.

"Do you see something?" Aura felt her lips tremble.

"There are two souls inside of Yuya's body," she stated, her tone strangely distant, as if she was terribly spooked by the sight of the two souls.

"Oh, man, this is creepy," muttered Trout.

"Two souls?" Aura nodded.

"Yuya's soul shows up like an orb of bright light, rimmed in crimson… it's very pure… but the other soul is darker in color, violet-shaded, but still pure… that's not what scares me…" she stated.

"What scares you, then?" Aura swallowed nervously.

"It's as if there's something much deeper inside of him, trying to shroud the two souls under it," she answered.

"Can you identify it?" Aura shook her head.

"No, I don't know what it is… but its presence is incredibly terrifying... it's a vile darkness… something… evil," she told them.

"Wait! You've got how many witches here? Can you just exorcise it or something?" Sky looked to Reid.

"It would be a good idea, but none of us are experienced enough to perform an exorcism. It would also take a coven of seven to thirteen witches to expel a demonic spirit, if that's even what it is," Sky explained.

"Seriously?" Shay nodded.

"None of us have been trained in purification spells, so we can't remove or exorcise whatever this is," he stated.

"Yuya knows how to do it, he's the one who dispelled the Corruption Curse on me…" Shay looked to Sky.

"By himself?" he inquired.

"Yes, Yuto was present at the time, but he only kept me from attacking Yuya because I was so enraged from the curse. Still, we don't know for certain that this is something possessing Yuya that entered his body when he lost control of his magic." everyone looked to him in confusion before Aura felt her eyes widen.

"I get it, you're suggesting Yuya has a strain," she told him.

"Strain?" Shay nodded.

"My friend Yuto is a Strain Witch, meaning that one of his parents was a creature. Yuto is half Phantasmal-Imp, and his mother was a Witch," he informed them.

"O-Okay, stop with the ghost stories! This is way to freaky and I don't think I – "Trout was cut off when Yuya's eyes snapped open wide, and he let out an agonized scream that made those who heard it feel as though their hearts had stopped as the boy arched up, the scream drawn out as his breath left him in a rush, and a moment later, his body collapsed to the ground, completely unmoving.

"Yuya?! Hey! Yuya!" Gongenzaka went to his friend, pulling him up into his arms, only for the boy to remain completely lifeless, his head falling backwards as he was shaken, the giant of a teenager trying to be gentle as he attempted to rouse the boy.

"Is he okay?" asked Aura as Sky came over to the two of them as he reached out and felt of the boy's pulse.

"He has a pulse and he's breathing… I guess he lost consciousness." A sigh of relief left them as Shay looked to Trout.

"Hey, can you actually fish?" he asked him.

"I-I… yes! I can!" Shay nodded.

"You have equipment here to cook?" he inquired.

"I-I do! My pap and I go camping all the time, so I brought supplies with me and left them near the exit of the arena, I had a feeling with all the rumors that we'd be doing something like this kinda challenge… just not with vampire witches." Shay looked him over.

"Go and collect fish from the river, Reid? You can cook, right? Can you make something for all of us to eat?" he probed.

"I can do that." Sky eyed him.

"Why are you wanting to do that?" he inquired.

"Because we need our strength, and if Yuya wakes up and isn't any better, we'll be useless without it. When he's like that, I get the sense that he doesn't feel any pain and he's very strong, as all of you felt just a bit ago… so I don't think we need to be playing a game of risk with our lives or his right now." Sky nodded.

"Can't argue with you there. Hey, Reid, if you help me out, we can get our hands on some extra foods. When I was running towards the Ancient Ruins area, I saw a few small markets open, getting us all fresh water would be a good idea," he told him.

"Alright, can the three of you watch Yuya alone?" Gongenzaka, Shay, and Aura nodded.

"Go and get what we need. You may want to grab a first-aid kit as well," Shay stated.

"We'll look for one. Be back soon..." with that, the duo started running in the direction that Sky had seen the open market while Aura looked at Yuya.

"You can lay him down, Shay? Can I use your jacket?" the other nodded.

"That's fine," he stated as he removed his long purple jacket before folding it up as Yuya was laid down, his head resting upon the clothing article.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" the others glanced down at Aura's question.

"I'm not sure… but what I'm worried about are these changes," Shay told them as he reached forward, moving Yuya's lips to the side a fraction to show the sharpened fangs.

"What do you think caused this?" Shay shook his head.

"Like I said, he may have a strain… but he's never shown any signs of this before, has he?" he inquired.

"No, he hasn't…" Aura looked at the boy, reaching out to remove his goggles before laying them beside him.

"Were you there before Yuya lost control?" she asked as she looked at Shay, who was wearing a just a simple black t-shirt, his red bandanna, and a small silver locket.

"I was… when the Knights of Duels attacked us, we were able to fend them off, but the Obelisk Force showed up, and… things… kind of get blurry from there because one of them used a spell on me, and I shielded Yuya, but I guess he got knocked away or something. I don't remember anything else until I woke up and saw what was happening." Gongenzaka nodded.

"Then we have to discern a way to help him," he stated.

"The only person who can probably do anything for Yuya is his mom… she's his overseer, which means she knows the most about his magic and what he's endured, so… until we can get him to her, there's not much we can really do." Shay glanced towards the sleeping boy and frowned.

When he had woken up, lying in the middle of the street and saw what was happening with Yuya, he had been confused at first, and then he had felt an overwhelming sense of dread as he witnessed the boy Xyz Summon a terrifying Dragon that he had never thought possible. It was quite the beast, and coupled with the unhinged laughter and sadistic smile upon Yuya's lips he knew something was wrong. From what he had gauged by being around the boy, Yuya was a kind soul with an understanding heart and a desire to protect people and do what was right.

However, right then he didn't feel any of the boy's warmth or compassion, and instead, there was an icy, hollow blackness like the endless sky on a bitter winter night. Yuya had the presence of a psychotic creature, a demonic entity shrouded in pain, but nothing else showed itself when he heartlessly slayed his opponents, after taunting them, feeding on their fear, and making them know that he was something that they should of be scared of. Because of this, Shay knew Yuya undoubtedly had a side to him that was sinister and only reared its head when his Waking Magic overtook him, but there was also a part of him that knew Yuya could control it potentially, if he learned how to best handle his magic.

"Shay? You seem worried, what are you thinking about?" asked Aura.

"I was thinking… Yuya doesn't cross me as a violent person, but over the last few months… has anything happened that might have caused him to start changing his demeanor?" Gongenzaka felt his eyes widen just a fraction before his face became soft, a heavy sigh leaving him.

"Yes, there are several things…" he muttered as a few noises caught their attention, only for Sky and Reid to return to them.

"Hey, why is it so gloomy right now? Are you guys alright?" Sky questioned.

"We're okay… how did it go?" Reid sighed.

"There wasn't much for the food items, but we were able to get water and a first aid kit," he stated as he held up one of the plastic bags.

"Good, we can tend to Shay and Yuya's wounds, then." The Risulian witch looked to them.

"Tend to his first," he stated.

"Nope, we're going to take a look at that side of yours while Reid and Trout cook, if that's, alright?" Reid nodded.

"I'll go and get Trout and we'll get things set up. The quickest thing out here will be a stew, so I'll see what he brought with him and we'll try and make something that won't take long," he informed them as he went off from the group.

"We should make a fire, too, it'll be dark soon." Sky nodded.

"I'll be tending to your wounds first, and then I'll take care of Yuya's. From how your favoring your side, I'd say your ribs are bruised or broken, so we need to bind them," he mentioned.

"All those years at Academia teach you that?" Sky smirked.

"Yep, but I intend to use it to help my real allies, not those who want to use me," he explained as he moved to sit on the ground and made Shay remove his shirt.

"Do I have to do this?" Sky nodded.

"Uhuh, now hold still. I'm going to bind your ribs, and then we'll go from there," Sky told him as he started to wrap Shay's torso, slowly covering the ugly dark bruises across his sides and abdomen.

Some time went by and Reid returned with Trout, the two of them cleaning the fish and setting up a fire to cook it on with water and a few carrots that Trout had brought with him. Aura remained silent beside Yuya, checking occasionally on his pulse and breathing as she looked at the boy while he remained unconscious while the sun began to set in the horizon. Sky finished with checking over Shay and Gongenzaka before he went to Yuya, and started to remove the belt around the boy's waist before pulling his shirt up, only for them to immediately see a cut present at the left side of his abdomen, and a series of nasty bruises that had formed along his front and sides.

With Gongenzaka's help, he managed to get his friend's shirt off and tended to the injuries, Aura using some of the yarrow salve on certain cuts to keep them from getting infected and to help stop the bleeding as Sky started to wrap the gauze before he taped it off and they got the boy's shirt back on and then moved onto his cheek and arms. After they had finished with cleaning and bandaging his wounds, Reid handed out a few bowls of the simple stew and a bottle of water to Sky as the boy thanked him, and screwed the cap off before propping Yuya up a fraction with Shay's help as the blue-haired Dyren witch put the mouth of the bottle to Yuya's lips and tilted it back gently, letting it slide down his throat, hoping to give the boy something to keep him from being dehydrated.

As they did this though, Yuya coughed, startling them somewhat as the boy's frame shook a bit with the action before they were greeted with the sight of bleary and exhausted scarlet eyes. It took them a moment, as they watched the boy try and get his bearings, eyes not fully open and his face looking a bit pale as he glanced at the faces staring down at him.

"Yuya!" Reid said in relief as the boy tried to get a sense of what was happening.

"R-Reid? Wha – "the boy started coughing again, covering his mouth as he did so while Sky helped him sit up, the blue-haired Lancer looking relieved that the other was back to his senses.

"Oh, please don't let him go vampire on us again," muttered Trout while watching Sky help him drink some of the water from the bottle he'd been given.

"Take it easy, you really overdid yourself. Just drink this, don't try to talk right now." Dull scarlet eyes glanced towards the person who talked, and suddenly grew wide.

"S-Sora?!" Yuya sat up swiftly and instantly regretted it as his body was assaulted by pain, causing him to wrap his arms around his waist and lean over.

"You're hurt, don't move around so much," Gongenzaka stated as Yuya looked to him and then glanced to his left where Shay was seated.

"Shay? Wait… are you alright?! I remember those Obelisk Force members attacking the Knights of Duels and then they did something to you… and I – "Yuya looked to his hands, marred with scrapes here and there.

"You attacked them, Yuya… brutally," Sky stated, causing the boy to look at him.

"I… did? I…" the boy's face went white and Aura frowned.

"The Waking magic took control… it wasn't your fault, they probably did something to push you over what you could handle," she admitted as he took in a few shaky breaths.

"So that's what happened? I see…" Reid looked to the boy, and felt a slight pain develop in his chest at the realization of how much pain this was causing his friend.

"Listen, I don't know anything about how your side of the world works Yuya, but what I do know is that whatever you did to those people, they probably deserved it. So, from how I see it, your magic did what it needed to, right?" Reid stated as Yuya glanced to the side.

"I… don't know… I – ack! What's this taste in my mouth?" Yuya stuck a finger into the corner of his mouth, trying to see if he had something inside it that would cause the foul taste to be present, but there was nothing until he pulled his fingers back and looked down at the faded blood that presented itself.

"Do you remember what happened?" asked Sky as Yuya looked at the blood on his fingers.

"N-No… it's… blurry." Aura nodded her head a bit.

"You were completely possessed by your magic, and lost control of yourself… you destroyed those people, and then all of the sudden you came after us… Sora… I mean… Sky tried to stop you, but you tried to strangle him, you even bit him… but…" Yuya swallowed nervously.

"What did I do? Did I hurt anyone? Did I… I didn't kill anyone, right?" he looked to the group, fear evident in his burnt-out eyes that lacked their normal luster.

"No, but we had to gag you in order to get you back here without being hurt… during the duel… you… started to change," Shay admitted to him as he looked the boy in the eye.

"Change?" Trout jumped in at that.

"Your eyes were glowing and like crimson colored, your pupils were all catty, too! And you have… fangs… your nails were sharpened, too, from what I saw! And you've still got these dark marks around your eyes… like you haven't slept in days or something," he explained frantically as Yuya reached up to his left eye, rubbing at it a bit.

"Yuya? Is something in your eye?" the boy blinked a few times.

"My eye's just bothering me is all," he muttered, rubbing his eye carefully before glancing towards the others.

"Are you sure?"" he nodded.

"Yea, it's fine," he told them, and Shay looked the boy over.

"Look, the problem right now is that you went off the deep end, Trout got bitten by you, and you even swallowed the blood you'd gotten from the bite… do you know why you'd change like that?" scarlet eyes met tawny ones.

"It's never happened before… even before my Waking Magic fully awoke, I never had any signs of this," he informed the other.

"Nothing at all? No mood swings? Sudden aggression? High anxiety?" Shay probed as Yuya thought for a moment and felt his shoulders slump a bit.

"Those things have been happening, actually… and they've become more and more consistent as time's gone on…" The group looked to him.

"What are you getting at?" asked Gongenzaka.

"Yuya's Waking magic has been possessing him in small bursts for weeks now, maybe even months or years and he never knew that." Sky puffed out his cheeks.

"That's beside the point! Yuya totally slaughtered those Obelisk Force members, and that's something to be glad about. Those mangy mutts never bounce back quickly after that kind of mess… but there is a problem," he said, causing them to look in his direction.

"What kind of problem?" pastel green eyes looked to Yuya's scarlet ones.

"The Obelisk Force is all over the place, they're looking for people," Sky stated as Yuya felt his eyes widen.

" _Alright then. My turn! I summon Ancient Gear Hound! Turn end. Let's get this over with quickly, the Professor wanted this kid, Lady Serena and Yuzu Hiiragi…"_ the group looked to Yuya seemed as though he was going to be ill at the statement Sky had made.

"Yuya? Are you alright? You look like your going to be sick," Reid asked him as the boy swallowed nervously.

"I know who they're looking for… a girl named Serena…. Yuzu, and… me…" Sky looked to him, discomfort ebbing into his very being.

" _They must have said something when Yuya was dueling them before we arrived… dammit, he's not supposed to know the truth right now. If Yuya finds out he's the pillar of our zone, there's no telling what that could do to him… hell… not even Shay knows the full story,"_ Sky thought.

"Why would they be looking for you and Yuzu?" Shay narrowed his eyes.

"Yuzu favors my sister Ruri greatly, they aren't identical, but they do have several similarities… she was kidnapped by Academia… this Serena girl most likely also favors Yuzu and Ruri, which means they're here because these three girls favor one another and they want them for some reason," he stated as Yuya nodded.

"Yuto and I came up with the same answers… when we met someone named Hugo… who's looking for a girl named Rin…" Trout made a noise of confusion.

"Alright, that's enough spooky stuff for one night. No more campfire ghost stories thanks, I'm gonna hit the sack," he stated as he went away from the fire and towards a tree to settle down and get some sleep.

"If it's all the same, I'll turn in, too. If anyone else is hungry, please enjoy the stew; Yuya, try to eat something, would you? You look a bit sallow." With that, Reid left to get a bit of rest himself, leaving the witches and Gongenzaka by the fire.

Yuya nodded to him and the group remained silent for a moment, Shay handing out a bowl of the stew to Yuya who took it and picked at it with the spoon he'd been given while the group kept themselves quiet. Aura was exhausted, but there were answers that needed to be given, and while there were questions on what had happened to Yuya earlier, no one knew how to truly ask the right thing or give the right answer, all of it was guessing, and the group had all gotten the sense that there were more important things to discuss right then.

"So, who's this Hugo person?" asked Sky.

"He came after you were… wait… what happened? How did you get back here?" the blue-haired duelist sighed.

"My teleportation was hacked, and I ended up in Reiji Akaba's office. He told me some things about what the Professor's plans were, and well… here I am…" he explained.

"Something tells me that's not the whole story, but I'll let it slide for now." Shay looked to Yuya and sighed.

"I'm guessing you're talking about a Synchro Duelist?" he inquired, causing Yuya to look to him.

"Not just a Synchro Duelist, an Unduline. Hugo isn't just any duelist, he's a Tempastus Witch with undine bloodlines… and… looks a great deal like Yuto and I." the information sunk in for a moment, making those around them discomforted by the situation.

"So, that makes three girls who favor, and three boys who favor… what are all of you? Triplets?" asked Aura.

"No, but I'm not sure what any of this means… however, there's something that I've noticed all of us have…" Shay looked to the pendulum crystal Yuya wore.

"Those pendulum crystals. Yuto has one, so do you, and I'm gonna guess that this Hugo person has one as well," he stated.

"Yea… his is green and gold… but like I said, none of this makes any sense, I don't get what this is…" Yuya shook his head shivering just a bit as he pulled his knees to his chest and rested his head upon them.

"Maybe you shouldn't dwell on it, there's probably a reason, but what it is none of us can figure out if we get bent out of shape," Aura suggested.

"Okay… you're right… I guess we'll just have to play it by ear…" Gongenzaka nodded.

"Right, now… eat up. You look like a ghost, and we need you better so all of us can get through this tournament," he stated.

"I'm eating, okay?" Aura sighed.

"Well, right now, I think I'm going to head back home. It's late, and I left my dorm without telling anyone, I should probably return before I get in trouble," she explained as she summoned her broom and waved goodbye to the group before taking off.

"What about you, Sora?" the blue-haired former Academia soldier shrugged.

"I'm sticking around. My boss told me to put those Obelisk Force assholes in their place, so I figure the best way to do that is to also help my friends," he explained.

"Are… you sure? I mean they did a lot for you, right? Don't you feel bad about betraying them, Sora?" the other shook his head.

"Yuya, listen to me," he told him as he grabbed his friends bandaged hands, being careful not to irritate the wounds there.

"Sora, what – "the other smiled.

"You saved my life when you used that purification rite on me, it completely removed the corruption curse, and I realized what had been done to me. I sided with Reiji Akaba, because he wants to stop this insanity just like Shay's people do. So, I asked him to let me do something," he stated.

"What did you ask him?" Sky gave his friend and sincere look.

"I asked him to let me protect the person who saved me… I was assigned to protect you, Yuya." Scarlet eyes widened in surprise as he looked the other over, seeing finger-like bruises formed on his throat next to a cut that looked suspiciously like teeth marks.

"Earlier… what the others said about my strangling you… it was true, huh?" he asked.

"You didn't know what you were doing… and I went in to try and help you wake up. Yuya, I don't blame you for any of it, please understand that." the other nodded slowly.

"Um… Sora? Thanks… for trying to get me to snap out of it," he said.

"Hey, I'm your friend, m'kay? It's my job to have your back… and by the way, I changed my name to Sky… I'm not that person anymore…" Yuya smiled.

"Then we'll finish this tournament together, but more importantly, we'll weed out the Obelisk Force as quickly as we can, okay?" Sky nodded.

"Got'cha, let's kick some ass, you in? Gongenzaka? Obsidian?" he questioned as Yuya held his hand out in front of him, Sky putting his on top of the boy's with Gongenzaka following as Shay sighed.

"Why not, it's not like I'm just gonna up and abandon a chance to thin the ranks of the terrorists." Shay put his hand atop the giant of a teenager's own, the four of them unknowing that right at that moment, they had begun to form a friendship that would be put to the test very soon.

 **{…..}**

 _See I've come to burn your kingdom down…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Well, here we are. On the cusp of the Tournament Arc coming to a close, and to the beginning of the Synchro Dimension Arc. I just hope you guys are ready for that one, because that is where the **true M rating is.** well, tell me what you think.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

This entire chapter is based around the segments focused on Yuya and his group in _Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V Season 1 episode 46 – Dragon's Vengeance._

Has anyone watched episode 46 and wondered how in the hell they got Yuya back to the jungle without major injury?

I felt like there needed to be an explanation for where in the hell that cooking pot came from that the fish soup was in, because it just was suddenly there.

Some of Trout's statements were taken from the English Dub, but as most of you know, I use the Japanese English Subbed version for the story's backing.

Yuya not remembering much of anything is something that happens repeatedly when he becomes like this due to his magic or the forces behind the scenes in the anime.

The ominous and evil shadow lurking within Yuya is something that I think all of you are aware of as to who or what that is. If not, you'll find out, don't worry.


	46. Chapter 46: Wavering Eyes

Chapter 46: Wavering Eyes

 **{Iceberg Area: 9:00pm}**

Serena Allister was not a patient person, and she had never been one to put up with nonsense, which was one of her fatal flaws; however, right this moment, she was more than just being impatient, or being forced to put up with nonsense, Serena would guess that the appropriate term would be: royally pissed. She, Yuzu, and Dennis had been whisked away by two ninjas when the Obelisk Force had shown up, and a group of older teenagers had got their attention. While it was confusing, it also infuriated her to the point that she was currently standing next to Yuzu with a fierce glower on her face that would have made even Joeri quiver with discomfort.

"You better start explaining, do you hear me? Ninjas?" she snapped.

"Pardon me, Lady Serena and Lady Yuzu, we were asked to take you to the Jungle area to rendezvous with other players in the tournament. The invading forces are causing a ruckus, and thus we must do as our boss requested." Dennis raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, the two of you want to take us to the other players? But wouldn't that be against the rules?" he probed.

"Not in this situation. An Avante Garde has been sent out; however, right now, the Obelisk Force is an unknown threat, and we mustn't allow them to catch up with us," the red-dressed ninja stated.

"Who are the two of you anyways?" the two looked them over.

"I'm Hikage Fuma, and this is my brother Tsukikage Fuma. Our job is to protect as many of the current contestants as possible; by putting all of you together, we stand a better chance of fending them off," stated Hikage.

"Wait a minute! I need to meet up with Shay Obsidian!" Yuzu looked to them.

"Shay Obsidian will be present there, according to our ally," Tsukikage explained.

"Why is this Obelisk Force here?" Serena frowned.

"They're looking for me, and they've probably come to get you too. The two of us aren't the only ones who favor, there are two other girls in Academia's custody that look like us to by the names of Ruri and Rin, so the Obelisk Force is more than likely here to get you and me," she told her.

Yuzu let the words sink in for a moment as Serena remained stern faced towards the two ninjas. So, there were four girls including herself that favored, and according to Yuya's information that he'd gotten from Yuto, the two of them, plus another person named Hugo favored, which lead her to wonder one more thing. Periwinkle eyes looked to Serena, who had her arms crossed over her chest, her purple moon-crystal bracelet clinking as she remained irritated by the situation.

"Serena, I was wondering… is there a boy that you're close to?" Serena looked to her.

"What kind of question is that in this situation?" she asked as Yuzu went into her duel disk and pulled up a picture of her and Yuya before showing it to the other girl, who eyed it before concern filled her gaze.

"I'm going to take that look to mean that there is someone like that." the girl nodded slowly as she looked to her duel disk.

"His name is Joeri… he put himself in harms way in order to let me escape Academia. I don't know what they'll do to him… for committing treason like he did… but I know that once I know for certain what Academia has been truly doing… one of my first priorities is saving him," she explained.

"If that's the case, then you need to find a way to hide to some degree. If you do, then there's a chance that the Obelisk Force can be tricked… oh! I know! Serena, change clothes with me!" the girl raised an eyebrow.

"How in the hell will that work?" she inquired.

"We're almost identical, I can act as your double. Hikage, can you split up with me and Tsukikage can take Serena… the two of us will go to the Jungle area on separate routes so to confuse the Obelisk Force." The two ninjas eyed one another.

"If you believe that will benefit this mission, then we will follow your plan, Lady Yuzu," stated Hikage.

"Well, if its all the same to you, I'll head on by myself. At current, it'll be more confusing if it's two identical girls and two ninjas without an extra person. So, I'll head on there now, and then you two can go, m'kay?" Dennis waved to the four as he walked away, and Yuzu nodded.

"Be careful, alright, Dennis? Yuya would want to see you safe!" she called to him.

"The same goes for you two girls, aren't there two boys who care for you, and I know that Yuya wants to see you okay, Yuzu, so the four of you be extra careful, I doubt those people will play fair." With that, Dennis walked out of earshot and Serena huffed.

"Let's change clothes, then," she said.

"Wait, let's go behind some of the rocks so we're not seen."

Serena nodded and followed the pink-haired girl, eyeing her attire consisting of thigh-high socks, pink converse sneakers, dark wash jean shorts, and a lavender t-shirt, her hair done up in twin tails, held in place by two purple jewel ties. Yuzu removed her clothes quickly and Serena did the same before they started to get dressed, the girls being grateful that they were the same size for the most part as Yuzu changed into Serena's boots, tugging on her jacket last as Serena fixed the socks on her legs and put the shoes on before Yuzu looked her over.

It would work for the most part; however, there was one more detail they would need to change. The pink-haired girl took her hair down and Serena quickly took the hint, pulling the yellow tie out of her hair while Yuzu handed her the two jewel ties while she pulled her hair up into a ponytail before she helped Serena do her hair the way she normally would. The two girls nodded, pleased with the change as Serena took in a deep breath and started to walk away from the rock with Yuzu right behind her before they went to the two ninjas.

"Which routes will we be taking?" Serena thought for a moment.

"I think if we go back through the Volcano area while Yuzu and Hikage go through this route will work. They'll think we're two different people and the wires will get crossed a bit. It won't work continuously, so it'll only give us a short window to get to the others," she stated.

"Good idea. Hikage, are you ready?" Hikage nodded.

"I will shadow you, as will Tsukikage, we can thin their forces by making them feel as though the two of you are vulnerable," he mentioned.

"Hmm, clever ninja. Alright, then, let's do it!" Hikage vanished and Yuzu walked to the left while Serena went to the right, Tsukikage vanishing in that direction as the two girls left one another.

"Good luck, Serena," Yuzu stated.

"The same to you, Yuzu."

 **{Arena: 9:45pm}**

Yoko listened to the arguments going out from the people who were being kept in the arena area while she considered the pulse she had felt earlier. It was an energy that undoubtedly felt like Yuya's magic, but there had been an undertone to it that made her skin crawl, only because she knew what was the root of it, and had hoped that it wouldn't amount to that rearing its head like it had. All of the people were fussing about being kept from going home, but at current, she was hoping beyond all else that the children were safe.

"Has anyone heard anything?" asked Allie.

"No, nothing much is being told about Yuya or the others, but there was a little blip on the information updates stating that the Knights of Duels have been disqualified for attempting bodily harm to the players, and so far, Yuya has two victories on his side… the scores are kind of being put up, but not often." Yoko took in a deep breath.

"Yuya… his magic spiked earlier, to the point that I could feel it from here… that means someone's attacking the players," she muttered to Shuzo.

"Are you sure?" the woman nodded.

"I would know his magical pulse anywhere, and I'm telling you right now that he's in danger, as are the others. I need to find a way to get to him," she stated.

"But what about the talismans?" Yoko looked to the area around her.

"That is a problem… but still…" Shuzo placed a hand atop her own.

"Yoko, have faith that Yuya can handle himself. He's very talented, just believe that you've trained him well enough to be able to hold his own," he told her.

"Shuzo, that's not what I'm worried about. Yuya isn't a fighter, he's just a child… with no combative experience because I was too stupid to try and give him even a bit of training in how to handle himself in a Variance. That was a foolish mistake on my part," she told him as Shuzo sighed.

"Yuya is strong, isn't he? Like your little sister was…" Yoko looked to him.

"How…" the man smiled.

"I never forgot Yaya, she and Sakura were best friends. Even though I never said anything, I always knew Yuya was her child, how could I forget that little baby I met when he was only a week old? Remember, Yoko, Yuya is her son, and your sister was anything but a pushover, and if she didn't know how to fight, she learned as she went," he assured her.

"Do you… think they'll be okay?" Shuzo nodded.

"Yes, our children are resourceful, and Yuya will be fine, and he'll protect Yuzu, so don't worry." Yoko took in a deep breath, agreeing with him silently while deep down, she knew things were going to get much worse before this entire fiasco was over.

 **{Jungle Area: 10:00pm}**

It had been quiet for a few hours, allowing the group to get a little rest before they would continue this tournament and try to handle the Obelisk Force members as best they could; however, without rest, they would be useless, and knew that all too well. Yuya was lying near the river, letting the sound of the running water lull him into a deep sleep while the others were nearby, slumbering as best they could on the ground. Sky was sleeping in a tree branch while Shay was at the base of that tree, just beside the river, while Gongenzaka was beside the tree as well, resting on his own, as just across the way, Trout and Reid were still sleeping across from them.

" _ **Yuya?"**_ relief flooded the scarlet-eyed boy as he opened his eyes a bit to look up at the vast sky above him.

"Yuto? Thank the Gods… I didn't know what had happened to you," Yuya stated in a soft whisper.

" _ **I'm just a spirit, you're still flesh and blood… are you okay?"**_ the other took in a deep breath.

"I guess… but… when my Waking magic overtook me this time… I… started changing…" Yuya sat up a bit, the moon hanging high over head to cast a silver-blue light upon the water, giving him a chance to get a good look at his reflection. Earlier, the changes had been present, and he'd gotten a full sight of his unnatural alterations, but they had long since worn off, leaving him to wonder what had brought them on.

" _ **I saw them earlier… it's possible that because I'm hosted in your body, you've taken on some of my traits, so the fangs and marks around your eyes could be that, and the eye color change could just stem from that as well atop your magic…"**_ Yuya narrowed his eyes a bit, wrapping his hand around his pendulum crystal in anxiety.

"Something tells me you don't believe that any more than I do," he muttered as Yuto appeared beside him.

" _ **You have a point there. Shay's theory may have some substance to it."**_ Yuya shook his head.

"No, I don't have a strain in my bloodline… none of my family are creatures, I know that for a fact… maybe this is just an abnormality in my magic…" Yuto hummed.

" _ **Sounds like denial to me,"**_ he mentioned.

"You're an ass sometimes, you know?" Yuto smiled.

" _ **It was strange, I'll admit… but... all the same… just be careful and keep yourself in check, m'kay?"**_

Yuya was about to reply when a thrill of fear rushed through his body, a sense of dread apparent in the pulse of his magic as he took in a shaky breath and stood to his feet, Yuto looking around as he spotted the form of an Obelisk Force member in the tree line. Yuya walked over to Gongenzaka and Shay, tapping the two on the shoulder to get their attention as he crouched between the two trees while the Risulian witch roused from his sleep and looked around, sensing something off as he knocked on the tree and Sky sat up, crouching in the tree while Gongenzaka looked to the behavior the three witches to his right were displaying before he stood calmly and went over to Reid and Trout, rousing them from their sleep in a steady manner and whispering that something was amiss while Yuya glanced around the area.

"Obelisk Force?" asked Shay.

"Yea, I don't know why, but my magic caught the ill intent in their auras…" Sky hummed.

"It's like a Spidey-sense, huh?" he questioned as Yuya rolled his eyes.

"Haha, not the right time for jokes, I'm pretty sure we're surrounded…" Sky pulled a lollipop out of his jacket and stuck it in his mouth.

"Most likely, want me to flush 'em out? I am a traitor after all," he mentioned. Shay eyed the Dyren witch before nodding slowly.

"I'll stay with Yuya, can you draw their attention?" Sky flipped down to the ground out of the tree.

"Duh, that'll be super easy," he stated walking out into the open while Reid, Gongenzaka, and Trout remained standing near their side of the small clearing.

"We'll leave it to you then, Yuya? How good is your stealth magic?" Yuya felt a small blush come to his cheeks.

"I learned basics in it when I was nine so I could sneak out to play by the river without my parents knowing…" Shay nodded.

"You won't need anything past that to hide in the shadows, draw your magic into yourself, and wait for me to signal for us to launch an attack on them, Gongenzaka and the others will probably know what to do while the three of us handle this," Shay stated as the two of them started to retreat into the shadows the forest gave them.

" _ **We'll be tackling them in a Variance, they're flybys, so they won't hold up well against a Dyren, Risulian, and Waking witches' attacks,"**_ Yuto informed him while Yuya nodded.

" _Are you sure this is a good idea? What are flybys anyways?"_ Yuya sent the thought to Yuto who took in a steadying breath.

" _ **They're people who are addicted to fly-by-night capsules. The Obelisk Force has been drugging their members with them since who knows when… so they're called flybys because they use fly-by-night flower capsules to give themselves magic… but they pop them like candy, which causes an addiction… normal usage, one every twenty-four hours is nothing, but this… it's…"**_ Yuya felt his stomach churn in an uncomfortable manner.

" _Like watching doped-up zombies commit suicide… do we really need to do this?"_ he pondered this question, and Yuto nodded to him.

" _ **If we knock them unconscious, they'll be sent back to Academia, and if we're sure to do some damage, that'll serve as a warning to them that the Pendulum Zone isn't to be messed with,"**_ Yuya nodded at Yuto's statement and watched from the shadows alongside Shay as Sky took center field.

"I see you!" he called as Gongenzaka, Reid, and Trout moved back from the direct area that Sky was at.

"So, the traitor Sora Shuinin shows his face." The blue-haired Dyren Witch smirked as the Obelisk Force members came forward in a group of fifteen.

"Yup! I'm right here for ya, so… whose gonna take the first crack?" the group of fifteen prepared to activate their Duel Disks.

"We'll annihilate your traitorous existence!" Sky laughed.

"Fight me like the witches you pretend to be! Show me what you bunch of flybys can do!" he challenged.

"More than enough to destroy you…"

A lash of purple-fused magic came flying towards Sky, who jumped into the air, cutting a flip casually before he landed in a crouch while the Obelisk Force planned on attacking him at once. Sky stood from his crouch and spread his arms out wide, blue-green tendrils appearing around his arms as he took in a steady breath, preparing to form a barrier, and nodded, letting Shay and Yuya know that after his first attack, they could follow through. Sky took in a deep breath, holding his palms upwards as he closed his eyes.

"Graceful Goddess of the Northern Winds! I call to thy divine name most humbly, a lowly servant of your greatness. Rush forth, blowing asunder those who dare to defy the ones who claim you as their protector!"

It was a torrent of impossible winds that Sky lashed forth, using a corner elemental spell to lay waste to the Obelisk Force as he split the group of fifteen away from one another and placed them across the field. They rose up with pained groans as Sky blew his bangs out of his eyes and smirked, knowing that none of these people present would top his skills in specific magics. While energy manipulation was one of his greatest assets, he did have a few other talents up his sleeves, and if required, he would use them.

"Little bastard! We'll leave you as nothing but ash once we're done with you!" called one of the Obelisk members as Shay glanced to Yuya and nodded.

"As if you could do anything, fucking flybys…" Yuya watched as Sky antagonized the group of fifteen, and then glanced his way, winking just a fraction to let him know that it was time.

"You dare to keep shooting your mouth off? You traitorous – "Shay rushed forward, jumping into the air and landing a sharp kick to the person's back as Yuya took the ground below them, going for his more favored fire spells as he scorched the area around them, startling the Obelisk Force members.

"Mind if we join the party?" Shay inquired as an electric shock went through the person he had his foot planted into at current.

"More witches?!" Yuya crouched where he was, knowing that he could use his acrobatics to get around them and that he would have a few other spells at his disposal.

"Yea, that's kind of what happens when you storm into a town full of them," he stated as Sky glanced to him and Shay, who rolled his eyes.

"If you didn't expect us to fight back, you're dumber than you look." Yuya, Shay, and Sky dodged a few randomized attacks, Yuya landing in a crouch near the water as he looked at the lashes upon the ground and lack of injuries upon the three of them.

"Whew, someone graduated from the Imperial Stormtroopers Academy," he stated with a laugh as another attack was sent blindly to him, and Yuya cut a back flip and dodged it without trouble.

"Little fucker, stay still!" Yuya rolled his eyes.

"Yea, like that would happen…" Sky sent another wind spell after a set of them and Shay turned on his heel, flinging a lightning spell at one of the Obelisk Force members, who was sent flying before vanishing in blue light.

Shay glanced to Yuya, who smiled a bit, his magic flaring to life around him as his eyes started to take on a faint glow as he drew his magic up, grasping the energy from the flow of the river before he lashed one of the Obelisk Force soldiers with a water spell, his body feeling a bit strange due to him not being used to water magic, but he took to it as best he could. It ended up being a very short-lived fight, much like Yuto had expected it to be, once water, wind, and lightning attacks were being sent after the Obelisk Force in unison with one another.

The fifteen Academia soldiers that had ambushed them – or tried to at least – had been sent back to the hole they'd crawled out of in what felt like no time at all, even though Yuya was certain by the position of the moon that it was midnight by this point. Shay and Sky had taken a few moments to catch their breath, checking on Gongenzaka, Reid, and Trout while Yuya took in a few deep breaths, feeling nothing short of relief that his magic had listened to him as he looked up at the skies above him, relieved that it seemed as though the Obelisk Force could be handled to a degree at least.

"We should get moving, if we stay here, they may send more of them," stated Shay.

"Right, where should we head?" Sky looked to the group.

"The Volcanic area is the closest, we'll go there. We're supposed to meet up with the Fuma brothers here, but I'll try and radio into them that we had to change locations and for all of us to meet up in the Volcanic area," he explained as he reached for the earpiece he was wearing.

"Wait!" all eyes turned to Yuya, the boy's tired scarlet eyes still brighter than normal after using his magic.

"Is something wrong?" asked Sky.

"Can't you send a familiar instead? Those radio waves can be intercepted easily by outside sources." Shay looked him over.

"How in the hell would you know that?" he inquired as Yuya gave him a pointed look.

"I'm a hacker, not just a witch. I've hacked the LDS computer mainframes hundreds of times in the last two months, so I can assure you that their radio waves are anything but secure," Yuya stated.

"How? I mean, is that even possible?" blood red eyes looked to Trout.

"It's very possible. Just like Morse Code could be heard by just about anyone with the right frequency, modern day radio signals or wireless calls can be hijacked, if I had access to a normal cellphone, I could hack into the radio signal Sky's earpiece is giving off in under a minute, and to top it all off, I would know exactly where he was, and what was being said," he informed them.

"Do you have a familiar, Sky?" the blue-haired teenager nodded.

"I do, one of my Duel Monsters," Sky told them.

"Then send it, you have one that can talk, right?" he looked to Yuya.

"Yea, Frightfurloid, she can talk," he explained as Yuya nodded.

"Send her then, after you do, we'll move out to the Volcanic area." Sky agreed to the plan and summoned forth Frightfurloid, before explaining what needed to be done to her and the message that needed to be delivered. The tiny yet creepy stuffed doll in a torn-up teddy-bear dress had nodded once and flown off, leaving the others to watch her go before they let Trout pack up his belongings, leaving them hidden in one of the real trees nearby before they took off for the Volcanic area.

 **{Iceberg Area: 12:01am}**

A bright green light burst forth from the icy area as the sound of wheels slid across the ice as a white motorcycle skidded to a halt. Hugo Matsumoto sighed as he removed his helmet, looking around the area that surrounded him in questioning. After he had been forced back into the Synchro Dimension, Hugo had started thinking about what had happened with the two people he'd met in the place he had been in. Yuya, the boy he had met, was different from the people in his home, and he wanted to talk to him and Yuto, try and get some answers for what was happening, and possibly why Rin had been taken from him.

"By the Six, I don't remember it being this cold last time I was here," he stated as he rubbed his arms.

While Hugo knew coming back to this place could be a problem, he also wasn't sure that there was another way to actually get his answers. Taking in a deep breath, the Tempastus witch unzipped his jacket collar and pulled out the green and gold pendulum crystal, looking at it while it was rested in his palm. His mind recalled the last time he'd seen Rin, and how she had only gone to get a present for one of the children at their orphanage who had just gotten out of the hospital. But when she hadn't come back to meet him at the corner of the street, he got worried that someone had found out that she was a witch and captured her while she was alone. However, when he'd arrived, Rin had been abducted by someone who favored him, but seemed as though he hadn't wanted to be doing this task before he'd jumped through a portal.

"Rin, I'm gonna find you… and I think I know where to start, just hang on…" he muttered.

"Yuya Sakaki!" tourmaline eyes looked towards the source of the noise as two figures stood on the ridge near him.

"Who the fuck are you?!" he asked.

"Don't try and play with us, witch!" Hugo sent them a menacing look.

"Be careful who you call a witch with that tone," he warned.

"Please, you only escaped us the first time because one of your pagan buddies helped you!" Hugo ground his teeth together.

"Did you hurt Yuya?" he snarled.

"What the fuck are you playing? Ain't you him?" Hugo stepped off of his D-Wheel, settling his helmet on the seat, removing his gloves as he slipped them into his pocket before leveling a cold look to them.

"No, I'm not Yuya… don't get my fucking name wrong when we just meet… so… you better remember my name… and what I'm about to do with you…" the two laughed.

"You're a witch, huh? Then you're our prey," stated the shorter of the Ryouzanpaku students.

"You reek of sulfur, which means you're Hunters, but am I your prey? Oh no, I think you're misunderstanding the situation…." Hugo's left eye changed, the sclera turning blue and the iris silver as a vicious grin appeared on his features.

"The fuck? He's a strain?" Hugo held his hand out, the ground crackling as water furled forth and around his arm.

"I'm no mere strain… my heritage comes from the blood of the Water Fae… so I suspect you should be prepared for this to become very cold…" the two Ryouzanpaku students stepped back.

"Water Fae… that means…" Hugo smiled water bursting from the ground as he moved his arm back, preparing to attack them.

"I'm a Tempastus Witch, my bloodline hails from the Undine… and my name is Hugo Matsumoto… as of this moment, the two of you… are going to learn why the Hunters in my part of this world don't mess with us commons who bear the bloodline of witches and creatures…"

 **{Observation Room: 1:00am}**

Reiji Akaba stepped into the room filled with screens and monitors, observing the events going on while the people within the stadium were left to not know much else. The silver-haired president of Leo Corp adjusted his glasses as he witnessed the two witch hunters within Ryouzanpaku's ranks being completely overrun by a witch who used water as their main weapon. Reiji kept a calm expression as the blue-blonde boy turned on his heel, blocking an attack and lashing one of the students in the side with a whip of water as he moved his arm up, recoiling the formed water whip with a stern expression just before his opponents hit the ground with a pained thud.

"Who is this boy?" asked Claude as Reiji looked him over.

"That is Hugo Matsumoto, a resident of the Synchro Dimension, formally the Synchro Zone. He is someone I have been considering as a Lancer for some time, but he never seems to stay long enough… he is in the Iceberg area, I want some of our higher ups sent in to collect him and Yuzu Hiiragi. At this point, I think it's safer if we bring everyone to a safe zone," Reiji stated.

"Sir, what of the Obelisk Force?" amethyst eyes glanced towards him.

"How is the advance team?" Claude tensed.

"They've been defeated…" he informed him.

Reiji slammed his hand down upon the table, teeth gritting sharply as he thought of the situation at hand. There were several different choices he had at this point; however, every single one of them was a high risk situation that he didn't like one bit. His original plan had been to put together a team from those who had done best in this tournament, but at this point, there was nothing he could do but either gather the group and protect them with the higher ups, none of which had the use of magic, and wouldn't be able to stand against the Obelisk Force members, who could use it, or . Taking in a deep breath, Reiji stood from his seat and looked to the monitor.

"Inform the Fuma Ninjas that they need to –"

"Mr. Akaba!" Reiji turned as a strange creature in patchwork attire appeared, the hood of a bear over her head as she walked forward.

"What is that?" asked Claude.

"This is one of Shuinin's Monsters… why are you here?" Frightfurloid looked to him.

"I have a message from my Master… they were attacked in the Jungle area, and are moving out to the Volcanic area now. Please redirect the Fuma Ninjas to head there as well, the Obelisk Force seems to be moving in that direction," Frightfurloid explained.

"Thank you, return to your master and inform him that we will be handling this immediately." She nodded and vanished as Reiji looked back to the screen nearby.

"What will we be doing?" Reiji took in a deep breath.

"As of this point, the most we can do is wait and see what happens; however, should the situation turn sour, I'll have Shuinin and Obsidian extract Yuya Sakaki and Serena Allister," he informed his assistant.

"Yes, sir!" with that Reiji waited, wondering whether or not anything could be done in their current situation.

" _Things are startling to surface… which means this battle is about to truly begin."_

 **{…}**

 _And no rivers, and no lakes can put The fire out…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** While this chapter isn't as long as the others, it still gets the point that everything is starting to come full circle. Soon, characters will be crossing paths, and the fight between the Obelisk Force and the group with Yuya and some of the others will happen. At this point, there aren't many chapters left in what I call Season 1 of the story. I hope the everyone is enjoying the story, and just let me know what you think.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

In the anime, Yuzu and Serena changed clothes but did not change their hair styles. Lets be honest, though, if they were wanting to fully trick the Obelisk Force at least at a distance, they would have needed to change their hair styles.

This is the first time we see Sky use a verbal spell.

Yuya uses a water spell for the first time in this chapter.

Yuya made a Star Wars reference.

Stormtroopers can't hit the broad side of a barn, and we know it.

Hugo is half Undine, which is a water-type Fae that is known for creating healing potions and is gifted in water, wind, and healing magic.

Frightfurloid is one of four familiar's that Sky has.

Wavering Eyes is a Pendulum Support card and has a sister card.


	47. Chapter 47: Convictions

Chapter 47: Convictions

 **{Volcanic Area: 1:40am}**

Hugo had gone through the Iceberg area, and intended to backtrack himself once he'd searched the current place he was in. It seemed like something out of Dante's Inferno, possibly even Mordor, in his opinion, and was blistering hot as he rested atop a peak of a cragged rock, tourmaline eyes scanning the area for any signs of Yuya or Yuto, unsure if they were even taking part in whatever kind of twisted event he'd stepped into. Hugo pulled his helmet off, wiping his forehead as he sighed.

"The hell's with this place? It's like Jigsaw's games and the Hunger Games had a brain baby or some shit… and it's hotter than Mordor in here, what the fuck kind of thing is happening here? The Purge?" he questioned.

It was as these thoughts left him, that Hugo heard someone scream in what could only be described as unbridled terror. Capable eyes turned towards a bridge near him where three people were cornered by three uniformed soldiers. Hugo's eyes narrowed as he watched in confusion, contemplating what they were doing there when one of the soldiers defeated one of the boys, and he vanished in a purple light, floating to the ground as nothing but a card. Grinding his teeth together, Hugo was reminded of the horrific treatment witches received in his hometown if they were commoners, and the nightmarish sights he'd witnessed in the dying town known as Heartland. Hugo felt a vicious snarl appear upon his face as another person was turned into a card before his very eyes.

"Those sick fucks… they're doing this here as well?" he revved up his D-Wheel.

"It's the end for you Xyz user, you're about to be another collector's item," stated the Obelisk Force soldier closest to the lavender-haired eighteen-year-old.

"N-No…" a laugh left the soldier.

"I attack Hierophant of Prophecy!" he called.

"NOT ON MY WATCH!" all eyes turned upwards as a white motorbike came crashing down before them as Hugo skidded to a halt between the soldiers and the boy.

"Where did he come from?" Hugo grabbed five cards from his deck, settling them into his wrist launcher.

"I Special Summon Speedroid Mencoat from my hand!" he announced as a sheet of gears that had a similar appearance and shape of Carpet from the Aladdin movies sprang to life on the field, coming in as a level four with one-hundred attack points.

"A scrap… sheet?" Hugo narrowed his gaze at the soldiers.

"Like fuck it is! Its effect changes all the opponent's Monsters into Defense Position!" he stated as the carpet-like machine Duel monster cut a flip and landed sideways, turning all the opponent's monsters into Defense mode.

"Shit… who the hell are you anyways?" asked one of the soldiers.

"I'm Hugo, Hugo Matsumoto, a Duelist and Tempastus Witch who's sick of you masked fucks tramping over people who you think are beneath you!" the soldiers eyed him.

"A… Tempastus Witch? So a storm witch?" Hugo smirked.

"I'm far more dangerous than any old run-of-the-mill Storm witch, and I'm about to show you why! End your turn, dumbass," he snapped.

"I… end my turn." Hugo nodded.

"Good boy, now watch me work my magic! my turn! I draw! Oh, yea! You guys are in for a helluva time! I summon Speedroid Three-Eyed-Dice from my hand!" he announced as he stepped off his D-Wheel, not needing it for this duel as the purple triangle appeared on the field, displaying it's three red eyes while standing at three-hundred attack points and at a level of three.

"That's some occult shit there…" Hugo laughed.

"Hardly, now, I tune my Level Four Mencoat with my Level Three Three-Eyed-Dice!" lights erupted in brilliant blue-greens as Hugo prepared to summon his most faithful beast.

"Tune… that means you're a – "Hugo nodded.

" _Mighty being of the most treacherous winds, soar upon those beautiful wings cut from the gleaming skies! Rid the earth of my foes at the speed of the breath of Mother Nature! Synchro Summon!_ Appear, take into the skies that granted you life _! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!_ " with a roar that sounded like a fierce wind, a black and white dragon with greenish-blue wings that seemed to be made of clear glass appeared upon the field, the beast stretching its arms out, striped black and white tail trailing behind it with gleams falling from its wings.

"Twenty-five hundred attack points? That's it? Fine by me! When a Monster is summoned or special summoned, using Ancient Gear Double Bite Hound Dog's effect, I can place a _Gear Acid Counter_ on the summoned Monster! This way, your dragon will share the same fate as those other Monsters!" stated one of the soldiers.

"Oh, you, poor sorry bastard, never insult my Clear Wing, she's not fond of people like you who underestimate her…" shock came to the soldiers.

"What are you talking about?" Hugo smiled.

"When a Level Five or higher Monster activates its effect, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon can negate that, and destroy that Monster! Go! _Dichroic Mirror!"_ the Dragon's wings began to glow with a brilliant light that flooded the field, destroying the Ancient Gear Monster, and causing Ancient Armageddon Gear to attack the person, nailing them down from thirty-two-hundred Life Points to eighteen-hundred.

"His own card effect?!" Hugo smirked, showing off his teeth.

"Bet your ass, and, by the way, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon then increases its own Attack Points by those of the Monster that was destroyed!" he pointed out as Clear Wing's attack points soared from twenty-five hundred to thirty-nine-hundred as it glowed with green-hued water-like ripples around it.

"T-The hell?!" the Tempastus Witch smiled broadly.

"Grab onto somthin' because I'm about to blow you away! I activate the Spell Card, _Synchro Cracker_ , from my hand! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon is returned to the Extra Deck, and every Monster whose Attack Points are lower than hers is destroyed! Now watch as those hunks of junk you had the gall to sic on the innocent bites the hands that fed them!" he stated.

"W-Wha – "Hugo tilted his head in questioning.

"If I heard correctly a moment ago, due to Ancient Armageddon Gear's effect, you sorry bastards are gonna take damage equal to the Attack Points of the destroyed Monsters! Or am I mistaken?" he asked with a sickly-sweet voice as the Obelisk Force soldiers were struck down with their own combo, and brought to zero Life Points before vanishing in a series of blue lights.

"Holy… Holly Head Harpies…" muttered the purple-haired teen.

"Hey, you alright?" Hugo asked as he removed his helmet, looking to the boy in questioning.

"I… I'm fine…" the boy stood up, panic clear in his gaze.

"Are you sure, man? You look like ya seen a ghost or somethin'," he stated as the person started backing away slowly.

"You said you're a witch… um… and then what you just did… and then those people…" Hugo raised an eyebrow.

"Eh? What's the big deal?!" he questioned.

"W-We… can't fight this occult bullshit! I'm out!" the other went running away while Hugo frowned, blowing his bangs out of his eyes as he looked at the sight of the person running for his life.

"What a wuss, he's gotta be at least three years older than me… is almost everyone in this place winy little bitches? Jeeze, he didn't even say thanks for me savin' his ass," Hugo mentioned in disgruntlement as he looked around and sighed.

" _Guess I should start my back-trackin'… I gotta find Yuya and that Yuto guy, one of them has gotta have the answers I'm lookin' for…"_ with that, he revved up his D-Wheel and put his helmet back on before taking off towards the Iceberg area.

 **{Iceberg Area: 2:03am}**

Frigid winds soared through the area encased within ice as Dennis MacField stood behind an outcropping chunk of ice as he watched Tsukikage and Yuzu make their way towards the jungle area with the ninja at a distance, but not too far from her. While the ninja would be a problem, he had been told to keep a distance from Yuzu so not to draw suspicion from other players who weren't involved with the invaders and were just interested in competing. He sighed, leaning against the ice when a flickering of dark magenta and black mist appeared, and a small portal opened, a moment later a boot clad foot exited, and soon a nicely dressed young man appeared, his attire consisting of purples and magentas with golden accents, while his violet-magenta hair was kept well tamed, a pendulum crystal of magenta stone and bronze tucked into the collar of his half-jacket to rest at his chest. Dennis smiled at the sight of the person, a friend, and someone he looked up to in a way.

"About time you showed yourself, I was starting to get bored, Joeri…" he stated as the boy looked to him with sharp violet eyes.

"Dennis, have you been loitering around and not doing your job?" the orange-haired New Yorker laughed.

"No, I did my job, just was taking a moment to rest. This hasn't been easy, you know?" he mentioned.

"Hmm… you're always so aloof. Regardless, did you find her?" Dennis eyed his friend.

"Which her? Your Princess? Or – "Joeri shot him a withering glare.

"Princess? Who would that be? Honestly, I have no need for such trivial things as love, as I told you before Dennis. Did you find Yuzu Hiiragi or not?" he inquired. Dennis at that point found himself concerned, but chose not to probe.

"You're in luck, she's right over – wait, wha?! Oh, come on! Not cool, guys!" Joeri shot him a dull look as Dennis sent irritated looks towards the three Obelisk Force members who had surrounded the pink-haired girl.

"What are those palookas doing down there? I was the one given orders to bring in Yuzu Hiiragi," the Predaplant Duelist stated in distaste.

"They were sent in to retrieve Serena, and she and Yuzu swapped clothes and hair styles to act as one another's doubles. Quite clever, if you ask me… ah..." Joeri sent the trio a perturbed look.

"How foolish, being deceived by such mediocre planning. Even upon first glance, I could instantly tell that girl was not Allister, are their differences not palpable at the very least?" he inquired.

"Well, I don't know about you, but even I would have mistaken them at first glance, but of course you would know the difference between the girl you like and someone who just favors her…" Joeri sent him a disinterested look.

"Like? Please, that girl isn't worth my time," he stated as Dennis felt his eyes grow wide.

Joeri had always been connected at the hip with Serena for as long as he had known them – which had been since they were roughly around seven and eight years old – and had clearly been deeply in love with the Kontis Witch, just as much as Serena had feelings for him; therefore, seeing Joeri so disinterested in the girl's safety or whereabouts were disturbing. Narrowing his eyes, Dennis secretly cast a spell upon his eyes, relenting to let them see the energy around his friend, which appeared as non-existent at this point, something he supposed he should have expected, seeing as they were out in the open, and Joeri had always kept his magical pulse reigned in during their excursions for propriety and stealth.

" _What's wrong with him? Joeri isn't like this, not even when he's on missions, if Serena is involved…"_

A sudden shout alerted the duo as a tub with blades attached to the bottom of it came flying down an ice slope, causing it to soar through the air as someone shouted that it was most educational. Dennis smiled a bit in humor as the two within the tub landed with a crash on the roof top with them, revealing it to be a girl who, though she was pretty, dressed in a series of winter palettes with red-white braided hair and sharp eyes, reeked of sulfur, letting the two know that she was a witch hunter, and a young boy in Arabic attire. The two stood, brushing one another out while Dennis watched them, intending on warding them off or dueling them himself while letting Joeri tend to his task.

"Gah, that gave me such a scare! We flew far too high," stated the winter girl in a Russian accent.

"It was most educational and entertaining. Do you do such things in your home country?" the girl frowned.

"Not normally! And we nearly died all because you said you wanted to ride it!" she said as the boy smiled.

"But we found Duelists, correct?" the girl looked to the two of them, and Dennis smiled.

"Oh, you found my hide out! This guy here isn't part of the tournament, but I'll give the two of you a shot to beat me in a – "Joeri sent the two a sharp glare.

"You two…" he stated causing Dennis to eye him.

"Yes? Are you wanting to join in on the duel? It would be most educational!" stated the Arabic boy.

"Hey, Halil? I get the feeling… that he has no intention of that." the girl reached behind her back to pull a weapon forth, but Joeri sent them a demonic grin.

"The two of you are in my way! Be gone!"

Blackness swarmed the area, far colder than this field could ever be as Joeri's left eye changed, the sclera turning a sinister violet while his iris turned a wicked black as he held forth his magic, sending it to attack the two people who screamed in horror as Dennis watched in disbelief, his mind recalling something about the person before him that had always stuck with him no matter what he or anyone had endured. Joeri may have been part Grim Reaper, but he was also a witch, and the two sides of his heritage held a great respect for life. Throughout their times together, Joeri had never sent his magic to harm anyone unless he absolutely needed to, and the level of viciousness he felt coming from his friend was nothing like the boy he knew. Dennis narrowed his eyes, and finally the boy's magical pulse came into view.

The sight made him feel as though he was going to vomit. It was rotting, decaying as if it was a corpse being dragged from the ground and forced to move despite the fact that it was falling apart. Dennis's face went pale as Joeri laughed while Halil and Olga screamed in fear, voices muffled by the shadows as Joeri activated his duel disk's settings and with a flash of purple light, the two were carded while the Charm Witch found himself feeling as though he was going to lose consciousness as Joeri shook the cards out and then looked at the three circling the pink-haired girl.

"Stay out of sight, you wouldn't want your cover blown, would you? Ciao," Joeri stated with a grin as he jumped off the balcony and Dennis fell to his knees.

"This… was the punishment the Professor gave him… for helping Serena escape?" he slammed a fist into the ground. Dennis felt his heart become heavy as he realized what had been done to his friend, and for the first time, he began to wonder if he was on the right side or not.

Down below, Yuzu was preparing to combat the people who had surrounded her. It was evident that they were more than likely Academia's people; however, she also wasn't ready to just follow with whatever they had in mind. Yuzu was her mother's daughter, stubborn and willful to the point that she would never dare to break just because someone told her to. Periwinkle eyes narrowed, determination deep within her very being rising to the surface as she prepared to do battle.

As the others readied their duel Disks, Yuzu thought of the promise she made to see Yuya when this tournament was over, and she intended to see that through. The weight of her mother's deck registered on the small belt she had been wearing that she had kept from her earlier attire. The deck had been with her the entire tournament, and she believed that it had been one of her good luck charms, something that let her know that her mother was there for her, even if she couldn't see or hear her, and as she glanced at her duel disk, she thought of the cards Yuya had given her before the tournament to help her, and nodded to herself, knowing that she had a special friend waiting within her deck just for these people.

"I will defeat you! Don't think for a second that I'm weak, my loved ones are backing me up all the way!" the soldiers laughed.

"Sure thing, girlie," said one of them.

"Yea, that's what they all say before their carted off or carded." A sudden rush caught their attention, causing them to look in the direction of the noise.

"The three of you are in the way!" stated the voice as Yuzu looked at the person who landed neatly upon the ground. Periwinkle eyes looked the person over, shock overcoming her as she looked at them.

"Yuya? Or… who are you?" the boy stood straight.

"Hmm? I'm not this person you speak of. Nonetheless, the three of you over there. Please remove yourselves from the premises, your presence is not required," he stated, holding up two cards.

" _What is that?"_ Yuzu thought to herself as the person smirked.

"If you elect to remain here and in the way of my assigned task, the fate you shall suffer is quite obvious," he told them as he threw the two cards and they landed in the ice, standing upright as Yuzu stared, horror coming to her features as she saw the faces of Olga and Halil captured within the images.

"My God… w-what did you do to them?" tears welled into her eyes, her legs giving out on her as she grabbed the two cards, looking at the sight of their terrified faces as Yuzu felt grief flood her body as the Obelisk Force members left the area.

"Could those have been acquaintances of yours? I apologize, but it was necessary, they would have gotten in the way of my assignment." Periwinkle eyes looked up at the person.

"W-What?" she asked.

"You can have them, if you wish." A smirk came to his features and Yuzu clutched the cards to her chest as she stared at this person, trying to discern who he was.

"" _Yuto isn't the only person who looks like me… there's… someone else, his name is Hugo Matsumoto… he favored myself and Yuto quite a bit, but he seems to be a bit older than us… but he also had a pendulum crystal…"_ Yuzu looked down at the two cards in her hands.

"So… you're Hugo Matsumoto… the person who… attacked Yuya and Yuto… and you… did something to two innocent people I knew…" the other raised an eyebrow.

"It seems there has been a misunderstanding, my name is not Hugo Matsumoto, though that is a humorous name, nor did I attack this Yuya and Yuto." Yuzu looked to him.

"Then who are you?!" she snapped.

"My, it seems I've rubbed you the wrong way… allow me to formally introduce myself, I am Joeri Mataeo, a Duelist of Academia, it is a pleasure to meet you, Yuzu Hiiragi…" the girl narrowed her eyes.

"So… you're not Hugo, but you did turn these innocent people into cards?" she questioned.

"Naturally, anyone who gives me complications on my assignments are dealt with swiftly." Anger etched itself on her features.

"Turning human beings into cards is a hideous thing to – "Joeri smiled in a vile manner.

"Little miss, if you get too boisterous with me, you may become a card yourself," he informed her as Yuzu narrowed her eyes.

"Don't you have any empathy for other human beings?" she questioned.

"Hmm? Why would I care about pathetic mortals?" Yuzu felt her eyes grow wide, looking him over as a magenta aura covered in rusted, decayed blotches appeared around the person before her.

"I see it… you're a witch..." she stated with a disgusted look on her face as Joeri gave her a confused look.

"How did you… hmm, it seems you have a few gifts of your own, little miss." Joeri stepped towards her and Yuzu recoiled from him.

"Don't you dare come near me!" she snapped.

"Little miss, I have direct orders from the Professor to escort you to Academia's island personally." Yuzu tensed, moving into a crouch.

"Professor?" she inquired.

"Yes, he is the esteemed leader of Academia, its founder! His orders are absolute." Yuzu swallowed around the knot that had formed in her throat.

"I get it now… you're just following orders… not your own will," she said.

"Will? Please, spare me the winded speech little miss, the will of the Professor is the will of us all! His plan is perfection, uniting the Zones turned Dimensions into one world! Millennium will become a great power, just as it once was!" Joeri smiled in a gleeful manner as Yuzu looked to him.

" _Serena, I was wondering… is there a boy that you're close to?"_

" _What kind of question is that in this situation?"_

" _I'm going to take that look to mean that there is someone like that."_

" _His name is Joeri… he put himself in harm's way in order to let me escape Academia. I don't know what they'll do to him… for committing treason like he did… but I know that once I know for certain what Academia has been truly doing… one of my first priorities is saving him."_

Yuzu put her hand to her mouth, tears slipping down her cheeks as realization struck her. The person Serena had spoken about with such an endearing voice, with a look of worry and genuine love in her eyes, was the same person before her now, and she couldn't fathom it. How could the person Serena wanted to protect and save be this cruel, unfeeling monster in front of her that spoke volumes of how wonderful this sadistic taskmaster known as the Professor was, and the person who helped her escape by putting his safety on the line, be the same? She bit her lip to the point that blood was drawn, anger and disbelief coursing through her as Joeri watched her.

"I must say, you favor Miss Obsidian and Mashima quite a bit. The hair and eyes are different, but there are some similarities in your physical structure and in your face, though… you are younger than they are, correct? Fourteen, if I'm not mistaken, the same age as Miss Obsidian," he mentioned.

"Obsidian and Mashima?" Joeri smiled.

"Yes, Ruri Obsidian and Rin Mashima," he stated as Yuzu's eyes grew wide.

"So, you're the one who kidnapped Yuto and Hugo's girlfriends?! You're the one who took Ruri from her brother?!" Joeri nodded with a pleased smirk.

"Indeed, that was me," he informed her. Yuzu bowed her head, doing her best to bottle up her anger in a situation she knew was dangerous while her heart throbbed with pain and sorrow at the unmistakable evil this person possessed.

"How… can you… possibly be the person… Serena wanted to protect?" Joeri frowned.

"Protect? Me? Lady Serena is of no interest of mine… she's the Professor's daughter, and I have no association with her above standard requirements. Just as I do with Miss Obsidian, Miss Mashima… and once you come to Academia, I shall have no further desire nor reason to be in your presence, little miss," he explained.

"No… interest of yours?" Joeri sighed.

"My, such a dramatic little miss. Now, come along, the Professor is awaiting our arrival," he stated as he moved to grab her.

Yuzu reacted quickly, reaching up to slap Joeri across the face with a swift strike before having to dodge a swipe he made for her with an irritated glare. Yuzu did a series of handsprings and got away before landing firmly on her feet as she pocketed the two cards, gritting her teeth as tears slipped down her face once more. Joeri looked to her and laughed a bit, placing a hand to the red mark upon his face as he observed her.

"Spirited little fairy, aren't you?" Yuzu narrowed her eyes.

"Don't you dare come near me! You're repulsive! I can't believe you'd just forget about Serena like that! She cares for you so much, even though she didn't say it, Serena's voice trembled, her eyes looked as though she was going to cry because she felt such a heavy burden for leaving you behind! How could you do these things? How could you just cast off anything about her as if it didn't matter?" she snapped.

"Little miss, affection has no place in war. You'd do well to remember that." Yuzu shook her head.

"And affection is more important than selfish orders that rip peoples loved ones from them!" she growled.

"Hmm… so you'd like to think. The truth is, our world is fragile, and none of the original people who helped worlds out have taken much notice in our plight, so Academia has elected to take it upon themselves. So, because no one knows where our keys are, we've got no choice but to _make our world whole by ourselves."_ Yuzu shook her head.

"You're sick! You're a witch, aren't you? Shouldn't you have some consideration for life?" Joeri laughed.

"What sort of _delirium are you under, little miss?_ Not all witches care for the lives of all living things, not all of us exist by the law of harm none, and not all of us follow the rules… it's more fun to smash them to bits. If you've been spoon fed that nonsense, you've been keeping rather pathetic company… only _witches with no taste for blood, flesh,_ _and ash_ spout such absurdities," he informed her.

"I am not going with you! There's no way in hell I'll leave with you anywhere, especially with someone who couldn't give a damn about the hearts of others!" Yuzu activated her duel disk.

"Oh? A duel? Very well, it would befit you to do so, seeing as you don't seem to possess a drop of magic in your veins… such a pity, but I guess you mutts can't help it," he mentioned.

"What are you talking about?" Joeri shrugged.

"Hmm… I have an idea, you and I shall duel, and if I should win, you have to do anything that I request. However, if you win, not only will I help you with that little tidbit of information, but I will leave you alone," he told her.

"And how can I be sure that you'll keep your word?" Joeri hummed in thought.

"Wise little fairy, I will place an oath upon myself; if I break that which we agree upon, it will burn me and force me to keep that which I swore to do," he stated.

"Fine, do it!"

Yuzu watched as Joeri held his hand out, and began to draw a symbol within the air, which as it formed with magic, she began to realize was a pentagram that was inverted. Horrified by the mere sight of it when she had never seen the inverted one used within anything Yuya had in his home, Yuzu stepped back as Joeri grasped the symbol with his hand, the fire-red pentagram searing into the palm of his hand.

"Are you pleased? Little miss?" Joeri inquired as he showed her his marked palm.

"What do I have to do?" he held his hand out.

"All I require is for you to hover your hand above mine, and I swear, I will have good sportsmanship in this case and not attempt to snatch you away; if I don't finish this spell, it'll sap my magic for three days and nights, and if our agreement is not completed with one of us as a decided winner, it will spread up my arm, searing marks upon my skin to remind me that I failed my side of the deal," he explained.

"Good…" Yuzu held her hand over his own.

"I shall uphold this oath placed upon my flesh, that should my gambit be played and lost, truth and departure shall be given to my opponent, lest I be marked as an example of fallen paradigms to that which we have agreed," Joeri stated as the mark glowed brightly, and Yuzu looked to him.

"Should I repeat it?" Joeri nodded.

"But it won't mark you, it's not a twin oath, which would require two witches," he informed her.

"Nice to know… let's see… I shall uphold this oath presented before me… that should my… gambit be played and lost… submission and departure shall be given to my opponent, lest I… fall short of what we have agreed upon." Joeri smirked a bit at her fumbling.

"Whomever has your heart most certainly is a fortunate witch," he stated as Yuzu jumped away from him, a chill going over her body that had little to do with their current environment.

"What are you talking about?" Joeri laughed.

"It's obvious, little miss… a Witch has stolen your heart, I can smell it on you… someone else's magic, like a thick blanket… I wasn't positive prior to our closeness, but any witch with at least some standards can tell a witch stole your heart… and most likely… you've stolen theirs as well," he mentioned with his smirk still in place.

"Start the duel!" Joeri's duel disk activated and they each drew five cards.

"Ladies first…" Yuzu took in a deep breath.

" _Yuya… I promised, I'd see you once this was over… and I intend to keep that promise…"_ Yuzu closed her eyes for just a moment before shooting a glare at her opponent.

"You're going to regret that choice!" Joeri chuckled.

"We'll see, little miss, we shall see."

 **{Surveillance Room: 2:57am}**

"Sir, we've gotten the video feed from the Volcanic area," stated Claude as Reiji sat down in his chair.

"Run it immediately." The silver-haired teenager looked at the screen as his assistant nodded.

"Yes, sir," he affirmed as he pressed play.

The scenes that followed displayed the annihilation of the Avante Garde one by one until only three were left, and then, they were dwindled down to one and then they were saved by a person on a white motorbike, who quickly dismantled the Obelisk Force's combo by Synchro summoning a ferocious white, black, and green dragon that seemed to have all the blustering force of winds, and the great pull of the waters. The video feed took to observing further, moving closer to get a look at the Duelist's face, at which point Reiji paused the video.

"Run a facial match for this person in our video feeds from the last few weeks, I want an identical match down to his eyes and hair, am I clear?" Reiji asked.

"Sir!" everyone began working, and Claude looked to him.

"Mr. Akaba? If I may, it seems this boy favors Yuya Sakaki and Yuto Kisaragi, am I mistaken?" he inquired.

"No, you aren't, but this isn't either of them… hmm… search for the video of the Central Park on July sixteenth between the times of eight-forty and ten o' clock!" the people got to work on it immediately.

"Sir, did you think of something?" Reiji nodded.

"I just realized where we've seen this person before," he stated as the video feed was pulled up, and soon after, the image was pulled up of the same boy, his helmet removed, and the facial features matched.

"The boy from the park?" Reiji nodded.

"I assumed so. From the information in the recording of that day, he stated his name was Hugo Matsumoto, a Tempastus Witch with an extensive skill in water and wind magic… and, apparently from the Synchro Dimension…" Claude frowned.

"Mr. President, I was under the impression that the Synchro Zone still existed, is that information incorrect?" he asked.

"No, it isn't. The Fusion and Synchro Zones are indeed intact; however, when Paradox killed the Pillar of the Xyz Zone, Yuma Tsukumo, he created a domino effect, splitting Synchro and Fusion between light and darkness, their dimensional counterparts were born from that moment, and while three of our Pillars kept Paradox's goal from completely cementing and were able to fuse the Ritual Zone back together, the Synchro and Fusion Zones were not as fortunate for reasons that we aren't certain of…" Claude looked at the data on his tablet.

"So, we are to believe that the Ritual, Pendulum, and Link Zones are the only ones that were spared? While the Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz Zones were split in two and one was completely transformed?" he asked.

"Yes, that is accurate. As it stands, there are ten Pillars, and the identities of the primaries are known for the most part… but the secondary Pillars are still shrouded significantly… however…" Reiji toggled the screen to his left with a mouse on his desk, showing the battle going on in the Iceberg area.

"Mr. President?" Reiji narrowed his gaze.

"Pendulum…. Xyz… Synchro… and Fusion… Claude, tell me, do you find it strange that there are four Dragons which just so happen to represent four Zones of our world?" he inquired.

"Ah! Are you insinuating that –" Reiji nodded.

"Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon just so happens to be in the possession of our Pillar, Yuya Sakaki, who, in an ironic twist, developed a method known as Pendulum Summoning, then, there is Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, used by Yuto Kisaragi, a resident of the Xyz Zone, who was a very close friend of his home zone's Pillar, Yuma Tsukumo. Are you with me thus far?" he probed.

"Yes, Mr. President, I'm documenting your theorem as you speak." Reiji nodded.

"Continuing, we have this Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, in possession of Hugo Matsumoto, a resident of the Synchro Dimension, and therefore, a resident of the Synchro Zone, who was most likely tossed into the mess when the Zone split into… and finally, we have this new Dragon… Starving Venom Fusion Dragon… owned by this young man whom, I believe in his earlier introduction, stated that his name was Joeri Mataeo, someone who was potentially a cast off when the Fusion Zone was divided as well," he further explained.

"Mr. President, if I can ask… what are you hinting at exactly?" Reiji hummed.

"There are ten Pillars, one primary guardian of each Zone, with their secondary Pillar in place, should something befall them of an unfortunate manner. But, answer this question, Claude… does that number seem short to you?" he inquired as Claude thought.

"Six Zones, two Pillars per Zone, but there's only ten… wait… if there are supposed to be two Pillars per Zone, then there should be twelve Pillars, not ten." Reiji nodded.

"Precisely, meaning that two of the Zones only have one guardian each for some reason. I do not know what that circumstance is, but I am aware that our Zone, Pendulum, does not possess two Pillars, leaving Yuya Sakaki as our only means of protecting the stability and light of our Zone… the other, from what my theory equates… would be the Link Zone," he stated.

"Mr. President, if that's the case, then who are the secondary Pillars of the Ritual, Synchro, Fusion, and Xyz Zones? Let alone the Primaries?" Reiji took in a steady breath, his mind contemplating these questions.

"The only one I am certain of… is the Xyz Zone… Yuma Tsukumo was cut down during the first month of the invasion, at that time… he was protecting one person…" Claude looked to him.

"And that person would be?" Reiji leaned back in his chair a fraction, resting his hands upon the desk.

"The true owner of Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon," he stated simply.

"You mean… Yuto Kisaragi is the Secondary Pillar of the Xyz Zone?" Reiji nodded slowly.

"It's only a theory, but I believe that to be the case… but I will require further investigations to be certain… now, we have a situation on our hands at current," he informed Claude.

"Um, yes… those who were defeated by the Obelisk Force was our elite Youth Team…" Reiji nodded once more.

"So, what is the next step?" he questioned.

"We need to dispatch the Top Team before – "the silver-haired teen shook his head.

"It would be useless," he stated.

"Useless? Sir! They're our best, surely they can handle this." Reiji took in a deep breath.

"As it is now, LDS students don't have the strength to take down Academia Duelists, at least, those of the youth and up classes, do not," he mentioned simply.

"We can't know that until we try!" Reiji shook his head.

"Academia has magic on their side… mortal duelists alone will do nothing to thin their forces," he explained.

"You… want to use Witches? Sir, with all do respect, from what I saw earlier, I don't think that's a good choice." Reiji glanced his way.

"You mean the predicament with Yuya losing control?" he inquired.

"Yes! That boy may be our Pillar, and important to the survival of our Zone, and the world… but he is also a major threat with the kind of power he possesses!" Reiji laughed a bit.

"That was only the bare minimum of the power that boy possesses. As the Pillar of our Zone, Yuya Sakaki has incredible intuition and a connection with our world… in addition, he is a powerful witch, the creator of the Pendulum Summoning method, and an exceptional Duelist." Claude sighed.

"Still, just putting all your cards on the table for a gamble with such an unstable person…" Reiji looked to him.

"Did you forget why I was determined to form the Lancers?" he asked.

"To stop Academia! But with our current elites and then these children…" Reiji shook his head.

"Dueling has entered a new stage since Pendulum Summoning was created that day. Duelists from different portions of our world, and within our own Zone who are more adapted to the use of earlier summoning mechanics, will not fair well against this newfound power," he stated.

"Are you positive?" Reiji nodded.

"However, this generation of Duelists that Yuya Sakaki is influencing has begun to be cultivated by the method our Pillar granted us. Whether he is aware of it or not, Yuya Sakaki has fulfilled much of his responsibility as our Pillar, particularly on the day that his magic and desire gave birth to the Pendulum Summoning method," he informed Claude of this and the man took in a deep breath.

"But how does that make the earlier Duelists inferior in the face of this situation?" Reiji looked to him once more.

"His generation of Duelists, as we may call it, being Duelists of Junior Youth class and younger, are able to accept Pendulums without much resistance, which gives them the potential to further strengthen themselves with Pendulum Summoning. Also, as we have already seen, Yuya seems to be able to adapt it to where his summoning mechanic, can be interwoven with all prior summoning mechanics, making him and those who would dare to follow his example formidable adversaries," he finished his explanation, and Claude took the details in stride as the sound of the lift operating caught their attention.

"Reiji Akaba! I've gotta talk to you!" Reiji smirked.

"Mr. Sawatari, what do I owe the pleasure?" Sawatari narrowed his eyes.

"What the hell is going on here?! Why aren't you showing the Battle Royale?!" he asked harshly as Reiji allowed his knowing, and satisfied smirk to subside as he turned his attention towards Sawatari.

"There are several reasons; however, would you desire to see it?" Sawatari gave him a pointed look.

"Hell, yeah, I do! I need to see with my own eyes how long Yuya Sakaki can keep winning!" he snapped as Reiji closed his eyes.

"I see. Well then, I'm fine showing it to you alone; however, I do have a question…" Sawatari looked him over.

"What is it?" he inquired, calming himself.

"If you were granted the opportunity to fight someone who could potentially harm our entire existence, and protect the person who could make the difference in whether that war was won or lost… would you take it?" Sawatari relaxed completely at that.

"And if I said yes, I'd take that opportunity so long as I knew a bit of what the back story was and why I was agreeing to it, what would you do?" he replied.

"Offer you a _repechage_ so that you may combat those who wish to do us great harm, and help protect the person in the group I am forming… who is one of the people that can turn the tables in our favor. Are you interested?" Sawatari took in a deep breath.

"Repechage? And an adventure opportunity? Where do I sign up?" he stated as Reiji smirked.

"Just as I was hoping you would say. Claude, the box I brought with me today, if you would please give that to Mr. Sawatari, I would appreciate it." Claude nodded and gathered the small box before holding it out for Sawatari to take.

"What is this?" he inquired.

"A gift, for agreeing to enter the battlefield taking place right now. We have uninvited guests who are harming our competitors and threatening the safety of that special person I mentioned. I need you to head out into the fray and combat these pests alongside those out in the Battle Royale. Do so, and you will become a member of my Lancers." Sawatari opened the box and picked up the deck, looking through it quickly before smiling.

"Just have someone drop me off closest to the action and you've got a done deal," he told him.

"Very well, Claude, please inform one of our people that Sylvio Sawatari needs to be in the Volcanic area as soon as possible, make sure he's dropped off near the entry point of that area." The man nodded and carried out this business as Sawatari got his duel disk out and looked through the deck before nodding as he put it into the slot and let it shuffle before making sure it was sealed up, and ready to go.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"Once this is over, I have cards available for the journey ahead for everyone whom I have selected as a Lancer… if this goes well, our enemies will find themselves ruing the day they selected to crawl from the shadows." Sawatari nodded as Claude informed him that everything was ready to go and the brunette-blonde bade Reiji and Claude farewell as the lift began to descend, Reiji turning his chair around to face the monitors as he smiled in the same knowing and satisfied manner that he had when Sawatari had arrived.

"You can be a truly manipulative and cruel man at times, sir," Claude stated.

"Untrue, I merely knew Sawatari would wish to do something… just as all of these people are going to wish to do something… the battle they are enduring now… is to give them incentive to take up arms… nothing more." Claude nodded.

"As I said, you are quite manipulative," he mentioned as he walked away and Reiji laughed a bit as he watched the video feed of everyone converging towards the volcanic area.

If Reiji were to be honest with himself, he was not manipulative so much as he knew how to best move chess pieces around and strategically form situations so that results ended in his favor as best they could. The situation unfurling before him, was no different, and while he carried a heavy heart for having to put these innocent souls through this situation, Reiji also knew that incentive to fight, was a greater reason than merely informing someone of something and expecting then to go along with what came from your lips.

"Claude, have Tsukikage stay on point with Yuzu Hiiragi, do not have him engage," Reiji stated.

"Yes, sir."

When warriors felt their reasons were right and true, they would fight harder than any others on the battlefield, and breeding that incentive and desire within these potential warriors was precisely what he had been doing since the day he first laid eyes on a certain Odd-Eyes Duelist, and he had done his research, and found answers he had never believed he would. That was his incentive, and now, he awaited as that grew within those whom he deemed worthy of being a Lancer.

 **{Between the Jungle and Volcanic Area: 3:01am}**

"Gods, I'm exhausted…" Trout glanced back to Yuya, who was leaning against one of the buildings that were fairly untouched by the action field.

"You look a bit pale, are you okay?" asked Sky.

"Like I said, I think all that magic usage drained me…" Shay eyed the boy.

"None of us are going to be able to handle an Obelisk Force member if we've expended all our energy. Sunrise is in three and a half hours, we could rest here for the time being," he suggested.

"If its all the same to you, I'd rather keep moving! What if those people come back?" Yuya looked to Trout.

"You've got three witches in your group, surely the mortals can put some faith in us," he said with a tired smile.

"Mortal?" Sky shrugged.

"It's what our kind call your kind… we're witches, you're mortals, simple as that," he told him as Reid looked at the red-green-haired boy as he slumped against the wall, sliding down with a tired sigh.

"Letting him sleep is probably best, I think all of us could do with some more rest honestly, at least until daybreak." Reid agreed with the others while Trout sighed.

"We'll have to stick close together, so no one can try and pick us off," Yuya mentioned.

"Good idea…"

The group of six huddled up near one another, spreading out just enough for everyone to stretch out if needs be, Gongenzaka and Shay taking the outer half of the little circle they'd made, while Trout was closer to Yuya than he'd honestly like to be and Sky was settled directly beside the boy with Reid nearest to Shay. Once they had all gotten settled down and as comfortable as they could be, most of them dozed off.

Sky was leaning up against Yuya's shoulder while the Waking Witch used Sky's head as a means to keep his own propped up while they leaned back against the wall. Gongenzaka rested with his back against the wall to their left, arms crossed over his chest while Shay did something similar on the right side. Reid settled in, lying flat on his back, and Trout remained still, fearful of rousing the scarlet-eyed boy next to him.

It was a strange situation for him to be involved in; sure, his cousin in Den City talked about the strange things that happened around town on occasion, and believed in the supernatural; however, the most bizarre thing in his day-to-day life was a classmate of his with blue-pink hair, pale skin, and frighteningly sharp basil green eyes, by the name of Yusaku Fujiki, and he was the epitome of what his cousin deemed as _unnatural._

When this ordeal was over, Trout was positive that he would have quite the story to tell Naoki, and how he had met real life witches, seen real magic, and had a few brushes with a young witch whom he believed had some vampire or demon in him somewhere. Sighing in discomfort, Trout took in the silence, lamenting his unsureness as he tried to settle into sleeping, that ended, when he felt someone move and glanced across from him to see Shay awake and watching him with those sharp tawny eyes of his.

"Can't sleep?" Trout gave him a weak smile.

"Not really comfortable sleeping…" Shay looked to him and then glanced towards Yuya, who was sound asleep by this point with Sky very much the same.

"Does he make you uncomfortable? Because of earlier?" the other sighed.

"I've seen Yuya's duels… and I respected him greatly as a Duelist, being only fourteen and having invented a summoning mechanic, having so much natural talent and skill… I thought he was pretty amazing, and then I saw him like that…" he admitted.

"When you saw his magic possessing him, you realized he wasn't normal, and discovered he was a witch, so now you question how much of his incredible duels were genuinely his own skill, and what was his magic." Trout nodded.

"The moment I saw you and Gongenzaka holding him down, I was thinking what I had gotten myself involved in, and now I'm… kind of scared of him," he stated as Shay sighed.

"I lost myself in a duel with Sky… in front of everyone, I'm pretty sure you saw that…" the other gave him a knowing look.

"Everyone remembers how intense that duel was," he said.

"That was a Witch's Variance, or how two witches fight one another. We covered it with our dueling… but Yuya… I could feel it… how he sensed it, how badly it affected him… how much pain he was in because of my own anger and malicious intent… I didn't even realize that Sky had been cursed, and that was why he was acting that way…" Trout looked down.

"So… why he was acting so psycho was because he had a curse on him?" he inquired.

"Yes, it's a terrible curse, one that's forbidden to be used on witches or mortals… it's an unbreakable law, and someone did it anyways… but… when Yuya was faced against Sky… he did something I couldn't…" Trout rose an eyebrow.

"What was that?" he probed as Shay glanced to the two boys, propping one another up as they slept.

"From what I was told by Sky… Yuya showed him mercy, and compassion. The reason why I couldn't remove the curse was because even though I knew it was there and wanted to dispel it… I was doing it so I could hurt him… so I could make him suffer through any pain it could cause him… I did it selfishly, and with cruel intentions… curses like that can't be lifted when your heart is clouded like mine was." Trout took the words in and thought for a moment, recalling how different Yuya had been since he had snapped out of the state he had been in earlier.

"The way he was earlier… I didn't see that kind of mercy or compassion you just talked about… even though I know he's younger than I am… just a little kid when I'm in my last year as a Junior Youth… I'm… scared of him." Shay looked down.

"He's a Waking Witch, his magic is very aggressive if he feels threatened… in the situation he was facing, I can understand why it possessed him like that." Trout looked down.

"From the way he was acting… I'll bet that it didn't feel too good," he mentioned.

"Doubtful it did. When Waking magic activates the first few times, I've heard it can be like someone setting you on fire… but… when it really takes control of the host… they feel nothing…" Trout flinched.

"Like… nothing? No pain? Emotions? Literally nothing?" he asked.

"According to the books I've read that talked about it. One of the many skills Waking Witches possess is the ability to shut down the inhibitors in their brains, completely losing all sense of pain, restraint of strength, and sometimes, they lose emotional attachment towards others, even if their friends or family." The fish duelist shivered.

"So… will that always happen, or…" Shay looked to Yuya.

"It depends on him. I heard stories about one extreme case of Waking magic possessing its host… it was a really bad situation, and the person had just enough control upon it at that point to create a desire spell, and their powers were scattered into five gems, or something like that… they were split into, ceasing to exist while the person who attempted to stop them from harming others because their magic had pushed them so far… ended up dying as well, supposedly, that person has fragments of their power split into five items as well…" Trout whistled a bit.

"Witches have their own fairy tales?" he questioned.

"Yea, something like that… we call the story the Tale of the Ten Treasures… in a part of the story, four Princesses were given one of the items each, the one from the person who tried to save the Waking Witch… and told to care for it until the time came, and so they did, while four other Princesses took the items from the Waking Witch and took them far from one another, hoping to help keep the darkness that supposedly consumed the Waking Witch from ever returning to the world… lest it be put in danger once more…" Trout gave him a bland look.

"Do you have to scare me? The first half was sad, but the second half was kind of strange and scary… but… what about the other two items? That's only eight treasures," he pointed out.

"They went with the child of the two who died, so that they would be remembered when time came for them to be… no one really knows where the story came from or anything… or what the treasures look like exactly, but you know… the only reason I remember this story is because it's my baby sister's favorite one." Trout eyed him.

"Baby sister? Wait… you have a sister?" Shay nodded.

"Ruri… back in my hometown… Heartland… those Obelisk Force Soldiers invaded, carding mortals, and burning witches at the stake or putting them in front of a firing squad… but… Ruri was kidnapped right in front of my best friend, who's also her boyfriend… and none of us could stop it…" the Raidraptor Duelist opened the locket he had tucked into his shirt after pulling it out to see a picture of him, Ruri, and Yuto before the invasion began as he showed it to Trout.

"She's so pretty, wait… is that Yuya in the picture with you guys?" Shay shook his head.

"I don't get it, but Yuya and my best friend Yuto could probably pass for identical twins," he stated.

"So… you're a witch… I'm gonna guess that your sister and friend are, too?" Shay nodded.

"I'm a Risulian Witch, a warrior and combative magic kind of witch, Ruri is an Avian Witch, and they specialize in healing, and sing elegies for the departed, Yuto is a Shadow Witch, and uses dark arts… but he's a very kind person… one of the gentlest people I've ever known, even if he's an incredibly capable fighter…"

" _He's giving you compliments, if only he knew you were eavesdropping,"_ Yuya shot the thought towards Yuto.

" _ **I am not eavesdropping! I can't help that I'm attached to you and you're right beside him!"**_ Yuya internally laughed as his spirit guardian sighed.

" _I wonder about that…"_ it was a thought that had stayed with him for a while, and it had just now truly crossed his mind, concerning him to some degree.

Yuya, when he closed his eyes, could tell that Yuto's soul was inside his body, almost as if he was literally sharing his body with the other. It was easy to discern which one was which, his own soul felt like a brilliant and pure flame akin to daybreak, while Yuto's felt like the height of mid-day. Their magical pulses were still diverged, not blended, and he wondered why that was when Yuto was an attached spirit. Sighing, Yuya let his mind wander, going back to what he had been told had happened once his mind had stopped registering what had been going on when he fought Academia, and his body flinched a bit.

" _Yuto? That… wasn't you, right? When those guys from Academia appeared?"_ he sent the question to the other who was quick to reply.

" _ **No, I didn't cause you to lose control like that… at least… I don't think I did… why do you ask?"**_ Yuya internally squirmed.

" _I saw the tragedy in the Xyz Zone with my own eyes, I saw people dying, being burned alive or shot down, turned into cards… I saw this flash of this person with black and dark red hair with garnet eyes and bright smile… and the splatter of blood that followed it… it made me feel like I had just watched my best friend die… even though I didn't know him…"_ a strange sensation that was akin to a cold, dull ache developed in Yuto's corner of Yuya's mind.

" _ **When I saw those Knights of Duels guys being carded… I was reminded of the things I witnessed. Somehow, I knew you were seeing those things, too, that's why I wanted you to look away… so neither of us had to see those horrific things,"**_ Yuto sent these words to Yuya, who took them in stride and took in a deep breath.

" _But who was that person?"_ there was a few brief moments of silence, leading Yuya to believe that he may have asked the wrong question, when he heard Yuto take in a slow breath.

" _ **His name was Yuma Tsukumo. He was a year and a half ahead of me in Heartland Academy… almost sixteen when the invasion happened… and we became close… alongside all of his friends… he was strong and kind… but… a month to the day that the invasion began… a man showed up and cornered me… his name was Paradox…"**_ Yuya took the words in stride, and then moved a fraction, looking within his mind towards Yuto.

" _What happened?"_ Yuto tensed.

" _ **I don't know the reasons behind it… but Paradox said I was the catalyst kill that would make all the other dominoes line up how his boss wanted them. He had been sent there to kill me… under the guise that I was a major threat or something… but… instead… Yuma and the others stormed in to save me… and we all almost got out… it didn't work out in the end…"**_ he stilled and Yuya looked towards Yuto across the small void of his mind, and the Phantom Knight's Duelist wore an expression of regret, and anger, something he had seen on the Xyz user's face many times since meeting him.

" _He died, didn't he?"_ Yuya asked this question carefully, and Yuto only looked down.

" _ **Yuma was murdered by Paradox… right in front of all of us… and we nearly lost a lot of others as well… as far as I know, Shark, Rio, and Kaito are still alive… but… there were so many people taken from us as time went on… and Yuma's girlfriend… Kotori… she went missing soon after his death… so we… presume she's dead as well…"**_ the words carried so much weight, such a great deal of it, that Yuya found the sensation moving to him, causing the ache in his chest to intensify as tears welled in his eyes, his body shaking slightly as his mind tried desperately to reign in his emotions.

" _I'm sorry… it's not right… none of this should be happening… all of the pain, anger, and sadness everyone from your home must be feeling… I'm sorry… it shouldn't be happening… no one should have to suffer like this… people shouldn't be cut down like this… life is so supposed to be precious, and cherished… I"_ Yuya, within his mind, covered his face with his hands, tears slipping through his fingers as the sheer force of the memories overwhelmed him.

Yuto's memories were his as well, his anger belonged to him, his pain was shared between them, and his sorrow also was now Yuya's burden to bear. The darkness that had pushed itself into Yuto's heart and soul was Yuya's to be burdened with alongside him. It was a sobering thought, that with just the slightest mistake, their memories could be shown to one another, especially if the emotions were strong enough, and while it should have scared Yuya beyond all comprehension, it only made him grieve, because the memories he saw were full of nothing but misery, and it made his heart hurt uncontrollably.

" _ **No… I'm sorry… Yuya. Your heart is so kind and pure… just like everything else about you… and you're in pain because of what you saw from my memories… even though my job is to help keep you from being hurt, I ended up hurting you… I wish there was something I could do to take all this pain from you… because… you're undeserving of it…"**_

"Yuya? Hey! Yuya! Wake up!" a sudden jarring sensation came to him, and Yuya blearily opened his eyes, and looked at the concerned faces around him.

"What's wrong?" his voice came out soft and broken, causing the others to be even more worried.

"We were going to ask you that," stated Sky.

"Why?" he sat up slowly and Reid gave him a worried look.

"Yuya… you're crying," he explained.

A hot tear trailed down his cheek, and Yuya started rubbing his eyes, feeling the dull ache of having cried for quite some time in his eyes and throat as he tried to get the tears to stop, but the refused despite his efforts. Yuya covered his face, trying to keep himself from worrying the others as Shay observed his strange behavior, making a few mental notes to keep stored away for later as the others only grew more concerned as Yuya shook his head.

"I'm okay… sorry…" even though he assured them, the tears kept coming.

"No, you're not, what's wrong?" Shay inquired.

"Not really sure…" the Risulian Witch crouched down in front of the petite fourteen-year-old.

"If there's something wrong, you should tell us," he stated.

"I know… but I'll be fine. Guess it's all this insanity going on, it kind of got me, I suppose. Don't worry about me, I'm fine, promise…" the tears slowly let up, and the group chose to not question the situation further while they started to get up, the sun just rising in the sky.

"Well, it's sunrise, guess that means it's time to move out."

"What do we do next?" Yuya asked, hoping to keep the topic from shifting back to his strange crying fit.

"Um, well… Reid and I could split off from you guys and head towards the Volcano area ahead of you… or…" Shay thought on the proposal.

"The thing we're going to have to consider is that we don't know exactly where everyone is," he mentioned.

"Right… we need to find Yuzu and make sure she's safe." Sky looked to them.

"Guys! There are two Ninjas who are bringing Yuzu and that girl Serena to the Volcano area!" Yuya looked to him.

"Sky, think about it… with how things have been going… how can we be certain that the Fuma Ninjas aren't going to be trapped or run into more trouble than they alone can handle?" Sky took in a deep breath.

"Fine, I'll admit you're right on that one. Any suggestions, then?" Gongenzaka looked them over.

"There are six of us; myself, Yuya and Sky will search the Ancient Ruins area and Icebergs, Shay, if you could head on to the Volcano area, that would be helpful, and Reid and Trout can double check the Jungle before heading to meet with Shay," he suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me! Let's do it!" Shay shrugged.

"Fine by me… I'll head on, Reid, Trout, I'll be seeing you. Yuya, Gongenzaka, Sky? Be careful, and meet with us in the Volcano area whether you find Yuzu or not," he stated.

"Okay, we will… so we're all meeting in the Volcano area as soon as we get done checking the other areas, right?" everyone nodded.

"Then we'll see everyone soon, be careful and don't be reckless. I used to be part of these mongrels, and I can assure you that they won't hesitate to cut you down, so please don't be a hero," Sky warned them.

"We got it, we'll see you guys soon." With that, Reid and Trout left to explore the jungle while Shay nodded to them and started towards the volcano area.

"So, where shall we start?" Yuya thought for a moment.

"Let's follow the river, it'll lead us into Iceberg area; from there, it'll be a straight shot to the Ancient Ruins, and then if we take a left, we'll be in the Volcano area," he mentioned.

"Alrighty then, let's get a move on…" with that, the trio departed and headed towards the icy landscape in the distance, not knowing that they would soon be walking into a dangerous situation.

 **{…..}**

 _I'm gonna raise the stakes, I'm gonna smoke you out…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Without the author's note and trivia, this chapter is 41 pages long! Can you believe that? Well, I kind of can, because we're fitting in a lot in these last few chapters, because by chapter 55, we'll be starting what I call Season 2 of the story, and we have quite a lot to go over before then. I hope I gave Hugo and Joeri enough time to shine; I know they're kind of crowd favorites, but I still really adore Yuya, I kind of think he's a lot like one of my little brothers… especially with all his energy. Anyways, tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Hugo makes four references in his opening line

The Saw movie's Jigsaw killer was mentioned in this chapter

The Hunger Games were mentioned in this chapter as well.

Mordor was referenced in this chapter

The Purge was mentioned in this chapter as well.

Carpet from _Disney's Aladdin_ was mentioned in this chapter.

We learn that Hugo is half Undine in this chapter.

Clear Wing Synchro Dragon is mentioned as being a s _he._

The Holly Head Harpies are mentioned in this chapter.

Yes, Joeri had the Corruption Curse placed on him.

Palooka, meaning: someone who is inferior or dimwitted.

You'll learn more about Yuzu's knack for seeing magical pulses later.

A character dropped a _Kingdom Hearts_ reference in an entire sentence, can you tell me who?

If the word is in italics, you may want to pay attention to it.

Joeri used an Oath Spell, which is kind of like the unbreakable vow spells in Harry Potter; however, it doesn't kill the one who breaks the promise, but marks them permanently to remind them of the contract they broke.

In this story, if you see a pentagram, and it's inverted in the mentioning, that means the person is corrupt or evil.

In Wicca and traditional Witchcraft – this took a lot of research – a pentagram is actually a symbol of protection and the five elements. **Thanks Discovery Channel!**

 **Repechage** means: a contest in which the best-placed of those who failed to win competes for a place in the final line up.

Reiji's little theories, you may want to keep them in mind, some of it has grounds. More like the entire conversation with Claude.

Because Reiji Akaba is a manipulative little twit when he wants to be, even if his ultimate intentions are good.

Yuto talking about Yuma's death made me nervous, because while it's been kind of danced around, it's never really be spoken about by Yuto so openly.

Shay's fairy tale is important, _remember it._


	48. Chapter 48: Fated

Chapter 48: Fated

 **{Iceberg Area: 7:01am}**

"Little miss? Where did you run off to?"

Yuzu pressed herself against a wall of curved ice, hiding within the crag from Joeri as he searched for her. The duel had gone well for her, until he had Fusion Summoned a powerful violet, magenta, and green Dragon that had eradicated her Bloom Diva, and almost depleted her Life Points to zero in just one turn. It was in that moment that Yuzu realized Joeri used a tactic similar to Yuya when he was backed into a corner, summoning out a strong Extra Deck Monster that could turn the tables; however, she also knew that Joeri had been playing her for a fool because he had never been in a bind, he had lured her into a trap with letting her knock his Life Points down, and then he had flipped the tables on her as if it was nothing.

" _I'm not match for him… if I'm not careful, he'll catch me…"_ the pink-haired girl thought as she crouched down, hiding herself carefully between two chunks of ice. As she did so, the shadow of the Dragon appeared over the crag of ice she was hiding under, and her heartrate shot up.

"How wonderful! It's already daybreak! Little miss? Did you know that plants will dance when exposed to direct sunlight, even in the most frigid of temperatures? They're truly fascinating things… such as yourself… I will admit, you have my curiosity piqued…"

" _He's going to find me… what am I going to do? I can't fight him… I'm scared…"_ Joeri laughed a bit.

"You've stolen a witch's heart… so… for a mutt, you must be pretty entertaining, or maybe he actually loves you? Either way, I can't wait to witness the utter despair he endures when you're ripped from him… just like the expressions of those other two fools… hmmhmmh… maybe he's got a think for you because you're talented in some way? I must admit, you're clever, being able to dodge me this long takes some skill… " he mentioned as Yuzu closed her eyes for a moment.

"So, some praise is in order I suppose… but our little game of hide and seek ends here. Come out, wherever you are, little miss… come along with me to the Professor. He is eager to meet you, and once he learns about the witch whose heart you stole… he'll want to meet him as well…" Yuzu felt fear coil tight within her chest.

" _Are they after Yuya as well? Why? I don't get it… what's so important about us?"_

"The person you mentioned earlier… when you mistook me for one of them…. What was that name? Was it Hugo? No, I believe that's Miss Mashima's lover… Yuto? Ahh, once again, I'm most likely mistaken… Miss Obsidian called that name when she was taken from her hometown…" Joeri stopped just above Yuzu, causing her to cover her mouth so not to be heard as the sadistic Predaplant Duelist continued his monologue.

"So that means… the person whose heart you stole… must be Yuya, am I right? You know, that name, if I care to recall, was mentioned to the Obelisk Force as someone they were supposed to retrieve alongside Allister… oh, my apologies, I mean Serena. But what I desire to know, is why – what was his last name? Sakaki? That was it, Yuya Sakaki! What is so special about him that the Professor demanded by name to have him brought in?"

" _No… Yuya… please, don't let them find him, don't let them catch him! Please, oh please! Be safe, Yuya, please!"_ tears started to prick her eyes, fear etching its way into her body as she considered that the boy she cared so much for was a strong Duelist, but against multiple Duelists who played the game of ganging up on a single person, she wasn't so certain anyone would fair well.

"Yuya must be a powerful witch… I can almost smell the thick scent of his magic on you, even through all this ice and wind… meaning the two of you are always together, and he's been leaving magic traces on you since it first started to appear, and it definitely stuck once it started to mature… it's a somewhat troublesome fact of being a witch… if you fall in love, your magic leaves traces on the person your heart desires, letting other witches know… they are off limits… who knew it would be a downfall for you?" the Dragon whipped its tail and a chunk of ice fell, causing Yuzu to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from screaming.

" _Help me…"_

"I truly do wish you would come out already, little miss." Yuzu felt all of her emotions swirling within her, tears welling in her eyes as she found the gravity of the situation starting to suffocate her.

" _It's no good… there's nowhere to run! Please, help me, Yuya! Someone! I'm scared!"_

In a matter of seconds, a brilliant pink light came from Yuzu's bracelet, banishing Joeri as he looked on in shock and confusion while the pink-haired girl stared onward, unsure of what she was seeing as the bracelet dimmed to a slight glow from the gem as she looked at it, wondering why it had reacted just as it had when a roaring like an engine came to her attention and she began looking around only for a white motorbike to fly overhead, and a moment later, the person glanced back her way, calling out a name as they turned the bike and landed in the gap near her. The person was quick to get off the motorcycle and threw their helmet aside before running to her.

Yuzu was dumbstruck as she was enveloped in warm and strong arms. This person smelled like a storm, the scent of fresh rain and sharp summer winds fell from his skin and hair as he hugged her, and she tried to figure out more about who this person was and why he was holding her like he was. She blushed and pushed him back, looking at his face, shocked to see a great similarity to Yuya save for his tourmaline eyes and blue-blonde hair. This person was taller and clearly older than Yuya, but by how much, she wasn't certain as she looked him over and he did the same to her.

"Wait… you're not Rin! Who are you?! Why do you look like Rin?" he asked, his sharper and deeper voice commanding her to look at him.

"I don't know! Wait… if you're looking for Rin… that means you're Hugo!" the boy jolted, taken aback by her statement.

"How did you know my name? We've never met before," he pointed out.

"No, but you met Yuya and Yuto! I'm friends with them!" Hugo looked her over.

"Do you know where they are? I need to speak to them, there's something happening, and I need some answers," he explained.

"I… don't know about Yuto… he disappeared recently… but Yuya... he's in this tournament with me, so we can probably find him." Hugo eyed her for a moment.

"You have an incandescence on you, did you know that?" he inquired as Yuzu felt her eyes widen.

"What are you talking about? That was…" Hugo sighed.

"The caster didn't take it off of you, did they? Who was it?" Yuzu looked into his eyes.

"Yuya did it when we were looking for a friend of ours… but… what does that have to do with anything?" she asked.

"A Guardian Incandescence that's left on for more than twenty-four-hours is permanent, and the caster and those it was placed on can always find one another through a kind of sixth sense. So, you'll be able to sniff Yuya out like it's nothing." Yuzu narrowed her eyes.

"I'm not a dog!" Hugo nodded.

"Yea, I know, but you'll basically be followin' your instincts to locate him… so, will you help me find your boyfriend or not?" he crossed his arms over his chest and Yuzu eyed him as she noticed a chain peaking out of the collar of his half-jacket. Without thinking about it, she reached forward and unzipped it, causing Hugo to jump in surprise as Yuzu looked at the green and gold pendulum crystal that rested against his chest.

"So, Yuya wasn't mistaken… you have a pendulum crystal, too…" Hugo looked at the crystal and then to the girl.

"I noticed he had one, too, but it was pale silver and almost white crystal… and that Yuto guy had a black and purple one, too… do you know what that's all abou– "he stopped as he noticed the bracelet Yuzu was wearing and reached forward, grabbing her hand to look at the object.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"You have a bracelet just like Rin does! Well, hers is wavy like a wind design and has a green gem in it, and it's got a thicker band, but the metal is the same!" Yuzu stared at him.

"Rin has a bracelet, too? And… you, Yuya, Yuto, and that guy who just left have pendulum crystals…" Yuzu reached forward with her other hand and touched the crystal as Hugo eyed her.

"So, there was another guy here who had a pendulum crystal, too?" he questioned as Yuzu nodded and thought on that bit of information before remembering something.

"And there's another girl here named Serena who had a bracelet that's thin and has a purple crystal moon-shaped charm embedded on it!" Hugo gave her a long look.

"What are you getting at? That there are seven people who have a similar piece of jewelry, so we're somehow connected or – "a sudden shine came from Yuzu's bracelet just as a green light appeared from Hugo's pendulum crystal, and not a moment later the two of them were whisked away by the twisting green and pink lights before they and Hugo's D-Wheel and helmet vanished from thin air.

 **{Riverside: 7:59am}**

Yuya, Gongenzaka, and Sky continued to walk by the river towards the iceberg area, prepared to check for Yuzu before heading towards the Ancient Ruins; however, it was as they were starting to get into the edge of the frigid field that they heard someone calling for Yuya and they turned to see Dennis running up to them. Yuya smiled, glad to see another familiar face as the orange-haired New Yorker approached them, Sky seeing that Yuya had no mistrust in him, and relaxing himself as the Performage Duelist stopped just at the trio.

"Thank the Gods I found you, Yuya. I've been looking everywhere!" he took in a few deep breaths and the scarlet-eyed fourteen-year-old looked him over.

"Why?" he asked.

"I was worried about you. There's all these crazy people in masks and matching uniforms running around the place carding people like a freaky modern-day reenactment of a Shakespeare play or something. I saw them turn some people into cards! And I got worried because I hadn't run into you for a while now." Yuya looked him over.

"We know about the people, I had a run-in with three of them in the Ancient Ruins area and things went sour… I lost control of my magic… and it took a few people to help me…" he admitted.

"Oh, my Gods! Are you alright?" Dennis placed a hand on Yuya and the other nodded.

"I'm okay now, but did you have to fight any of them?" he inquired.

"Three of them… but I beat them with my Trapeze Magician. Are these two of your friends?" Yuya nodded.

"This is Gongenzaka, and Sky. We had a bigger group, but we split up to look for Yuzu," he stated.

"I dueled her earlier in the Volcano area, and I won, but last I saw, she was heading towards the Iceberg area again. I went towards the Ancient Ruins area, but nothing was there, so I started this way and here we are." Yuya looked into Dennis's eyes.

"Would you be willing to join us and help us look for her?" he asked.

"Absolutely, if all these crazies are running around we're safer in larger groups, seeing as they seem to like ganging up on others when they're alone." Sky nodded.

"You noticed that, too?" the New Yorker looked to him.

"I remember you, Sora Shuinin, did you change your name?" the other smirked, pulling a green sucker out of his jacket before popping it into his mouth.

"You betcha. I go by Sky now… nice to meet you, Dennis," he stated.

"Same to you, and you, Gongenzaka." He nodded.

"Shall we get moving?" Dennis agreed.

"Alright, let's hurry!"

The group of four started to pick up their pace to head towards the Iceberg area while Dennis found himself wrapped in his own thoughts. After Joeri had left him on the rooftop he had been greeted by a trio of Obelisk Force members, and at first, he had gathered himself to a fragile composure; however, that all shattered when he heard one of the soldiers mention that they were pleased with the results of the higher-level curse that the Professor had punished Joeri with for helping Serena escape. While seeing the rotting areas of the magical pulse Joeri possessed was a near dead giveaway that a Corruption Curse had been put on his friend, hearing from another source that it had indeed been done to make Joeri forget about his closeness to Serena and make him an obedient soldier didn't just rub him in the wrong way, it made him feel as though someone had cleaved him in two.

Dennis was an Academia member, and had been proud of his life as an elite of the school, able to use the enemies summoning method and skillfully work his magic as a Charm Witch to deceive those whom he needed to with sleight of hand. However, when he had begun to hear rumors about Corruption Magic being used on the witches within Academia, Dennis started to question what was really true and what they were just being spoon fed to keep them in line. Now, he knew that the rumors were true, and Academia was essentially lobotomizing witches to make them do exactly as they were ordered. Corruption Curses, when used correctly, would warp the natural intentions of a witch, be they good or evil, and make them do what the caster desired, turning the ones who were swayed to the light into vicious, psychotic monsters that would slowly become twisted, vile versions of their former selves, their skin turning color, and a evil side of their instincts coming out.

Corruption Magic didn't just make a good witch evil, making them choose to do more and more sinister things as time went on, it slowly made them everything ancient witches were feared to be. Devouring souls and people, eating them for sustenance, drinking mixtures of blood and human ash to give them more power, their teeth becoming sharpened, influencing the life and fate of those whom were given their kiss or crossed paths with them. The skin of these witches would change colors at times, even gaining an ashen look to it, and once the curse was completed, the witch who had fallen so low would look more like a demon than a human.

Dennis thought of Joeri and the kind of fate that awaited him if the curse was never lifted, and how hurt Serena would be from it. He wanted to save his friends, and help Joeri remember how much he cared for Serena, but the particular strength of the curse he had on him would require a full coven of witches which would be between seven to thirteen of them all working together to save his friend. Unless he was able to have a Waking Witch lead a Covening, at which point only four to five witches would be needed, and he just so happened to know one who was right beside him.

" _Yuya doesn't even know Joeri… and I'm sure if I asked, he would help… but I don't know if Yuya's ever performed a purification rite or anything of the sorts… and a Covening is forbidden… but in the case to save a Witch's life it can be conducted… that is the only failsafe of a Covening."_

"Are you sure Yuzu was in the Iceberg area?" asked Yuya.

"That's where she was headed, so it's the only thing that makes sense. I just hope she's safe." Scarlet eyes glanced his way and Dennis felt an unnatural chill go down his spine.

"Me too…" Yuya mentioned this quickly as he started to pick up speed, moving ahead of the others only for Sky to jolt and do the same to where he was keeping pace with his friend.

"Gongenzaka? Did you see what happened to Yuya? I noticed he's got more bruises than earlier, his jacket's missing, and his clothes look a little frayed." The giant of a teenager looked to him.

"When I arrived, Yuya's Waking magic had already started to possess him… but the aura around him was very dark, and he was acting differently… his voice was cold, his actions were strong and cruel… but those things weren't what worried or scared us most," Gongenzaka stated as Dennis kept pace with him.

"Then what was it?" the Superheavy Samurai Duelist took in a deep breath.

"Yuya started… changing. His eyes turned a bright, glowing crimson, his pupils retracted to vertical slits… these dark marks started appearing under his eyes and… as it kept going, his canine teeth grew longer and sharper…" Dennis's denim blue eyes widened.

"My Gods! That sounds terrifying…" Gongenzaka looked to his friend who was just ahead of him as they finally entered the iceberg area.

"It was… myself and Shay Obsidian had to hold him down, and it took us, Sky, and three others to keep him in place, and eventually he just passed out… when he finally woke up, the changes were still there, except his eyes weren't glowing anymore… and he… was confused…" Dennis nodded.

"There are some accounts of other Waking Witches in the past, and they said that in earlier moments of when those with this particular type of magic are possessed by it, they become crazed, and are very dangerous because they don't feel pain or emotions… when they come to, their memories are foggy, sometimes completely blank… even when the magic doesn't fully reveal itself and just influenced its host…" Gongenzaka felt his eyes grow wide.

" _After I Pendulum Summoned the first time… the reason why I couldn't answer those questions or do it right for a while… was because I didn't remember doing it."_

Gongenzaka wondered, knowing what he did now, why he hadn't connected the dots sooner. Yuya had completely blanked during his first Pendulum Summoning, and had admitted that he had no recollection of doing it, to the point that when he had defeated Strong Ishijima, he wasn't even certain he had done it; however, it now made him wonder how many times Yuya's Waking Magic had edged to the surface and done something to influence his actions and his friend had merely forgotten it.

"Shay mentioned that the changes you endured aren't normal for Waking Witches, but is that true?" Dennis shook his head.

"Most of the time it's true, but we don't know for a fact that it's the same for every single Waking Witch. Yuya's the first one most of us have ever seen… the last two that existed were a little over a century ago, and both of them are dead now," he explained.

"Two? There were two of them alive around a hundred years ago?" Dennis nodded at the question.

"Yea, but that was the last time anyone knew about a Waking witch existing. One of them died about a hundred and twenty years ago, and the other one was about a hundred and fourteen years ago, from what I know of the information. But most people in our society don't really keep tabs on Waking Witches, mostly because there's more than just them who have incredible power," he informed Gongenzaka as they slowed their run into a walk.

"YUZU?! HEY! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" Yuya called out for the girl, Sky following the same action.

"ANSWER US! YUZU?!"

Dennis took in the sight of them calling for the pink-haired girl, his stomach twisting into a knot as he thought of the order he'd been given by the Professor while his gaze went towards Yuya, worry etched upon his features as he kept calling out for the girl, his eyes shining with intense emotions that Dennis couldn't even begin to fathom. It had been a horrible mistake to let Joeri stay here with Yuzu alone, because he knew the girl was most likely already in the custody of Academia. Denim blue eyes narrowed as he started calling for the girl, hoping that he was mistaken as emotions boiled within him, confusion, being the peak of those emotions.

" _Joeri's already finished his job here, I know that… but I still want to hope that I'm wrong… because I remember how Joeri felt when he brought Ruri to Academia…"_

The day he had brought Ruri to Academia, he had dropped the girl off in the tower and went back to his room, changing out of his uniform and into normal street clothes, not having the energy to do anything more than just be a normal person for the time being. Dennis had come to visit him, and the Predaplant Duelist had been reading a book, but looking inexplicably drained by something he hadn't understood at that moment. Dennis had been the one who had been sent to find the girl, and even he wasn't sure what was so important about her, but he'd not really seen the point in questioning. That had been, his first, and one of his worst mistakes thus far.

"YUZU! PLEASE! ANSWER ME!"

Joeri had been torn up over the situation, his demeanor as a strong Duelist only saving face for a bit despite the fact that he was a Necros Witch and half Grim Reaper. However, those traits and qualities endeared him to life uninterrupted and left to be as it should be. Joeri was a peaceful person by nature, and was more known for having a cooler demeanor, and was a bit vicious, but he wasn't evil. Joeri had never truly agreed with the methods of Academia, and had his suspicions, just as Serena did, but no one had ever been certain what to believe when it came to the place they called home.

"Let's go on ahead to the Ancient Ruins area, she may be there," stated Sky.

"Right…"

A discontent expression came to his features as he ran with the others to the next location, knowing that the search was in vain. Dennis knew what Joeri's kind of Witch was, Necros who had the ability to affect the living, and could speak with the dead similar to how Phantasmal Imps could. His heritage endeared him to nature and allowing things to flow as they should without forcing results, but that by no means kept him from fighting for what he felt was right. Joeri didn't tolerate foolish behavior and stood by those he called friend, and his convictions never faltered due to his strong sense of justice and desire to protect those he considered family in opposition of ruthless power.

"Do you think she'll actually be there?" asked Gongenzaka.

"We can't be sure unless we check, if not, we'll head on to the Volcanic area and hope for the best."

That was the Joeri he knew, not this cruel, demented, and uncaring person who he'd been replaced with. The Necros Witch had always been so incredibly nice to him and Serena, having cared for them, because no one else liked him due to his status as a Strain witch, while Dennis was an outcast as a Scarlet Witch due to his orange hair, and Serena was kept at arms-length in fear of angering the Professor. They were a trio of misfits and got along well, Dennis knowing that Serena and Joeri had deep feelings for one another; however, it almost seemed as though it didn't matter anymore.

 **{Edge of the Volcanic Area: 8:20am}**

"Keep running!" Hikage called out to Serena as she looked at the Obelisk Force behind her.

The two of them had been on their way to the Volcanic area when roughly ten or so Obelisk Force soldiers had come from almost nowhere, and ambushed them. Hikage had managed to hold them off for a bit alongside Serena, but they had ended up being attacked and injured. The Moonlight Duelist took in a deep breath as she looked at the area around them, a place that was in the early daylight, there was no real battlegrounds, and it was mostly the meeting point between two of the fields. Serena looked towards Hikage, who had gotten a leg injury from the Obelisk Force using magic to attack, and then her turquoise eyes locked onto their pursuers.

"Okay, then…." Hikage looked at the girl as she clapped her hands together as she stomped her feet in rhythm with her clapping, startling the Obelisk Force as the ninja stared in disbelief.

"Run! Miss Serena!" the girl raised her arms to her sides, mist like tendrils coiling about them as she rose them into the air directly above her head, forming her hands into a circle as she touched her fingertips together.

"Listen unto me, Goddess Astrea, mother of Hecate! Beckon the shadows of the moon, so that my enemies shall be blinded by the brilliant darkness of the night while the faithful are guided by your light!" Serena made quick work of her chant.

"Get her!" the Obelisk Force called as shadows of mist began to form around her.

"Rompi ilin! Kasi Min! Kaj Forigi! Malbonon! Diino!" Serena kept herself steady clapping her hands together three times for each statement as the mist began to shake free before she clasped her fingers together, and tossed her arms forward, the spell shrouding the area in a black shadow.

"Take my hand!" Serena grabbed Hikage and the two rushed into the Volcanic area, not wasting any time in putting distance between them and the Obelisk Force.

It was as they started into the area, that they ran into someone. They were someone Serena immediately recognized from the images of the roster of contestants from the tournament as the person she had been looking for. Shay Obsidian gave the girl a long look, knowing that she had stopped running for some reason, and had paused before glancing to where she and the ninja had come from, finding himself being presented with a heavy shadow as he looked back to her.

"Should I ask what's happening?" he inquired cautiously.

"You're… Shay Obsidian… good… I need to talk to you." Shay looked her over.

"The two of you are hurt," he stated.

"We know, the Obelisk Force is right behind us, we've gotta try and evade them!" the other nodded.

"Follow me, we'll go to one of the crevasses for the time being. It won't last, but it'll give us a moment to think of a plan," he told them as he grabbed Hikage and the three of them rushed across the open area to the nearest outcropping of rocks, not wanting to remain in view for longer than needed.

Serena wasn't sure what to do at this point. While she and Yuzu had changed clothes and hair styles to hide each other and confuse the Obelisk Force, it had only worked for a brief while – much shorter than she thought it would, admittedly – and now, she was admittedly worried for Yuzu's safety. Turquoise eyes glanced towards Shay, who was observing the area, being careful to make sure nothing slipped past him while Serena took in the person. So, he was a survivor of the Xyz Dimension?

He wasn't what she had expected to be honest, but at the same time, Serena didn't think he would look too much different than he did. However, what did surprise her was the magical pulse that was radiating off of him like it did with every witch. Shay's aura was a sharp golden hue with specks of crimson, black, violet, and deep greenish-blue, showing him to be a witch that she didn't believe she'd encountered before. Taking in a deep breath, she crouched beside him, preparing to deal with the situations at hand while she attempted to assist in observing the area.

"What kind of witch are you?" she asked.

"Risulian, and you?" Serena eyed him.

"Kontis…" the blue-haired teenager stared in surprise.

"I didn't think they existed anymore…" she rolled her eyes.

"Everyone says that… Kontis Witches aren't as rare as everyone likes to believe… we just prefer seclusion, so it makes the community think we're an extinct Skill," she mentioned.

"Alright, so what's the deal with these guys chasing you?" Serena sighed.

"I'm from Academia, but I escaped… because something didn't sit right with me, and one of my closest friends Joeri, he risked his life for me to escape… but he's still back in that place… and the Obelisk Force wants to take me and two others back," she stated.

"Guess you don't wanna go back, huh?" Serena shook her head.

"No! That place is a hellhole. The orders of the Professor are absolute, and Joeri is my only friend, really… the only reason I would ever go back… is to save him," she said firmly.

"Well, if you want, I know some people who might need a hand in storming the castle, so to speak." The girl eyed him.

"Fine by me." He raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you want to hear the details?" he asked.

"If it means Academia's destruction and my friends being safe… I couldn't give a fuck." Shay chuckled a bit.

"Okay… you know… you favor Yuzu and my little sister a lot," he mentioned.

"Ruri, right? She's in one of the towers on Academia's island, along with another girl named Rin Mashima… but those Obelisk pricks are here to get me, Yuzu, and some kid named Yuya or something like that…" Shay sent her a startled look.

"Did you say Yuzu and Yuya?" he inquired.

"Yea, do you know this Yuya kid?" he nodded at her question.

"I was just with him and Sora – excuse me, I mean Sky – Shuinin about twenty minutes ago…" Serena felt anxiety knot in her stomach.

"Yuzu and I split up a while back, Hikage's brother went with – is something wrong?" she looked to Hikage, who had a hand to the side of his head, and nodded as he dropped his hand.

"My brother lost sight of Yuzu Hiiragi and has been unable to locate her. He is heading this way now to rendezvous with us. Our current situation is not good, we need to find a way to thin the forces of the invaders; otherwise, people will start dying, if they have not already," Hikage stated as he stood and Shay and Serena did as well.

"Then… what do you suggest?" Shay looked around.

"We need high and open ground. Hikage, are you and your brother capable of magic?" he inquired.

"Our employer gave us fly-by-night capsules to take if needs be; however, we were also asked to try and minimize casualties and damage if possible." The two nodded.

"Then we duel it out," Serena stated.

"Agreed…" Hikage looked around them and pointed to the bridge.

"We should head there, it's our best place to be. The others, should they arrive, will be able to see us easiest there," he told them as they started to rush towards the bridge.

Within a few minutes, they arrived; however, it was also at this point that Shay and Serena got the distinct feeling that something was wrong, and that was proven correct when Obelisk Force soldiers began to flood into the Volcanic area. Hikage glanced to Shay and he nodded before the ninja jumped down from the bridge, and towards the mass of soldiers while upon the bridge, three Obelisk Soldiers had arrived, causing Shay and Serena to activate their Duel Disks, preparing to Duel, and not a moment later be joined by Tsukikage, who activated his own Duel Disk.

Shay wasn't sure if he felt comfortable teaming up with someone who was an Academia member, even if her dislike of them was rather apparent. After all the pain and suffering Fusion users had put his loved ones through, he didn't want to trust Serena as a person; however, as Witch, and a Duelist, he had a feeling that she would be a more than apt partner, just as Tsukikage was hopefully. Nodding to the two of them, they stood shoulder to shoulder, having drawn five cards to prepare for their fight with the soldiers.

"Lady Serena, please return home and quit running. There is no real need to fight this situation," stated one of the soldiers.

"Like hell there is! I know the truth! I know that Corruption Curses are being used on the Witches within Academia, and I am well aware of what all of Academia's tampering with the Zones of Millennium is going to really do to our world, and the Professor's plot to assassinate the guardians of our world, so the fuck there isn't something to fight about!" the three stared at her for a moment and activated their duel disks.

"Then we shall dismantle your comrades and return you to the Professor for a lesson in proper behavior," the soldier who had started addressing her stated.

"Fuck you! Come and try it, you bastards!" Serena snapped while Shay looked to the ninja.

"Are you sure you and your brother want to do this? If you do, there's no guarantee that any of us are coming out of this alive," he asked.

"Once we take on a mission, it is seen through to the end, even at the cost of our lives. That is the law of the Fuma Clan, and we shall keep it. Witches have their own codes and laws that they follow correct? So I do believe you understand." Shay and Serena nodded.

"Let's duel!" the six called.

"I shall be the one to go first. It is my turn! I Summon Twilight Ninja Shingetsu from my hand! Then I set three cards face-down and complete my turn!" Tsukikage stated as the first Obelisk soldier stepped up.

"My turn! I summon Ancient Gear Hound! Once per turn, if my opponent controls Monsters on their field, this card can inflict six-hundred points of damage to my opponent! _Hound Flame!"_ Tsukikage pressed a button on his duel disk.

"The Continuous Trap activates! _Barrier Ninjutsu Art of Hazy Extinguishing!_ It negates all Effect Damage equal to or lower than eight-hundred points!" he informed him as a whirlwind flew around them, burning out the ball of fire coming for him.

"In that case, I activate the Spell card Polymerization, from my hand! Choosing one card on the field and two in my hand, I fuse together three Ancient Gear Hounds! _Mighty mechanical hounds who inherited ancient souls, come together and combine, and give birth to a new power! Fusion Summon!_ Appear, my Level Seven Ancient Gear Triple Bite Hound! Now battle!" Tsukikage was prepared.

"But before you do! I activate the Continuous Trap, Barrier Ninjutsu Art of Gathering Shadows! Once during my opponent's turn, I can pay half my Life Points in order to end the battle phase!" he announced.

"Good move!" Shay complimented Tsukikage, knowing that their situation was dire, but he desired to keep morale up if possible. The ninja's Life Points went to two-thousand, and he crouched, feeling a small bit of pain.

"Are you alright?" Serena asked.

"I will be fine Miss Serena. It would appear that magic has infected the air due to so many of them using it to charge up their attacks to make them real." Shay narrowed his eyes.

"Don't expect anything less from those bastards. They'll just cut you down whether or not you're Duelist or Witch. I've watched them card an innocent woman and her baby just because they could," Shay explained as Serena clenched her hands into fists.

"Tch! I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." The soldier finished his turn, and Shay stepped forward, but Serena moved ahead of him, and though he thought to protest, he decided against it when he saw her body trembling in what he knew was anger.

The three Obelisk Force Soldiers took their turns, all trying to get damage in, but being stopped thanks to Tsukikage's face-downs; however, his Life Points were severally depleted because of it, making Serena and Shay concerned for his safety. After having blocked the Ancient Gear Triple Bite Hound three times, the Fuma Ninja's Life Points stood at a meager five-hundred, causing all of those present anxiety. Serena and Shay glanced towards Hikage, who unfortunately wasn't doing much better. They had great strategy, that was certain, but the two feared that the Obelisk Force was too much for them. The Moonlight and Raidraptor Duelists looked to one another, nodding as Serena drew a sixth card and prepared to lay waste to the soldiers.

"I'm going to make you regret all of the horrendous things you've done to the innocent!" she snapped.

"Very well, show us what the supposed Princess of Academia can do." Serena narrowed her eyes.

"I intend to. From my hand I activate the Spell Card, Polymerization! I'm fusing together Moonlight Blue Cat and Moonlight Purple Butterfly! Your chanting is lacking, allow a Witch to show you how to do it right!" the Obelisk Force seemed to become a bit nervous.

"Acting tough, are you?" Serena smirked.

" _Esteemed familiar of witches, wandering within the blue darkness of night! Alluring creature of Mother Earth, carrying a venom of the deepest violet, allow the gravity of the moon in its brilliance intertwine your souls to form a mystical connection! Fusion Summon!_ Appear! Beautiful beast dancing in the light of the midnight sun! Moonlight Cat Dancer!" one of her Ace's took to the field, and the group watched onward as Serena prepared her next move.

" _Her monster's strong, I just hope she can set up a good combo,"_ Shay thought.

"I activate the Spell card, Moonlight Perfume! It special summons one _Moonlight_ Monster from my Graveyard! I special summon Blue Cat! And since my Blue Cat was successfully Special Summoned, I can double the Attack Points of one _Moonlight_ Monster on my field until the end of the turn! I target Cat Dancer!" Serena explained as Cat Dancer's attack points shot up from twenty-four hundred to forty-eight hundred.

It was as this took place, that Reid and Trout finally arrived, being met with the sight of two different duels taking place. They had crouched behind a series of rocks, hoping to find out what was happening, so they could make their next move carefully. Reid knew that this situation was like rush hour in the kitchen, many things could go wrong, but if everyone worked together, it would be a good closing at the end of the day. However, he also knew there were a few additional and new ingredients in the mix that consisted of their enemies being Duelists with powers they'd never faced before, and the Witches who were dueling them.

"We better go warn Yuya and the others," muttered Trout.

"You may be right, I don't know how much help we'll be at this point…" the two had started to move away; however, they were stopped by two Obelisk Force soldiers.

"Oh! Hello, fellas, I don't suppose you could just let us mosey on out of here, could you?" the two soldier's raised their Duel Disks up.

"I was afraid that was going to be the answer," Trout stated as Reid pulled his own Duel disk on.

"Then the kitchen is open!" the other nodded, equipping his own Duel Disk.

"And the catch of the day is on the menu, let's do this!"

However, that was when things started to go sour for the group who was trying to hold their own against Academia's soldiers. Serena's combo had gotten toppled in almost no time, and Shay hadn't fared much better, Tsukikage was in danger due to his low Life Points, and Hikage wasn't much better. Reid and Trout were cornered, having managed to hold their own for quite some time, but as the seconds ticked by, the duels were becoming trickier, and their situation even worse. Shay was hoping that they could find a way to turn the tables on the Duelists; however, as it stood, it didn't seem as though that was going to happen.

As the duels continued, a group of four arrived upon the premises, consisting of Yuya, Sky, Dennis, and Gongenzaka. They had heard the noise of the duels going on from a slight distance, and picked up their pace, fear coiling in them as they made it past the rocks and into an area where they were able to witness the horrific sight of the Volcanic area being overran by the Obelisk Force. Scarlet eyes scanned the area, seeing a girl standing near Shay who at first looked to be Yuzu; however, he knew within only a few seconds that it wasn't her due to the color of her hair. Concerned, Yuya wanted to ask her what had happened, but knew they had other problems at hand.

"We need a diversion…" Sky muttered.

Without much trouble they could gather that roughly fifteen or so Obelisk Force members were left, but there was still the problem of how to best handle them and help thin the numbers. Knowing the situation was dire, Yuya took in a deep breath, and activated his Duel Disk, somewhat concerning Gongenzaka and Sky, who had considered protesting, but decided against it once they saw the glint within their friend's eyes. The two activated their own Duel Disks, Dennis doing the same before Yuya looked around them.

"I'll be the diversion." They looked to Dennis and nodded.

"Alright, if we spread out, we can help those who are struggling, and do some damage as well. Gongenzaka, stay near Dennis, the two of you go towards Reid and Trout, be waiting in case Shay needs back up, Sky and I will start thinning the other forces," Yuya stated.

"Are you sure?" he nodded.

"I am. Let's go! Dennis, put on a show, we need a chance to take them by surprise," he said.

"Then allow me to do what I do best!" with that Dennis grabbed five cards from his deck and jumped out into the open, announcing himself to the enemy, rushing as quickly as he could into the fray alongside Gongenzaka. Sky looked to Yuya.

"Ready? This'll be the first time we've tagged teamed," he mentioned.

"We'll be fine… let's do this…"

The two waited as Gongenzaka got closer to Trout and Reid, battling off one of the Duelists, who had joined in to make it a three-on-two in their duel while Dennis remained near Shay's group. Sky nodded to Yuya, knowing that it was the best time to strike, and the two of them jumped out, calling quite literally to the opposition to get their attention, drawing their cards as they prepared to attack as several Obelisk Force soldiers began to surround them while Hikage nodded to them, standing to go through with the next part of his combo.

"Remember me, you fuckers?" asked Sky.

"Shuinin?!" he nodded.

"That's right! Now, I'm about to give ya a show! From my hand, I use the Scale One Edge-Imp Cotton Eater, and the Scale Eight Fluffal Angel to set the Pendulum Scales! That means I can summon Monsters levels two through seven at once!" Yuya smiled as he watched the fiend creature and a stuffed fox go up into greenish-blue pillars of light, white arcane numbers of one and eight appearing below the monsters.

"Pendulums?!" Sky nodded.

"Thanks to my friend, Yuya! Now! _Swing in harmony Pendulum of Trials! Form a woven tread that pierces through all! Pendulum Summon!_ Come forth! My trusted Monsters! Fluffal Leo, Fluffal Dog, Fluffal Mouse, and Edge Imp Scissors!" the four Obelisk Soldiers that had surrounded them looked to the blue-haired witch.

"Take Shuinin out and retrieve Yuya Sakaki at all costs, am I clear?" the other three nodded and Sky narrowed his eyes.

"Like hell you are! I use my Fluffal Leo and Fluffal Dog to build the Overlay Network!" Sky raised an arm into the air, palm stretched out as the two monsters melded together in a pool of crimson and blue, causing Shay to stare in disbelief.

" _He has… an Xyz monster?"_

" _Oh, great winged creature of silken midnight, that which quotes nevermore the unending toll of interest and stands guard at the door of the darkest hours. Carry a new nightmare upon your shadowed wings! Xyz Summon!_ Rank Four! _Frightfur Raven!"_ Sky called forth as crimson lightning split the sky, and the giant black bird appeared with a mighty caw, its gothic, patched together look causing the Obelisk soldiers to step back in shock.

"You… Xyz summoned?!" Sky nodded.

"Bet your ass I did. Now, I detach one overlay unit and use the effect of Frightfur Raven, to cut my opponent's Life Points in half! _Riddle Wings!"_ a gust of wind and feathers shot at the soldiers, chopping their four-thousand Life points to two-thousand.

"HELL YEA! GET'M!" Yuya kept himself prepared as Sky looked to the others.

"I end my turn, you're up, Yuya," Sky stated as the boy nodded.

"Alright, I draw! Following up from my partner, I use my Scale Three Xiangke Magician and my Scale Eight Xiangsheng Magician to set the Pendulum Scales! Thus, I can summon Monsters level four through seven at the same time!" brilliant blue and white pillars of light appeared, golden arcane numbers appearing upon them as a web of stardust and beautiful light appeared above Yuya.

" _They aren't black and red, thank the Gods,"_ Sky thought in relief.

" _Swing Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light across the sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Come forth, my faithful Monsters!" Yuya called as Silver Claw, Camelump, and Odd-Eyes pendulum Dragon appeared on the field. Serena stared onward, confused by the brilliant sight before she turned her attention back to the duel she was in, knowing that they were only a few steps shy of losing.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, a shout of shock and pain echoed out of the area, causing everyone to look as Reid vanished in a flash of purple light while Gongenzaka tried to stave off the next attack from his own opponent. Those who were present stared, disbelief present in their gaze as not a moment later Trout suffered the same fate. It set something off in the witches there, witnessing such a brutal action. Serena narrowed her eyes, her Monsters having been wiped clean from the field just as Shay's own had been.

"I'm going to kill you heartless beasts… my turn! I draw!" the girl snapped.

Serena almost forwent the notion of dueling, and flourished her hand to her side, mist forming at her fingertips as she bowed her head, Shay grinding his teeth together as the Obelisk Force member who had been dueling Gongenzaka smirked to him and a blast of magic hit the teenager in the abdomen. Angered, Gongenzaka took his turn, and performed a Synchro Summon, pulling Susano-o to the field as Dennis danced around his opponent, who seemed prepared to drop their duel. Tsukikage and Hikage were faring less and less well as the duels around Sky and Yuya devolved into Variances. The boy's form trembled, his bangs shadowing his eyes as he reacted.

"I overlay my two level four monsters to build the overlay network! _Fangs of treason from the pitch-black darkness, oppose crass, foolish power! Descend before us now! Xyz Summon! Appear! Rank Four, Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"_ Yuto's black dragon let out a shrieking roar as it appeared on the field alongside Odd-Eyes while Gongenzaka found himself tensed while he kept himself steady with Susano-o's aid.

"It's that Dragon… the one that the Master of the Phantom Knights uses… why does this freak have it?" asked one of the soldiers as Yuya settled his eyes upon the four surrounding them, displaying glowing crimson eyes, pupils having retracted.

"Because… I'm going to wipe you off the face of the earth with it! Xiangke Magician's Pendulum Effect: I can target an Xyz Monster and convert that Monster's rank into a level of equal value! Next! Xiangsheng Magician's Pendulum Effect: I can make one Monster's level on the field equal to one of another Monster on my field. I choose Odd-Eyes!" Sky, Gongenzaka, and Shay watched as Dark Rebellion's level became seven.

" _He's going to summon that dragon!"_ they thought.

"I overlay my two level seven dragons! _I call upon thee, Dragon with dichromatic eyes! Eradicate my defiant foes who would dare incur your supreme dark wrath! Xyz Summon! Come from the abyss of the further realm!_ The Rank Seven Dragon whose eyes shine with rage and fury at the Master's call! _Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon!"_ the Dragon appeared in a torrent of black wind with a roar that made it feel as though their bones were shaking in their skins.

"Shit!" Yuya looked to them.

"From my hand, I activate the Spell Card Witch's Sabbath! This allows me, in a tag-duel, to allow my teammate to activate Monster effects and attacks during my turn, at the cost of one-thousand life points," he explained as his Life Points dropped to three-thousand.

"You can't do that!" Yuya gave them a cold look.

"I just fucking did, if you don't like it, then you shouldn't have come and fucked with us. Now, I activate the effect of my Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon, the four of you conveniently have one Monster a piece on the field, so… you know where this is going…" the boy sent them a small smirk as he glanced to Sky, who nodded.

It was in that moment that Yuya and Sky demolished the four Obelisk Force Soldiers in a series of combos thanks to Yuya's spell card. The four opponents vanished, leaving Hikage alone, and safe. Sky went to the ninja, checking to make sure he was safe as Dennis and Gongenzaka defeated their opponent's leaving what the group was certain was only a handful of the Obelisk Force left. Yuya remained off to the side, recovering his hold upon himself as best he could while his vision swam in and out for a bit, even as he heard Yuto whispering in his ear to reassure him that he wasn't alone, until finally the Waking Magic began to ease off.

"Thank you," Hikage stated to him as Yuya looked his way.

"No, it's not a big deal. Thanks for helping everyone else…" Yuya moved to crouch beside the Ninja, and then the sound of something gearing up came from behind him. They turned to see an Obelisk Force sending an attack towards them via an effect; however, it was negated by a wall of fire, startling those present as someone began to speak.

"No fun starting the party without me! But now that I'm here, we're a hundred-fold stronger!" Yuya looked towards the person.

"Sawatari?!" he called out to him and the other looked to the boy.

"You alright down there Yuya? Shuinin? Ninja guy?" the two nodded.

"What are you doing here?" Sawatari looked to the others and then at Yuya.

"I heard the details from Reiji Akaba, so I'm here to lend a hand," he stated. The Waking Witch smiled.

"Glad to have you."

Those present looked to one another, knowing now that only two Obelisk Force members remained, and with Sawatari having intruded upon the duel that Tsukikage, Serena, and Shay had been struggling with, they only had one to handle. Yuya looked to the soldier, scarlet eyes seeming to bore through him as he kept himself steady, well aware that he could choose to attack the boy before him, who was their target, or take to his only other option. Unsure, the Obelisk Soldier readied his duel disk just as Sawatari started his turn against the other one, giving the other three a moment to recover.

"Let's roll! My turn!" Sawatari stated as he drew a card and looked to the cards in his hand.

" _We need to defeat these last two before they call in reinforcements… I've seen it go that way far too many times to let my guard down now…"_ Shay thought on the plan they needed to take as the newcomer prepared to begin his combo.

"I use my Scale One Abyss Actor – Evil Heel and my Scale Eight Abyss Actor – Funky Comedian. Now I can summon Monsters between Level Two and Seven all at once!" Sawatari's Pendulum Scales were a strange sepia color with flecks of faded blues while the numbers were white. The Obelisk Force soldier tensed, knowing that this strange new summoning method was a serious threat.

"Shit… where the hell did this come from?" Sawatari grinned.

"From Yuya Sakaki, our resident Pendulum Pioneer. Now, let's get the show started! _Sway Pendulum of the Underworld's Theatre! Pull the curtain back on the show! Pendulum Summon!_ Take the stage! Level Seven Abyss Actor – Superstar!" a gothic and warped puppet-like monster took to the field, dressed in dark black with red shoes and a vest and faded dark pink hair that seemed look like layered rose petals. He took a bow, and Sawatari started his next step.

"Abyss Actors… so Reiji gave him something like that, interesting… Sky?" the blue-haired Fluffal Duelist nodded as he stood in front of Yuya and Hikage.

"You'll be dueling me," he stated.

"Fine by me! Let me destroy you! Traitor!" Sky grinned while Sawatari continued with his plan.

"I activate Superstar's effect! Once per turn, Superstar lets me add one Abyss Script from my deck to my hand! I'm adding _Abyss Script – Fantasy Magic_ to my hand, and then activating it! Once he's read the script, Superstar's gonna play his role!" Superstar spun, blue flames forming around him to give him a wizard's robe and a hat before Sawatari made his play.

"Superstar attacks Triple Bite Hound!" the Abyss Actor sent a blast of blue flames at the Monster and the Obelisk Force member smirked.

"Did you not see anything before, you intruding vermin? Destroying it only triggers my counteractive combo!" Sawatari rolled his eyes.

"If anyone's intruding it's you assholes. But I didn't destroy anything! You see, during the turn Fantasy Magic is activated, the battling Monsters are returned to the _hand…_ but a Fusion Monster doesn't return to the hand, now does it? No, it returns to the Extra Deck!" he stated.

"Trap Activate! Ancient Gear Reverse Fusion! When one Ancient Gear I control leaves the field due to an opponent's card effect, I can special summon one Fusion Monster which uses that Monster as Material, treating it as a Fusion Summon!" Shay narrowed his eyes.

"Not this time! Facedown activate! Mystical Space Typhoon!" he called, finding himself thankful that this was a tag duel, otherwise Sawatari would have been dealing with the tricks Obelisk Force was known for.

"Shit… fine…" Sawatari glanced Shay's way.

"Thanks for that…" the other nodded.

"No problem…"

On the area near the lava river, Sky was in the midst of countering an attack from his opponent, knowing that he needed to get one of his Extra Deck Monsters on the field. At current, the situation was fragile, because just as Shay had considered it, Sky had also thought of the fact that these two remaining Obelisk Force Soldiers, could very well call in reinforcements, and if they did, things could go sour for them within seconds. If that were to happen, Sky had been given orders to get Yuya out of harm's way, and he knew Shay would receive orders at that moment to take Serena and flee. It was a plan that left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he knew it may ultimately be their only option.

It was his turn, having managed to stave off most of the damage his opponent had tried to give him, meaning he had one chance to take the Obelisk Force soldier down. Taking in a deep breath, Sky placed the tip of his fingers on the top of his deck, and closed his eyes for a moment. He had gotten this far for a reason, because he knew what these people were going to do, he had his pride as Witch and a Duelist that gave him a steady hand to make the choices he needed, and his friends to support him, but most of all, he had a reason for fighting, and that reason was right behind him, watching and waiting to back him up if needs be.

"Draw! Okay! I'm using the Scale Three Fluffal Dove and the Scale Nine Fluffal Fox to set the Pendulum Scales! Now I can summon Monsters levels Four through eight! So here we go! _Swing in harmony Pendulum of Trials! Form a woven tread that pierces through all! Pendulum Summon!_ Come forth! My trusted Monsters! Level Four Fluffal Dog, Level One Fluffal Horse!" Sky looked to his hand, knowing what he needed to do in order to get this taken care of immediately.

"Wait… that horse… it's a…" Sky took in a deep breath.

"Now! I Tune my Level Four Fluffal Dog with my Level One Tuner Fluffal Horse! For a Level Seven Synchro Summon! _Great beast of imagination and dreams, come forth and defend those who are shackled by nightmares of foolish ambitions! Synchro Summon!_ TheLevel Eight! _Frightfur Dragon!_ " with a loud pop of smoke, a blue Dragon appeared upon the field with feathered green wings with pink tips, white horns, and a long, fluffy, feline-like tail of blue and white marks while it bore white talons on each foot. It roared, causing the area to tremble as it flared it's mighty wings out behind Sky, shielding its Master and his comrades from the Obelisk Soldier.

"A Synchro and an Xyz monster? You really have turned away from a pure Summoning haven't you?" Sky shook his head.

"We were the fools for thinking that only Fusion Summoning was the right one! Each one of these Summoning Mechanics embodies the hearts and souls of each Zone of our world, and it's perfect just as it is! We don't need to be tearing other's lives apart for our own betterment! In the end, it'll destroy us all!" he stated as the other laughed.

"Perfect? Our world is crumbling, just the separated Zones alone are a problem… not to mention… the things like that boy behind you." The Dyren Witch shook his head.

"They aren't the problem… they're the solution… you're just too blinded by power to see it as I do now. But once I'm done with you, it won't matter!" he snapped.

"Once I get done with you, traitor, that boy is all mine… the Professor will be so elated to see him." Sky ground his teeth together, narrowing his gaze.

"You so much as breathe in his direction. _Yuya is mine to protect!_ And I won't let anyone hurt him! Now! Frightfur Dragon's Summoning effect activates, dealing one-thousand points of damage to my opponent!" he snapped as the soldier was zapped down to a three thousand Life Points.

"Shit! You little fuck! I'll make you suffer for that… I know just what it'll be, too… when I get my hands on that freak behind you, I'm gonna make you watch as I have a little fun… I wonder how good is pain threshold is…" Sky felt his magic crackle around his body, rage beginning to flood him.

"I told you… I WON'T LET YOU TOUCH HIM! Frightfur Dragon attacks Triple Bite Hound!" he shouted.

"I activate the Trap Card: Chaos Burst! By tributing my Ancient Gear Hound that I have on the field, I can stop your attack, destroy your monster, and deal you one-thousand points of damage! Say goodbye to your Dragon!" Sky reacted instantly.

"Oh no you don't! I'm taking a page out of my ally's handbook and activating Mystical Space Typhoon! Your Trap is gone!" the Soldier hissed.

"Dammit…" Yuya smirked.

"Good going, Sky!" he called.

"Like I said, I was asked to make sure you stayed safe, and I intend to do that… especially after you saved my life…" Hikage looked to the two.

"He admires you, Master Yuya," stated the Fuma ninja.

"I think that swings both ways… he's my friend after all…" Sky smiled and looked to his opponent, who had been dealt twelve hundred points of damage, dropping his three-thousand Life Points down to eighteen-hundred.

"Next, I activate the other effect of my Frightfur Dragon! If this card battles an opponent's Monster, it can make a second attack in a row! So Frightfur Dragon, attack this dumbass directly and send him back to hell! _Frightening Roar!"_ the Dragon raised its wings up and out, slithering up as the Obelisk Soldier stepped back, realizing that Sky had backed him into a corner on purpose as he was attacked with three-thousand points of damage and defeated instantly, resulting in him being destroyed right as Sawatari's final move came.

"Okay! I equip the Spell Card Abyss Wardrobe – Knight's Attire! Now, my Superstar gets an Attack Point boost of five-hundred, boosting him up to three-Thousand! Next, I activate the second effect of Knight's Armor by paying six-hundred Life Points, and I can forgo your Monster and attack you directly! Time for the curtain call! Superstar attacks you directly!" the Abyss Actor, clad in Knight's Armor, smashed into the soldier, defeating him as finally the Obelisk Force was banished, and just as it was, a loud siren went off, startling them as they looked around, on high alert as the field around them slowly started to vanish, and as it did, someone started clapping, once more causing everyone's head to turn to the source of it.

 **{….}**

 _Seven Devils all around me! Seven Devils in my house…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Oh my God! That actually got really difficult towards the end, I hope I did okay, because that made me nervous. I wanted to try and give everyone a little bit of time to fight, but also begin to gear up the emotional situation in the next chapter. We are about to end Season 1's events, so be prepared, we have a lot to do in the next few chapters. Let me know what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

The Incandescence question has been answered! You're welcome.

Hugo's got an eye for specific details, which would be required of him, seeing as he is a mechanic.

Dennis may or may not be an Academia traitor, we'll have to wait and see.

There are a few tiny exceptions to the laws, they are absolute, except in singular failsafes, like the one Dennis thought of.

Gongenzaka put together something in this chapter that I hope you guys caught.

There were two Waking Witches alive 120 years ago, it's been mentioned before, so it must be important.

Serena's chant was in Esperanto and it translates to: "Break them! Conceal me! And remove evil! Goddess!"

Abyss Actors are known as Underworld Troupe in the Japanese version.

Fluffal Horse, Frightfur Dragon, and Abyss Wardrobe – Knight's Attire are all cards I made up on my own. Unfortunately, Abyss Actors have almost zero supports, and almost all of the Archetypes birthed from Arc-V never received additional Summoning Mechanics for their respective types, unlike Odd-Eyes that has all of them but a Link Monster for the time being.


	49. Chapter 49: Liar

Chapter 49: Liar

 **{South Street, Maiami City: July 25** **th** **, 2014: 10:15am}**

"That was an excellent performance, now I know for certain that I chose correctly." All eyes turned to the person as they stood just at the end of the bridge.

"Reiji… Akaba?" dark purple eyes looked to the group.

"Yes; well done, Shuinin, Obsidian, you played your parts well. I thank you in advance for assisting the others," he stated as Sky shot him a withering glare.

Sky disliked this situation, because he knew that Reiji wouldn't have just shown himself because he wanted to praise his and Shay's efforts. This was to drop the proverbial bomb on the others, or potentially paint the situation in a light that suited him. Chartreuse eyes narrowed at the older teenager, keeping himself tense even though he had turned off his Duel Disk, knowing that if it called for it, he wouldn't need it to put this pompous bastard in his place.

"Sky? Shay? What is he talking about?" Sky glanced to Yuya, who was standing and helping Hikage up, who was able to stand on his own once he was on his feet.

"He's talking about how Shay and I were on the field as his eyes and ears… and to help stop the invasion…" all eyes looked to the two in surprise.

"Then that means you knew this was going to happen!" Yuya snapped as Reiji looked to him.

"I did, but there was nothing I could do to stop this from happening…"

Yuya felt his entire body shake as he started moving, his motions somewhat stiff, his head bowed as he started walking away from where Sky and Hikage were before he headed up the flight of stairs nearest to Reiji, and within a matter of moments, had swung at him. It happened so quickly, none of them had seen it coming, and neither had the Leo Corp President, who received a swift punch to his left cheek, knocking his glasses off and busting his lip as Yuya heaved in a few deep breaths, bangs continuing to hide his eyes as Reiji stumbled a bit, recovering from the sudden hit before he grabbed his glasses and carefully wiped his bleeding lip while Sky rushed to his friend, Hikage returning to his brother's side instantly.

"You… sent all of us… out to the slaughter! Like… we were nothing but livestock…" Reiji looked to Yuya.

"No, I did nothing of the sort," he answered.

"All of us… were used as cannon fodder for you to do what? Observe? And how do Sky and Shay fit into this bullshit?! What was this tournament for?! Answer me!" Reiji looked to the boy.

"I had my reasons, the main one being a means to cultivate and select appropriate people who could handle those of Academia," he stated.

"What do you mean? This entire tournament was just some kind of trial to select duelists for something?" the Leo Corp President nodded.

"Precisely, with the knowledge of these invaders coming, I decided to have the Junior Youth Class's finale become an open field Battle Royale, and use your strength, as Duelists and Witches to defeat the enemy," he explained, causing the group to tense, anger apparent on their features.

"I told you about the communication I received on my Duel Disk with the intention of warning you so older and more seasoned Duelists could fight the Obelisk Force! Not for you to experiment! I never agreed to that!" Sky defended in anger as Reiji looked him over.

"What you did, though, ultimately allowed me to postulate a theorem that proved to be a benefit to our city," he stated, as Yuya laughed, the sound hollow and his form trembling.

"Benefit? People are dead, Akaba! It wasn't a benefit to our city… and you should probably stop beating around the fucking bush! Be honest, this has nothing to do with just some little theory of yours… tell them the truth, about our world," Yuya snarled, keeping his eyes down, frame shaking violently as he tried desperately to keep himself in check.

"If that is what you want. As I am certain some of you know, our world is not the only one, but one of thousands within the universe. We are known as Millennium, and we are a segmented world, split into six different Zones, each named after a Summoning Mechanic." Sawatari felt his eyes grow wide as Tsukikage and Hikage took the information in silence, having not been informed of it upon their agreement to protect Yuzu and Serena.

"O-Other Worlds?! What is this? Some kind of video game?" asked Sawatari. Sky tisked at the question.

"No, it's reality. Shay is from the Xyz Zone, and I'm from the split version of the Fusion Zone..." the brunette-blonde swallowed nervously.

"The First of these Zones is the Ritual Zone, followed by the Fusion Zone, then the Synchro Zone, the Xyz Zone, our Zone, known as Pendulum, and the Link Zone. Each of these Zones have two guardians, known as Pillars, and they are heavily connected to the Zones they hail from." Sawatari looked to them the others before looking to Reiji.

"Why is the Fusion Zone attacking us then?" he asked.

"They aren't, it's their counterpart that is. Roughly a year-and-a-half ago, Academia sent out a man named Paradox, with a single mission: _to assassinate the Pillars of the Xyz Zone_. Unfortunately, he succeeded, and darkness overtook the Xyz Zone, resulting in it turning into a Dimension… this created a domino effect, splitting Synchro and Fusion in half, creating existing Dimensions next to their light counterparts, the Zones." Everyone took the information in stride, Serena listening to these details, knowing that there would be more.

"Don't stop there, why not tell them that during that time, he sought to assassinate the Pillars of Synchro, Fusion, and Ritual as well. But because of their combined efforts, Ritual's splitting was stopped and it was restored, and Paradox, slain," Sky stated.

"So… these… Pillars have the power to fix all this?" Reiji nodded.

"Indeed, they do… but they are unaware of the current situation's severity, and save for those three, the other Pillars are unaware of one another's existence. When Fusion and Synchro were divided, the Secondary Pillars were thrown into the Dimensions in an attempt to stabilize our world once again. It succeed, but now things have begun to fall apart once more," he answered.

"Then what's Academia doing? Shouldn't we all be on the same side? What's their deal?" Serena looked to the others.

"Academia's goal is to turn all of the Zones into Dimensions, using the natural gravitational pull that the Dimensions possess to fuse all of them into a whole world again, like we were a hundred and twenty years prior," she explained.

"How would you know?" Shay looked to the others.

"Because, she's from Academia, just as Sky is," he stated.

" _Was!_ I'm not going back to those bastards… and I doubt Sky is, either…" Dennis eyed them.

"What I want to know, is why you sent a bunch of Junior Youths out to fight these guys. We can't be as strong as the Youths or Pros," he mentioned, causing Serena to glance to him for a moment before looking to Reiji.

"The lot of you were not our first line of defense. The Youth Class combated them as well… unfortunately, they were obliterated, save for one person." The D/D/D Duelist closed his eyes at the statement, and a shocked silence overcame them.

"Obliterated? You mean that the Youths were completely wiped out?" Sky looked down.

"I heard it on the head set I have on… when I was rushing towards the Ancient Ruins area to find Shay… they were too far from me to get there in time, and they ended up being swarmed…" he stated.

"So, you just threw us out here because you could?!" Sawatari looked to the others.

"I'm not sure what the details were, but when he saw how bad things were getting, he asked me to go and help. Which is why I'm here now," he informed them.

"And just as I predicted, all of you were successful in defeating Academia. One could say that the Witches of this group also made excellent Anti-Academia Dueling Warriors alongside the mortal Duelists." Sawatari looked around him, the information finally clicking.

"That means… I was right about you? Yuya Sakaki?" he asked in anger as he pointed at the boy.

"Yes, I'm a Witch, is that a problem?" sharp scarlet eyes looked to him and Sawatari shook his head.

"No, just… confusing as hell…" he admitted as Reiji cracked a small smile.

"All of you have proven your capabilities as both Duelists and Witches, making you worthy of being Lancers." In the second the words left him, a spike of magical energy appeared.

"Are you fucking insane?!" Yuya snapped.

"Yuya…" the boy set bright crimson eyes on the man.

"No, I believe it's perfectly logical." The boy tensed.

"To hell with your Lancers! For some bullshit like that, Reid… Trout… and the others were turned into cards?! Even… Yuzu…" his head bowed, body trembling as he ground his teeth together, feeling the sharp points of his canines as they elongated while strangely icy tears slipped down his cheeks. Sky looked to the boy, pain developing in his chest as he saw Yuya's tears and the look of agony on his face, his bright crimson eyes shining with an indescribable amount of self-loathing and guilt melded with a type of sorrow, that Sky wasn't certain he could even dare to name.

" _Why do I feel all of his pain from this distance? It's like it's radiating off him in waves…"_ Shay thought, standing in the back of the group as he watched.

It was a strange thing, to feel the emotions of another. Ruri had always been sensitive to the emotions of those around her, but Shay was a Risulian Witch, and they didn't have that sort of ability. However, with Yuya, he felt the same tremendous, debilitating ache that wracked his exhausted and battered frame, and as Shay glanced to the others, he knew they felt it as well. The boy was suffering, to the point that it his body alone couldn't contain it. The Risulian took in a deep breath, looking towards Sky, who looked as though he was caught between wanting to lash out at Reiji for playing him or breaking down in tears like Yuya was.

"It's… because of you… that everyone… that Yuzu… had to suffer like they did…" his body shook with all the effort it took for his magic not to possess him again.

A part of Yuya wanted it to possess him, so he could stop feeling all the pain he was right then. It was debilitating, to the point that his legs shook with the amount of sheer will power he was having to exert to keep himself standing. His body felt heavy, like chains had been laid on his arms and legs, as though a heavy weight had been placed upon his head, and he could barely keep his head up and his eyes open. But Yuya also knew that allowing his magic to possess him and shut him down like it would could become dangerous, and while that relief would be appreciated, the chance of hurting the others scared him more than the temptation did to entice him.

"It's not his fault…" Yuya looked to the purple-haired girl.

"What do you mean?" asked Gongenzaka.

"If Yuzu was taken down by Academia, it's because I came here…" Yuya looked her over.

"Who are you, anyways?" he questioned, his voice coming out strangely soft due to his exhaustion.

"As Shay said earlier, I'm from Academia… my name is Serena Allister. I'm a Kontis Witch… and I… came here looking for answers… because a friend and I knew… something was wrong with Academia, but we had no proof. I decided to escape and look for someone from the Xyz Zone to find out the truth… my friend put himself in harm's way to let me escape, and he's still a prisoner there." Dennis sighed.

"Wait a minute, if that's the case… then it's not your fault, either. All you wanted to do was find out the truth, it's not something that falls on your shoulders because they followed you," he told her, Serena looked him over.

" _I'll ask what his motives for being here are later. Right now, it's better if I don't mention that we know each other…"_ she thought.

"Even so, it doesn't change how I feel," she rebutted.

"Alright, why did they follow you? And why are you wearing Yuzu's clothes?" Yuya glanced to Sawatari, who approached Serena, the girl looking uncomfortable.

"I –" Sawatari narrowed his eyes.

"Were you actually sent here to spy on us? Gather intel and get a feel for how strong we were before opening the flood gates?" he inquired.

"Enough! Serena isn't a spy. That was my original task, she had nothing to do with it. Besides, I think the Fuma Ninjas can tell you that they had a job here as well." All eyes went to the two brothers at Sky's statement.

"That is true. Our task was to keep guard on Yuzu and Serena… however, I lost Yuzu in the midst of an attack, and Hikage was the only one successful in keeping Miss Allister safe… if anyone should be blamed for Yuzu's loss, it should be I," Tsukikage stated as he bowed towards Yuya, the boy giving him a long look.

"But it all leads back to you? Doesn't it? Akaba?" Reiji met Yuya's eyes.

"Perhaps it does, I intended to have those who succeeded in surviving the invasion become the ones who would seek battle with Academia… but there are higher powers and greater things at play here than just my actions," he informed the boy as he adjusted his glasses.

"And that would be?" Serena looked to him.

"Reiji told me about Academia's actions and intentions, but I still wanted to hear it from someone who'd seen it happen. So, I sought out Shay Obsidian, and crossed paths with Yuzu and Dennis… we ended up in a duel, and they agreed to help me… but… we were attacked by the Obelisk Force, and the Fuma Ninjas came to help us… Yuzu decided we should change clothes to confuse them long enough for all of us to get back together… and I agreed… but it seems it may have worked too well," she told them.

"I see. So that's how it went. You all ultimately won and survived… what we need right now is your strength! As mortals and witches who duel, you have an incredible synergy, something unlike anything I have witnessed before…" Reiji started speaking, Yuya's head bowing as his body began to tremble again, his bruised frame shaking with what seemed to be restraint.

" _Careful, he's going to break…"_ Dennis observed.

"Instead of grieving the ones who were lost, you should be proud of the fact that you defeated some very formidable enemies," he finished. Yuya ground his teeth together, his sharpened canines evident.

"Proud? Instead of grieving? Are you that blind?! If you hadn't forced us to battle them… none of this would have happened!" a flare of red magic spiraled around Yuya's form, lashing outwards as he settled a cold glare upon Reiji, tears trailing down his face still as the teenager was blown back by the force of it, the others putting up slight barriers as Yuya took in gasping breaths, his body reacting negatively to the output of energy. Reiji pulled himself to his feet, impressed by a mere pulse of the boy's energy being that strong.

"Do you want to hurt me?" he inquired.

"Akaba, don't antagonize him right now!" the older teenager glanced their way briefly at Sky's warning, and then looked at the boy.

"Yuya, give me an answer… do you want to hurt me?" he asked as the boy bit into his lip, drawing blood.

"I… want to make you feel all the pain we have… I want… to bury you so far beneath the ground you'll never be found… I want you… to suffer…" the boy's body shook with restrained aggression, and Reiji adjusted his glasses.

"Then you should kill me…" he stated, causing the boy to look at him in disbelief.

"Wha – "Reiji leveled him with a strong look.

"Yuya, if you want me to experience pain and suffer like you are right now… then you should have the will power to harm me. The pulse of magic you just used… threw me, and nothing more," he informed him.

"Your point?" Reiji took in a steady breath.

"If you truly wanted to hurt me, you would have. In the end, you lack the resolve to harm others… even if that is the common decree of Witches to harm none, I caused you to lose someone you loved, am I correct? I did harm unto you and those you love… thus… you should have no qualms with doing harm to me at this point," he stated.

"Shut up…"

"In the end, you're a Waking Witch who's scared of his own shadow," Reiji told him.

"Shut the hell up…" the others only watched, unable to truly know what they should do as they looked at the sight of the boy's trembling body.

"A Waking Witch unable to truly access his full potential because you lack the incentive to hurt another person… even if they have already harmed you," he finished.

"I told you to shut up… do you hear me? Stop talking!" Yuya put his hands over his face, tears slipping between his fingers as the words rang in his ears.

"If you want me to stop talking, then listen to me when I tell you that until you are prepared to take another's life or even do harm in defense of your own and another's… there is nothing you can protect," he said calmly. Yuya took in a deep breath, unwilling to move.

" _ **Take in a deep breath and block him out."**_ Yuto's voice came to him, but Yuya felt himself shutting down, the creeping chill of his magic starting to seep into his body.

" _I… can't… because he's… right… I'm pathetic… I couldn't protect her…"_ the spirit felt an ache within as he heard those words, the same things he'd thought when Ruri had been taken from him.

Every word Reiji had spoken felt undeniable to Yuya. The older teenager was correct as he told him that he lacked incentive, that he had no desire to take a life even if someone had hurt him. However, that was how Yuya was raised, and what he believed. He had never killed before, and he didn't want to start doing so now, no matter how angry or sorrowful he was. Yuya wasn't a killer, and he had no desire to be, but what was he to do? Yuzu had been taken from him, because he ultimately had no power to protect her.

He was a Waking Witch, one of the most powerful kinds of Witches in existence, and he couldn't even control his magic when it counted most. As he tried to reign in his magic, it kept sucking away all the emotions he had to the point that he felt blissfully numb, and he gave in just a fraction, hoping to be able to at least function enough to get through this day if he had to.

"Do you want revenge, Yuya?" scarlet eyes glanced to him as Yuya dropped his hands to his sides.

" _It's like he's completely turned off… I went from feeling everything he was, to feeling just a cold emptiness… he must have let his magic possess him to some extent so he could stop feeling so much for a moment,"_ Shay thought as he watched the boy.

"If you feel anger, show it with a Duel instead of your fists or words. You do consider yourself a Duelist, do you not?" Reiji inquired as Yuya swallowed around the knot in his throat.

"Then I will! For Yuzu… and for our friends who were carded, I'll put the bitter taste of defeat in your mouth…" the silver-haired teenager looked him over, fixing his glasses with a smile.

"Very well, if you win, then I shall repent until you are satisfied, will that sate you?" he asked as he met the boy's scarlet eyes.

"It's a start…" Reiji eyed him and the others, knowing what the next step in his plan would be.

"And should I win… I want you as a Lancer, Yuya. No arguments," he stated, the red-green-haired witch felt his eyes widen as Gongenzaka looked to him.

"What?! You can't just–"Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Okay then, it's a deal," he cut Gongenzaka off, startling him as Yuya kept his gaze upon the LeoCorp President.

"Then, shall we set the stage?" Reiji stepped a bit away from Yuya while he set up the settings in his duel disk before beginning to set the field.

His plan was simplistic, and at the same time, quite complex. Reiji had every intention of taking this opportunity to get a good feel for how Yuya had grown as a Duelist, but to also see how well he could control himself. The Duel Yuya had undergone against the trio of Obelisk Force Soldiers gave Reiji a taste of how powerful this spirited young man was; however, there were other things that would help him begin to formulate how he would arrange his Lancers. Violet eyes observed the scarlet eyed boy with a calculative glint as the field option finalized, and he selected it.

"As it currently stands, none of you are aware of your own missions… or why I decided to form the Lancers. The information you've learned here today is only the cusp of it. At the base, it is to save the rest of our home world, from the catastrophes that befell the Xyz Zone" Reiji stated.

" _ **Yuya, stay on guard. There's no telling what Reiji will do… he deceived Shay and I to a point, as well… he never gave us the full story… so take everything he says with a grain of salt."**_ Yuto's warning was taken loud and clear by Yuya as Reiji raised a hand into the air.

"Action Field, on! Future Metropolis Heartland, activate!"

Sky and Shay flinched, glancing to one another as the sprawling beautiful city took form around them. As they stood in the midst of this stunning, brightly glowing place, Yuya felt his heart beating faster, pain ebbing into his body that he knew stemmed from Yuto's pain of seeing his home as it once was again for the second time. The Odd-Eyes Duelist took in a steady breath, a shiver coursing through his body as he looked around himself, well aware that Yuto wasn't trying to cause him harm, but couldn't help the emotions that stirred within him.

"Is this… the Xyz Zone?" Serena asked.

"Yes, my… our… home. The place Ruri, Yuto, and I grew up alongside our friends and family members… where we attended school, and practiced under the tutelage of our parents to learn our crafts… this was our utopia… our safe haven…" Sky looked down as Yuya felt the ache in his chest growing worse.

"Until Academia came and destroyed it, right?" he inquired.

"Right…" he glanced down. Reiji looked to Shay as Yuya bit the inside of his cheek, knowing that Yuto's emotions were intense, and that at some point, he could let something slip.

"Obsidian, Miss Serena has questions for you, so I suggest you start talking, about what happened in Heartland," he stated. Shay closed his eyes, physical wounds aside, his heart feeling heavy as he thought of those moments, of the wounded pride he carried that he had once possessed as a Risulian that lost all meaning in the face of those vile monsters who took everything from them.

" _ **Please, don't force him… it's like a knife piercing his heart every time… don't make my friend suffer any more than he already has,"**_ Yuto spoke, and Yuya glanced towards the others and Reiji.

"I see you feel the same humiliation and pain that you cannot even put into words at the mere thought of speaking it aloud. Then let me explain for you," Reiji told him.

"What do you mean?" the silver-haired teen looked to Sawatari.

"The Academia you encountered during the Battle Royale…" Yuya felt a sharp throb in his chest, and he took in a deep breath, trying to pull it in.

"Stop…" his body began to shake, and Reiji gave him a knowing look.

"Before coming here, went to the Xyz Zone, and…" Yuya shook his head, wrapping his arms around himself as he stepped closer to Reiji.

"I told you to stop…" the boy shivered, as though he was cold while the others watched him.

"Yuya! Wait a second don't –" Reiji looked at the boy.

"Slaughtered innocent people without care. Carding mortals, some witches were put in front of firing squads, and then you have those witches who possessed Strains who –"

"SHUT UP, DAMMIT! I WON'T LET YOU SAY ANOTHER WORD!" Yuya shouted, body trembling as Shay felt his eyes grow wide, hearing a second voice within the other boy's that sounded familiar.

"Yuya…" the boy seemed to shake off whatever had caused the reaction it had.

"I'm going to beat you… and make you repent!" Reiji nodded.

"Then show me what you're capable of, Yuya Sakaki!" he said.

"DUEL!" The group stepped back, being careful not to be in the way of what was happening as Reiji and Yuya prepared to fight.

"I start! I use my Scale Four Performapal Trump Witch and my Scale Eight Xiangsheng Magician! With this, I can summon Monsters with levels five through seven! _Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light across the Sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Appear, my Monsters! Stargazer Magician! And Performapal Mammothsplash!" Yuya announced as the scale appeared, and his Monsters came to the field, his faithful, white dressed Stargazer Magician, and a purple, circus themed woolly mammoth.

"A Pendulum Summon right from the start? Yuya's really getting serious this time." Dennis couldn't help but voice his opinion, knowing that the situation wasn't going to be easy.

"With that, I end my turn!" Yuya stated as Shay glanced to Serena.

"Did Yuzu tell you anything?" the girl turned her turquoise eyes to him.

"Reiji told me most of it, but… I'm half Siren, and I could tell there were details he withheld from me by listening to his voice… so, I decided to find you still. To hear the account of someone who witnessed the events," she told him.

"I see…" Reiji reached for his deck.

"My turn! Draw! I use my D/D Swirlal Slime's effect in my hand to fuse it and the D/D Baphomet also in my hand together! _Mysterious, shapeshifting vortex! Interweave with the grotesque God, join as one to grant life unto a new King! Fusion Summon!_ Be born! D/D/D Inferno King Temujin!" the fire King came onto the field, and the others began to grow nervous.

"Fusion, without Polymerization?" questioned Shay.

"It's very doable… a lot of cards have effects that can do that." Sky supplemented the information, and as he did a slight gust of wind caught some of them and a moment later, a voice began talking.

"Jeeze, Temujin doesn't look friendly," stated a sharp voice.

"Wait… Aura Houchun?! What are you doing here?" the girl sighed, crossing her arms over her chest while she remained upon her broom, witch's hat in place.

"The negative energy of those soldiers left, so I was coming to make sure everyone was okay," she told them.

"Why now, though?" Aura shot Sky a frown.

"I was worried about Yuya okay?! I did a reading, and…" the girl landed next to Gongenzaka, who eyed her.

"What about it?" Sky looked Aura over.

"It's not changed, has it?" he inquired.

"No, it still says he's going to face things that will harm him and threaten his life… taint him…" Shay looked to her, and Serena swallowed nervously.

"The problem right now is that Fusion Monster! Reiji used it in their last battle and it gave Yuya a great deal of trouble!" Gongenzaka stated.

"Last battle? Darling and Reiji Akaba have dueled before?" the giant nodded to Aura.

"He did. At You Show Duel School," he explained.

"So, which one of them won then?" Dennis probed into this, but Gongenzaka shook his head.

"They were interrupted before it was settled. But had it continued until the end…" everyone looked back to the duel.

"I then Summon the Tuner Monster, D/D Night Howling, from my hand!" Reiji announced as a set of sharp fanged gums appeared upon the field.

"Yikes! A Tuner?" Sky took in a deep breath.

"Personally, I like Yuya's deck far better… it's not so creepy," he muttered, taking out a lollipop and putting it in his mouth.

"Gongenzaka? I found… Reid and Trout's cards… does that mean…" he nodded as Aura touched the pocket on her dress where she had placed the cards, anxiety coiling in her chest while Reiji continued his turn.

"When this card is successfully Normal Summoned, I can target one D/D Monster in my Graveyard, and Special Summon it in Attack Position with its Attack Points at zero! Revive, D/D Baphomet!" the demonic creature tore itself from the maw of Night Howling, and came to stand next to it.

" _ **You know what he'll do next, so just let me help you keep your magic in check, okay?"**_ Yuto asked Yuya who nodded a bit.

"I'm tuning my Level Four D/D Baphomet with my Level Three D/D Night Howling! _Howl that cleaves through the darkness… become the cry of the new King who obtained the power of the winds! Synchro Summon!_ Command the gales! Level Seven! _D/D/D Gust King Alexander!"_ the green, black, and white Monster appeared on the field and Dennis whistled.

"That's not such a big deal… I can use Fusions, Xyz, and Synchros too, plus Pendulums," Sky pointed out.

"How did you get those cards, anyways?" the blue-haired teenager tilted his head to Reiji and the group said nothing more.

"D/D/D Inferno King Temujin's effect. If a D/D Monster other than this card is special summoned, I can special summon one D/D Monster from my Graveyard! Be reborn, D/D Swirlal Slime! In addition, the effect of Gust King Alexander activates! When a D/D Monster is Special Summoned, I can special summon one Level Four or lower D/D Monster from my Graveyard! Return once more! D/D Baphomet!" Reiji once more recycled his Monsters, and Yuya tensed, knowing what he was going for.

"Great, thanks for summoning mucus and batty back, we were starting to miss them," muttered Sky while Aura glared.

"It's not the time for jokes!" Reiji continued while Aura slammed her foot into Sky's own, causing him to hop around a bit.

"Using the Monster Effect of D/D Baphomet, I double D/D Swirlal Slime's level!" the green blob's level went from two to four in the blink of an eye, and the others prepared for what they knew would come next.

"Now that he has two level four Monsters…" Shay nodded.

"He'll Xyz Summon," he stated.

"I Overlay my Level Four D/D Swirlal Slime and D/D Baphomet! _In order to reign over the world, descend unto us and claim what is yours! Xyz Summon!_ Rise from the depths of the sea! The Rank Four! _Tidal King Caesar!_ " Yuya looked the Monsters over, anxiety filling him a fraction as he considered what he was facing.

"There you have it, Reiji Akaba's signature triple summoning maneuver. He's famous for that… it's the first time I've seen it personally, though," Sawatari stated.

"It's not the only thing he can do… Reiji knows how to use Pendulums… and I'm going to bet… you can Link Summon as well, can't you?" Reiji adjusted his glasses calmly while looking to Yuya.

"I possess a Link Monster, yes, but I have never had to play it," he informed him.

"Thanks for the tip…" Yuya settled a sharp glare upon Reiji, who kept his expression neutral.

"Serena? You said that you came here to find someone from the Xyz Zone so that you could learn the truth, right?" she nodded at Shay's question.

"I did… for a long time now, my friend and I noticed things weren't right at Academia; however, we weren't certain what it was. Once rumors started spreading about Corruption Curses being used on the Witches within Academia… I decided to take action… and I tried to escape, but I was caught… and saved by my friend. He let me escape and I know he was taken into custody after that… so… there's no telling what they've done to him," she told them, her eyes closed while she tried to retain her fear and worry as Dennis watched, giving the girl an expression of sympathy.

" _Oh, Serena… if you knew what's happened… I know it'd break your heart… and a witch with a truly broken heart… never truly recovers…"_ Dennis thought in dismay.

"So, you came here to find the truth, and I'm guessing you're on a mission to save your friend, huh?" she nodded.

"I am… but… I need to know, what happened in Heartland?" Serena asked as Shay looked towards the sprawling city before them.

"Academia… invaded our home… hunting the defenseless citizens as if they were sport in a hunting game. Witches were captured, some interrogated, tortured… and put in front of firing squads… or burned alive at the stake… some of my friends were amongst those who I watched die, unable to save them…" Shay's voice never quivered, and Serena felt her body shaking by the mere sound of the emotions in his voice. It was a brutally honest truth, one that hurt beyond measure. Serena took the words in, eyes burning as she looked at the duel happening before her.

"Battle! I use D/D/D Gale King Alexander to attack the Defense Position Stargazer Magician!" Yuya could do nothing as Stargazer was sent flying by the attack, and destroyed as a building collapsed in the distance.

"Shit…" Reiji smirked.

"Then, I use D/D/D Tidal King Caesar to attack Mammothsplash, who is also in defense position!" Yuya braced himself as best he could as a wave destroyed Mammothsplash, and a moment later the waters rushed past him, flooding one of the streets.

"Finally, I use D/D/D Inferno King Temujin to attack directly!" The Fire King came flying in so quickly that Yuya had no time to use a barrier spell.

Yuya was thrown backwards, being sent tumbling down a flight of stairs, his head making impact with the rough surface as he landed on his front, splayed out a cross the stairs. His mind was hazy at that point, body throbbing in the kind of pain that told Yuya fresh bruises were forming, and he had broken something. His Life Points dropped to two-thousand, and yet, he didn't move. His body protested breathing due to his bruised ribs, and as a whole, it didn't want to respond to his need to move.

Yuto panicked a bit as the boy remained unmoving while his magic began to crawl across his skin, soothing the pain of his injuries as it started to seep beneath his flesh, seeking to possess his body. Yuto hissed, grabbing hold of Yuya within his mind, shielding his charge from the Waking Magic, that screeched at him when he tried to keep it from tending to its host. A moment later, the group was watching, Yuya still having not moved, and all of them resisting the urge to rush to his side as Reiji looked him over before setting a card down and ending his turn.

"If I had to take a guess, you already saw this development coming. Am I incorrect? Yuya?" he asked as the group were given some relief when Yuya started to push himself shakily onto his hands and knees, coughing a bit as he struggled to climb up the stairs.

" _He's hurt bad… I can smell his blood from here,"_ Serena thought.

"This, is where the real match begins, _that is what you're probably thinking_ , right? As I am positive a Witch of your caliber was already aware of, I have no intention of taking it easy upon you… pre-sustained injuries or not," Reiji stated.

"You're… a real… jackass… you know?" Yuya coughed, spitting out a small amount of blood, causing worry to surface in those watching while he made it to the top of the stairs and started standing.

"Perhaps I am; however, what makes me successful is that I know what I desire, and I seek it with fervor. You know what I want right now? You as a Lancer, and all of your untapped power and potential… show me what the great Waking Witch is capable of… lend me that power you've been blessed by the Deities with," Reiji said as he held his hand out.

"So, you already know about what I am… I guess I should have expected that from the Duelist they claim is a genius… Reiji Akaba… did you use that brain of yours… to foresee the Battle Royale, too?" the boy swayed where he stood, body struggling to stay standing.

"Of course, I knew, Yuya… I've been investing quite a bit of time in you… as such, I've been aware of you being a Witch since I met you in person for the first time at You Show Duel School," he clarified. Yuya swayed, shaky breaths coming from him as he tried to move his right arm, and found stabbing pains protesting it, causing him to stiffen as he tilted his head back, trying to grit his teeth against the agony that told him his shoulder was dislocated.

"You knew… how many of us would be taken down… how many would live… how many Witches were within your tournament… so tell me…" the boy dropped his head once more, swaying as he tried to keep himself standing.

"Hmm?" Reiji rose an eyebrow.

"Are you satisfied with your little prearranged results? Are you pleased with the Duelists in front of you? _The five of us that actually made it out alive?!"_ the statement sunk in, the words cutting as a scalding blade while Yuya managed to steady himself.

"If I am satisfied that I received the one I desired the most to be proven as the prime example of a Duelist Witch, what would that matter to you?" he inquired. Yuya finally rose his head, revealing to Reiji those same cold crimson eyes, pupils retracted into oval shapes as Yuya ground his teeth together, showing a slight lengthening of his canines as dark marks appeared under his eyes a bit.

" _We aren't your fucking puppets!_ You can't meddle with others lives! Do you hear me?" the boy snapped.

"All I did was make the situation swing in my favor. Whether I puppeteered any of you is of no consequence." Crimson eyes narrowed.

" _We're all human beings with hearts!_ You can't move us into positions you want and make us do what you desire! That's not how this works…" Yuya snarled, closing his eyes tightly as he felt tears threaten him again. Reiji laughed, causing the boy to settle a cold look on him.

"Human beings… indeed, that may be the case… and I find it very sweet that one of the most powerful Witches in existence has a soft heart… even though he hasn't the taste for revenge for the girl he loves." Yuya closed his eyes tightly.

"I'm not a God… I'm human… and I am not a spirit of vengeance… what I am, is one person who refuses to betray myself for the benefit of another!" he snapped.

"And what of the girl you love?" Yuya looked down.

"Yuzu… has always been by my side. She's been my encouragement, every single time… even when people bullied me because I look different, or because of… my uncle… even at the moment where I hit my lowest! When I felt like I was ready to surrender and let everything slip away… _it's because of Yuzu that I… I'm still here_ … the only reason… I was able to see past what was right in front of me, was because Yuzu gave it her all to get stronger! So, I also… wanted to get stronger… _for her sake_ …" Yuya spoke softly, but with a strong tone.

"Hmph…" Reiji observed in silence. Aura looked at the boy before her, as did the others, hearing heartfelt words coming from him as he placed a hand upon his deck, and drew.

"My… turn! I use the already set Trump Witch and Xiangsheng Magician to Pendulum Summon! Revive from the Extra Deck! Stargazer Magician, and Mammothsplash! From my hand, I summon forth Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! Next, I activate the effect of my Mammothsplash! When this card is used as Material, I can Fusion Summon without the use of Polymerization; however, Mammothsplash is banished! I will fuse him and Odd-Eyes!"

"This is…" Sawatari started as the group watched the boy begin his summoning.

" _Great beast of the ancient frozen lands! Noble Dragon of Fire and Earth! Let your body be overtaken by the power of this wise ancestor, and grant me the strength of its soul! Fusion Summon!_ Come forth, ferocious Dragon whose eyes glitter like those of a wild beast! _Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"_ Yuya completed his summoning, the bestial Dragon letting out a howl-like roar as it came to stand at his right.

"That's the Dragon that first appeared in our duel!" Gongenzaka stated.

"Now! I activate the Monster Effect of my Stargazer Magician! When a Pendulum Monster leaves the field, he can Special Summon it right back! Return to my side! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! And next, I activate the Pendulum Effect of my Performapal Trump Witch! Once per turn, I can use Monsters on my field to Fusion Summon! I fuse together my Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Stargazer Magician! _That which controls mysterious power! Become the dazzling light dwelling within the eyes of the Dragon! Fusion Summon!_ Come forth, Dragon of Heavenly Magic, versed in the secret arcane arts! _Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"_ the arcane Dragon appeared, roaring as Aura recalled it.

"And… that's the one from our duel," she muttered as Yuya closed his eyes.

"Beast-Eyes and Rune-Eyes… they're Monsters I was able to call forth thanks to the hint I got from Yuzu. A newfound strength she got from her friendship with Sky! Because she wanted to be stronger when the time came!" Yuya tisked, thinking f the moment of when he discovered that she was learning Fusions.

"Oh? From Shuinin, was it? So, you're saying that you learned how to Fusion Summon from a Duelist of Academia, without knowing his true identity?" Sky felt his jaw hang open.

"The fuck?! I agreed to help you! You sorry piece of shit!" he snapped while Yuya narrowed his eyes.

"How long did you know Sky was from Academia?" Reiji smirked.

"Not long after I learned my resources were accurate, I learned some other interesting facts… some that I wish I hadn't… but one tidbit was that Sky was an Academia Spy, and another key detail about you _,"_ he stated. Yuya growled at his statement.

"You just love fucking with people's lives, don't you?!" Reiji laughed.

"Perhaps… but I do see it now. Such an influence would in theory be enough to push you towards figuring out the power required to summon forth new Dragons. It would seem I am not the only one gifted with a keen intellect… am I correct… _Phantom?_ " he mentioned Yuya's hacker name and the boy stiffened.

"So, you know I'm a hacker, huh? Good," Yuya stated.

"You gained Sky's power from the girl you loved, meaning the power you now possess was stolen from Academia." Yuya ground his teeth together.

"So, you think it's stolen? Not something I could have furthered on my own?" Reiji shrugged.

"It's one of my hypotheses. I cannot prove it just yet," he stated as Yuya closed his eyes, ignoring the pain in his body as he grabbed the pendulum crystal he wore.

"I was… struck by Yuzu's desire to get stronger… and so…" the others watched him as Yuya opened his eyes, the sharp crimson color gleaming with not the frightening cold look, but determination.

"I'm absolutely going to _beat your sorry ass!"_ he snarled, bearing his fanged teeth at Reiji.

" _So… that's the beginning stages of what they look like… interesting,"_ the silver-haired teen thought.

"If a Level Five or higher monster was used as a Fusion Material, Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon can attack three times in one turn! Go! Battle, Rune-Eyes! Attack Inferno King Temujin, Gale King Alexander, and Tidal King Caesar! _Multiple Shiny Bursts!"_ the first attack went through, dropping Reiji's four-thousand Life Points to three-thousand, then the second attack followed it, dropping them to twenty-five hundred before the final strike hit, and Reiji's Life Points dropped to nineteen-hundred.

"This is the end! Do it, Beast-Eyes! _Hell Dive Burst!"_ the single direct attack was sent in a ball of fiery dragon towards Reiji, who found himself somewhat startled by the sheer force of energy he felt coming from the Dragon as he prepared for what would come next.

The attack hit home, eradicating Reiji's Life Points and ending the duel: or so they thought. When the smoke cleared, the silver-haired D/D/D Duelist was standing present, a card raised at his side as Yuya swore under his breath. He wanted to be done with this psychopathic megalomaniac. His body was exhausted, and his mind wasn't much better, letting him know that he wouldn't be able to restrain his Waking Magic as he had somehow managed to for much longer.

"I activated my Set Trap, D/D/D Covenant Modification. Convenient name, considering I'm dueling a Witch. This card lets me banish the D/D/D Monster with the highest Attack Points in my Graveyard, and in return it negates damage done to me. And then, I can add one Level Four or lower D/D/D Pendulum Monster from my Deck to my hand." Yuya narrowed his eyes.

"Shit…" Reiji chuckled a bit.

"I see now that the power you have gained as a Duelist and perhaps your drive to gain control on yourself with your magic was greatly influenced by your feelings for Yuzu Hiiragi. But you cannot win just by getting stronger via emotions!" he stated.

"And what makes you think that you have any right to lecture me?" Reiji looked him over.

"Lancers are an Anti-Academia Combat Unit. You need to learn that over-optimistic fluff is fatal in a real battle!" he informed him as Yuya bristled, drawing up despite the pain as he bared his teeth.

" _Fuck you!_ I have no intention of being a Lancer or your little war puppet!" Reiji looked to the boy.

He could see that Yuya's emotions were muddled at this point, as it was apparent in his eyes. Half of him had shut off to stop himself from hurting, but the other half of him was still wide awake and feeling everything. This was where the interchanging behavior from aggressive to calculative met, making Yuya volatile and an unknown threat. However, Reiji also was interested in seeing how much Yuya could be pushed before his restraint completely broke, now that he was spent physically and emotionally, it would only take a bit more to push him over the edge.

"Don't you want to save Yuzu Hiiragi?" he inquired. Crimson eyes widened at the statement, a series of emotions glossing over them before he narrowed his gaze.

"What do you mean?" Reiji nodded.

"Yuzu Hiiragi is still alive. If you wish to save her, I will require your abilities," he stated.

"All of this… and you knew she was alive? Why didn't… you tell me until now?" Reiji looked the boy over.

"Because I wanted to test your resolve… and just as I suspected. You have no taste for blood when it comes to avenging even your most precious person… so, I suspected throwing you a bone would be best… and now, I want to see… what you will do," he explained.

" _Reiji, you're a sick bastard! Toying with Yuya's emotions like this… even though you're so determined to protect him because he's our Pillar… then you pulled this shit?!"_ Sky internally raged, letting it show in his eyes while he watched the duel continue.

"End your turn, I will show you how serious I can be next," Reiji told him. Yuya felt his body tremble again, his bottom lip quivering as his thoughts became jumbled, anger, sorrow, relief, regret, confusion, joy, hate, love, and disgust muddling his mind as he tried to keep himself in check.

"Akaba… you lowly fucker, toying with him like that…" Shay couldn't hold in the comment, his eyes not being able to stand watching Yuya's conflicted emotions reveal themselves in his magic's pulse as a twisting display of colors and blacks, showing his unsureness.

"If you want to save Yuzu Hiiragi… you will have to defeat Academia. Show me what a legendary and powerful Waking Witch is capable of as a Duelist! Overcome me first," Reiji told the boy as he took in a shaky breath, having bitten into his lip and drawn blood before he looked up to Reiji, crimson eyes full of a well restrained rage as the boy bared his teeth slightly, revealing sharpened canines to him.

"Tell me the truth… what did you see?" Yuya asked him as the other considered what to say.

" _I can confirm without doubt that Yuzu Hiiragi wasn't turned into a card. Chances are she wasn't abducted by Academia, either… but for now, before I tell him that…"_ Reiji took in a deep breath.

"Yuya, I will warn you once… if you do not choose to become a Lancer and fight Academia… Yuzu will never be returned to your side… isn't that what you desire most of all? To have her with you again?" he waited, and Yuya tisked.

"I hate you… so much… and it's against how I was raised to want to hurt you like I do. Because right now… _I want to choke the life from your body_ … because you want our help… and keep throwing those who have already agreed to help to the lions… and while you want me on your side, you haven't given me the real reason behind why other than you want my power… so I don't know what to believe with you," he answered.

"You'll be given answers soon enough. For now, end your turn."

Yuya did just that, and things took a sour turn at that point. Reiji Pendulum Summoned, and from the portal of silver-purple came a giant black-toned Monster with an aura that made it feel as though it would crush them. This hulking creature, was D/D/D Oblivion King Abyss Ragnarok, seated upon a throne, and radiating a blood colored energy. It's effect resurrected Tidal King Caesar, and then with Reiji tributing his Necro Slime, Ragnarok's second effect banished Rune-Eyes. And then, it became worse when Necro Slime's effect was activated from the Graveyard, when it was banished, and Ragnarok and Caesar were fused, bringing forth Obliterating Tidal King Caesar Ragnarok.

It only became worse as a series of lethal combos followed this Monster's formation. Tidal King Caesar allowed Reiji to add one Covenant card from his deck to his hand, and Caesar Ragnarok attacked Beast-Eyes, and destroyed it, leaving Yuya's field open as he lost two-hundred Life Points, dropping them from two-thousand to eighteen-hundred. Yuya took in a deep breath, a chill racing up his spine as he tried to withhold his sudden surge of anxiety. His field was completely empty, and he was facing a non-to-pleasant situation as he considered that if Caesar Ragnarok had another ability that allowed a second attack, this duel would be over.

"Are you really taking this seriously?" Yuya growled at him.

"What'd you say?!" he snarled.

"You've hardly played everything you've got, _have you?_ I myself haven't even begun to get serious. _Not even close!_ I set two cards face-down and end my turn. now, it's your turn. If you want me to take this seriously, then don't hold yourself back… give it all you've got." Yuya narrowed his eyes.

"I want an answer… was Yuzu taken by Academia or not?" he asked.

"Defeat me first… or at least show me why I should be afraid of someone who won't even seek revenge for their loved one's sakes. Weren't you going to make me taste defeat? Or did you mean to say that if Yuzu Hiiragi is safe, then you don't even care about your other friends who were turned into cards?"

Against his will, flashbacks of the people within the Xyz Zone being turned into cards in masses swept through his mind, coupling with the images of the people he'd personally seen turned into cards as the sight of Heartland burning resounded within his mind's eye, and not a second later, Yuya covered his ears, screaming as he tried to make the memories vanish, pleading internally with himself to remain in control while his anxiety levels skyrocketed and his grasp over his Waking Magic started slipping, his pupils retracted into fine slits, his eyes transcending to that cold glowing shade of freshly drawn blood as dark marks started to appear just under his eyes as he tried to keep himself in control.

"Yuya!" Gongenzaka narrowed his gaze.

" _Why? Why is Reiji Akaba provoking Yuya this much? Is he trying to make him lose control on his magic?"_

"Is that your Waking Magic? It's rather scary looking, I'll admit… I can feel how much bloodlust keeps trying to overtake you. Why not surrender to it? It's a part of you, is it not?" Yuya shook himself out, taking in deep breaths as he placed a hand upon his cards, preparing to draw.

"I… can't trust myself to not lose my mind to it… so I can't surrender to it," he stated.

"Pity, you're one of the most powerful kinds of Witches in existence, and you aren't willing to trust your magic… or fight for the sake of your other friends who were turned into cards… perhaps that earlier speech about all of you being human beings with hearts applied to your supposed friends… but you personally… don't possess humanity or a heart if you're willing to let innocent people die when you have the power to do something." Yuya felt the words pierce him, causing him to close his eyes to concentrate.

"My turn! _Swing once more, Pendulum of Souls! Draw and Arc of Light in the Sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Revive from the extra deck! Stargazer Magician, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! And then I normal summon Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer from my hand! Next, I activate Xiangsheng Magician's Pendulum Effect! Once per turn, I can change a targeted Monster's level to equal another Monster's! I change Stargazer Magician's Level to match Pendulum Sorcerer's!" Serena felt her eyes widen.

"He has two level four Monsters!" she stated as Shay stared at the sight.

"I Overlay my Level Four Stargazer Magician with my Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer! _Fangs of treason from pitch-black darkness, oppose crass, foolish power! Descend before us now! Xyz Summon!_ Rank Four! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!" a shriek-like roar bellowed forth from the black and violet Dragon's maw as it came to stand beside Yuya while Odd-Eyes let out a roar, almost as though the two Dragons were speaking with one another.

"Yuto's Dragon…" Reiji smirked.

" _Good… now I can see a little bit more of what he's created,"_ he thought.

"I activate Dark Rebellion's Monster Effect! By detaching one Overlay Unit, until the end of the turn, I can halve Caesar Ragnarok's Attack Points, and then increase Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's attack points by the same amount! _Treason Discharge!_ " Dark Rebellion's attack points skyrocketed from twenty-five-hundred to forty-one-hundred.

"Whew… is it just me or does Yuya look really pissed?" muttered Dennis.

" _No, he's hurting and he's trying to control his pain and anger… because he knows what will happen if he doesn't…"_ Shay thought.

"I use the remaining Overlay Unit! _Treason Discharge!"_ Dark Rebellion's Attack Points shot up to forty-nine-hundred.

"The difference is forty-one-hundred points!" Gongenzaka exclaimed.

"Battle! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon! Attack Caesar Ragnarok! _Rebellious Lightening Disobey!"_ the attack came for the King, and Reiji reacted.

"I activate Caesar Ragnarok's effect! By returning D/D Magical Sage Kepler to my hand, I can equip a Monster from my opponent's field to Caesar Ragnarok, and increase Caesar's attack points by those of the equipped Monster! And the Monster I equip is Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Yuya's dragon was absorbed, boosting Caesar Ragnarok's attack points shot up to thirty-three-hundred points just as Dark Rebellion's attack hit home, destroying the monster and dropping Reiji's Life Points to three hundred. Yuya took in a deep breath, his crimson eyes narrowing, having lost the cold glow from earlier as he eased his tension as best he could.

"I set one face-down and end my turn. At the same time, Dark Rebellion's attack points return to normal." Dark Rebellion gave a moaning roar, seeming to mourn Odd-Eyes as it settled next to Yuya.

"Hmmhmm… that was splendid," Reiji stated.

"What?!" the silver-haired teen fixed his glasses and looked to the boy.

"You showed me yet another step you found beyond Pendulums, in addition, I saw some intense fire within your eyes right then… the kind I actually expected a person possessing a powerful and rare magic to have. You're an interesting creature… Yuya," he informed him.

"Your point?" Reiji smiled.

"If Pendulum Fusions was born from your bonds with Yuzu Hiiragi, then… would it be apt to say that your Pendulum Xyz is tied to a young man by the name of Yuto Kisaragi, whose Dragon sits beside you right now?" Yuya flinched, stepping back, panic clear within his expression.

" _ **Yuya?"**_ the boy's eyes grew blank, light fading from the crimson irises as Yuya found himself breaking apart when Reiji fixed him with a knowing smirk.

" _He knows… somehow… he knows we're…"_

"You appear as though you've seen a ghost. I wonder why?" Reiji probed.

"I-I…" Yuya lost his voice, throat going drier than sandpaper as his heart hammered painfully against his bruised ribs.

"It doesn't matter. Everything will become clear in the end. It's my turn now," he stated.

Reiji prepared an onslaught in his turn, Pendulum Summoning and reviving Ragnarok and bringing out a new Monster named D/D/D Cruel End Overlord Hell Armageddon. But Yuya responded quickly, activating a Trap Card known as Wings of Misdirection, negating Reiji's Monster effects and the activation of his spells and traps as it disburst glowing golden feathers across the field, and increasing the attack points of Dark Rebellion from twenty-five-hundred to thirty-three hundred. As Reiji looked at the boy standing there with a stern expression, his shock having finally worn off, he knew what he needed to do.

"I need to chase you further into a corner! I overlay my Level Eight Oblivion King Abyss Ragnarok with my Cruel End Overlord Hell Armageddon! _When two suns ascend in the skies, a new world's horizon will appear before those who are faithful! Xyz Summon!_ Reveal yourself to us, Rank Eight! D/D/D Twin Dawn Overlord Kali Yuga!" the massive monster seated upon an arcane throne appeared upon the field and Yuya narrowed his eyes.

" _I'm almost tempted to think he's mocking the fact that I'm a Witch… his monster looks like some of the Nordic Gods…"_ Yuto nodded.

" _ **As would I; however, it doesn't seem to be his kind of thing…"**_ Reiji looked the boy over as Yuya assessed the Monster.

"It's attack points are thirty-five-hundred… " Reiji smirked.

"When this card is successfully Special Summoned, it negates all card effects on the field until the end of this turn! battle! I have my Twin Dawn Overlord Kali Yuga attack your Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"

Wings of Misdirection was deactivated, Dark Rebellion lost its power boost, and Yuya watched Yuto's Dragon be destroyed just before he was thrown backwards, and rolled down the stairs harshly before he tumbled to a stop on the pathway. The force of the attack coupled with his already bruised and battered body, left him gasping for breath, his vision getting blurry as he tried to move, but couldn't. Aura and Gongenzaka moved quickly, rushing to his side when he didn't get up while Reiji merely walked to the top of the stairs and looked down upon the wounded boy.

"And with that, I end my turn," he stated, watching as Yuya remained motionless, his breathing coming out in broken gasps.

"What's wrong? Done already? Where is your earlier motivation to make me kneel? Or is that not something you do because you were taught not to look down upon those weaker than you? Spare me, you're a Waking Witch, gifted with incredible power and you lack the will and incentive to use it to do what is right. Or do you not want to make me repent?!" Reiji said sharply.

"I can't watch this anymore!" Gongenzaka and Aura rushed closer to Yuya who started to make an attempt to move, even though his dislocated shoulder, bruised body, and now potentially broken ribs pleaded with him to stay where he was. His magic started to creep over his body, chilling his skin as Yuya ground his teeth together, knowing that his feeble control was slipping.

"Don't interfere!" he snapped, causing Gongenzaka and Aura to still nearby him.

"Yuya…" the boy forced his body to move, coughing up blood as he felt his right arm and ribs protesting more than the rest of his body as he took in struggling breaths, standing carefully.

"This is… my Duel… mine… and Yuto's… for her sake… I will… save Yuzu, no matter what I need to do. And I'll keep my promise with Yuto! So, I can't afford to just give up! Not against someone who forced us to fight without even asking for our help! Not someone who uses Duels to harm others! There's absolutely no way I'm just going to roll over. If I lose, I'm going to keep going… _until my body breaks apart at the seams_ … and there's nothing anyone can say that will change my mind! So, it's MY TURN!" Yuya drew, leveling his gaze to Reiji who smirked.

"Yuya… look at his eyes… they're different…" Serena muttered as Sky nodded.

"He's angry… his pride as a Witch and a Duelist is being prodded, and atop that, Reiji's accusing him of not having enough will to go into the battlefield… so he's ignited some of Yuya's inner fire… even if Yuya loses, he's out to prove a point to Reiji that he doesn't need to win in order to do." Yuya spat out the blood in his mouth, taking in a deep breath.

"Using the card Yuto entrusted to me, you'll get my message loud and clear! When I have no Monsters on my field, I can activate the Spell Card, Shuffle Reborn from my hand! So, I special summon Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, but its effects are negated! And due to the effect of my Shuffle Reborn, Performapal Trump Witch returns to my Deck… and then I draw one card!" Yuya followed through, looking at the card that he pulled.

" _That's it, let the fire burn inside you… show me your pride as a Witch and your resolve as a Duelist… win or lose… I will respect my Pillar for that,"_ Reiji thought.

"I set the Pendulum Scales using my Scale Three Xiangke Magician! And my already set Scale Eight Xiangsheng Magician! _Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light upon the Sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Return to me once more! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" the two Dragons stood beside one another, Yuya remaining where he was, taking in a few broken gasps.

" _ **Your body can't take much more… you've gotta end this duel one way or another,"**_ Yuto stated.

"I know… I… activate the Pendulum Effect of Xiangke Magician! Once per turn, I can target an Xyz Monster, and give that Monster a Level equal to its Rank! Dark Rebellion is now a Level Four!" he said.

"An Xyz Monster with a Level?" Shay could admit that while he had somewhat seen how Yuya used these two Magicians, there had been too much going on to get the finite details until now.

"The Pendulum Effect of Xiangsheng Magician! Once per turn, I can target a Monster with a Level, and make its Level the same as another Monster's! I make my Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's Level identical to Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" the two Dragons began glowing purple and red while the group watched on.

"And with this…" Shay swallowed nervously as he glanced at the boy's battered form, covered in bruises, his frame shaking with the effort it took to remain standing, and his eyes which had turned the color of freshly drawn blood.

"He has two Level Seven Monsters…" Reiji smirked.

"At last…" Yuya looked forward.

"I Overlay my Level Seven Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon with my Level Seven Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon! _I call upon thee, Dragon with dichromatic eyes! Eradicate my defiant foes who would dare incur your supreme dark wrath! Xyz Summon! Come from the abyss of the further realm!_ The Rank Seven Dragon whose eyes shine with rage and fury at the Master's call! _Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon!_ " in a whirlwind of violet light and black wind, the massive Dragon came into view, a thunderous roar leaving its maw as it appeared behind Yuya, the boy's bright red eyes locking onto Reiji, who had a pleased look on his face.

"There it is. _That_ is what I wanted to see! Your fire, the sudden passion you have here, the oppressive weight I feel of your magic pulsing through the air alongside that mighty Dragon… it's stunning!" Yuya continued, keeping himself focused despite Reiji's statements.

"I activate the Trap card, Wings of Misdirection, from my Graveyard! I banish this card along with the Xiangke and Xiangsheng Magicians on my field… to have Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon gain eight-hundred attack points! At the same time, until the end of the turn, it negates the activation of my opponent's Monster Effects and Set cards!" he stated as Reiji responded.

"I activate the effect of Twin Dawn Overlord Kali Yuga! This Monster's effects cannot be negated by the effects of other cards!" Yuya let out a breath that took a great effort to even try and release before taking in as deep a breath as he could.

"It doesn't matter even if you use that effect! Kali Yuga only has thirty-five-hundred Attack Points. Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon has thirty-eight-hundred Attack Points! Your set cards cannot be activated! Battle! Go, Odd-Eyes Rebellion! _Wrathful Rebellious Strike!"_

"I activate the Monster Effect of my Kali Yuga! I detach one Overlay Unit to destroy all Spell and Trap cards on the field! And then I use the remaining Overlay Unit which lets me return my destroyed cards to their original positions! The effect of Wings of Misdirection only applies to cards that were on the field at the time it wa activated. Which means I can activate my cards! Trap activate! Covenant with the False Seal! I can negate the effects of a trap card currently activated! I negate Wings of Misdirection! And then I activate another Trap! Re-Contracted Covenant! It allows me to use the effect of the Wings of Misdirection Trap negated now as if it were my own!"

It was instant, Kali Yuga gained eight-hundred additional Attack Points, boosting it up to forty-three-hundred as Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon continued to attack, ultimately being destroyed before Yuya's Life Points hit zero and he was thrown back by the attack, his battered body rolling across the ground as he landed in a heap further away from Reiji than any had expected. The boy found himself still conscious even though his body wouldn't allow him to move at that point. Reiji looked at the boy as he struggled to breathe, but forced himself to anyways as he walked towards him, the sun which had started to dip low in the sky behind him, shining down upon them all as Sky rushed forward, coming to crouch next to Yuya with a glare upon his face.

"You stay away from him! Do I make myself clear?!" Sky snapped, his magic sparking around his form as he put his hands on his friend, protecting him from the other.

"As I thought, you're still so innocent and naïve. As you are, there's no way you'll be able to save Yuzu Hiiragi nor anyone else. But, I see so much raw power in you… I understand why Waking Witches are both revered and feared by the Witch Community… you still have a chance… the same chance the others who survived the Battle Royale have as well. All of you learned how to Pendulum Summon, which means your strength surpasses even LDS' current Top Team." Sky glared.

"And what the fuck is that supposed to mean? You've done nothing but manipulate us into position for your goals! Why would we trust you?" Reiji looked to him.

"Because I am not the enemy. Academia is, and what we have to do, is fight… thus, I've decided to choose all of you as Lancers. Some will remain here as a line of defense, should it be needed, but those who participated within the Battle Royale, or assisted me on the sidelines with getting extra defenses in place… you will be departing Pendulum for the front lines of this war."

"Say we agree… what happens?" Reiji looked to them.

"We will prepare to depart in six days. Meet me in the stadium in one hour, an announcement will be made on the Lancers, so I need all of you to be there… and Yuya?" the boy flinched as Sky helped him sit up.

"…." Reiji smiled a bit.

"As per our deal, you are my Lancer now…" Yuya spat more blood out of his mouth.

"Fuck you! I wouldn't trust you even if you paid me, which you fucking do!" he snarled.

"Indeed, our current contract. I understand your reservations, as I have not been very truthful with any of you… and I invaded your personal space. Therefore, I hope I may make a bargain with you, Yuya…" scarlet eyes remained on him.

"And what's that?" Reiji kneeled in front of the boy for a moment, meeting his eyes as he took the boy's scuffed and bruised hand in his own, hoping to let Yuya know what he was about to say was nothing but the truth.

"Should I ever fail to be an honest person before you from this point on… then I will accept any punishment you deem acceptable. Even if that punishment is death, I will not lie to you ever again unless I am given no other choice," he vowed, startling the boy who pulled his hand away from the other.

"Why?" Reiji smiled.

"Because, you are my Lancer… as are all of these people present… and I intend to earn your trust. Sky, I'll leave him in your care… tend to his wounds, and come to the stadium in one hour, I will be waiting at the entrance."

With that, Reiji walked away and Yuya stared after him for a moment before coughing, causing Sky to turn his attention to healing him while the others rushed to help, the Fuma Ninjas taking off quickly while Serena used some of her shell powders to help with the bruising that had started to develop on Yuya's arms, Shay taking to helping the boy put his arm back into its socket. Reiji, though he wasn't too far off, could tell that Yuya was bearing with the pain that the treatment for his wounds caused, and while he continued walking, he smiled.

" _Though he still requires experience, Yuya Sakaki is my Pillar, and I will serve him and see to it that he is well taken care of… and I will structure the Lancers around him to ensure both his protection, and our victory."_

 **{…}**

 _See they were there when I woke Up this morning…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** So, originally, I wasn't going to put the duel with Reiji and Yuya in here, but then I re-watched S2's beginning, and realized how good of an opportunity this would be for Reiji to push Yuya to some of his limits. As we know, Reiji can be a Grade A jerk; however, his intentions are actually good. Well, tell me what you guys think

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Reiji is symbolized by the No. 5 the Hierophant Tarot Card, which embodies Institutions, tradition, society, and its rules. However, supposedly it also can be a sign of servitude and honor.

Sky is symbolized by the Suit of Swords in Tarot readings, which actually display courage, but forebode tragedy.

Sawatari dropped a Kingdom Hearts reference in this chapter.

This is the first time Yuya's hacker name has been mentioned since chapter 18.

Shay got a few hints in this situation about what's happened to Yuto.

Each character has their own special summoning chant for Pendulum Summoning.

Yuya's Pendulum Summoning chant has 3 variations.

At current, the only people who know Yuya is the Pillar of the Pendulum Zone is Sky, Reiji, and one other. We'll find that out later.


	50. Chapter 50: Lancers

Chapter 50: Lancers

 **{Arena: July 25** **th** **, 2014: 5:50pm}**

Reiji Akaba stood at the street entrance of the stadium, having prepared a golf cart – if the large, sleek contraption could be called such a thing – to take them to the area where they would be let off to enter the stadium and begin whatever plan this person had planned for them. Yuya shot the silver-haired teenager a sharp look as they all stood before him, Tsukikage and Hikage standing nearby while the LeoCorp President fixed his glasses, a small smirk upon his face as he looked towards everyone who had gathered.

"Your timing is perfect. We will be heading to the arena immediately, be prepared… things are going to change soon for all of you," he stated.

"No surprise there…" Reiji moved to sit in the front of the golf cart and looked to them.

"Get on, we're going to be late," he told them.

The group boarded it quickly, being thankful that they would have a few minutes to rest their bodies after having endured such a beating. Aura looked nervously towards the front of the tunnel as they started moving, fear ebbing deep into her as she considered what these choices could mean for everyone. She had known for quite some time, that something was going to happen, but the person she worried for the most was Yuya. He was an incredible person with a kind heart and understanding soul; however, by choosing to attend this thing Reiji had put together, Yuya was putting himself in the line of fire for her prediction to come true. This innocent and wonderful boy beside her would change by the end of this battle, he would end up as someone different after having endured unimaginable pains and trials that would push him past his breaking point and make him into someone else.

"What are we doing once we arrive?" Reiji eyed the group.

"None of you are to say anything once you enter the arena. I will handle information and introductions. Be prepared for people to question you, and keep yourselves in check… that goes particularly for you Witches, am I clear?" Yuya took in a deep breath, the witches of the group nodding at Reiji's statement.

However, there was nothing Aura could do. She wanted Yuya and everyone safe, but she also understood that Yuzu Hiiragi was precious to the person she loved. When she had seen Yuya crying for the pink-haired girl, she realized that while she was undoubtedly in love with the scarlet-eyed boy, his heart belonged to someone else. Yuzu had stolen his heart long before Aura had come along, and that would never change no matter what she did to attempt winning his affections with. She understood that the boy's heart belonged to the pink-haired girl, and without question, she knew that he had the girl's heart as well, and when a witch was that deeply in love, there was nothing that could break that love, not even death.

" _In the end, no matter what would happen to either of them… they'll love one another forever… and they'd find a way to find one another again. Yuya loves Yuzu, and even though I have deep affections for him, I'm willing to let him go, knowing that he's going to be loved back in such a way that he breaks if she's not with him… that sort of affection cannot be faked…"_

Before any of them knew it, they had arrived at the stadium, and were being made to stand still at the door while Reiji entered with a headset on to begin while Nico kept everyone believing that the tournament was finally over, and Reiji was there to announce the winners. Everyone was cheering, excited and looking forward to seeing who had won the tournament. It was all a façade, but Reiji hoped to let that stay up for the time being in order to help potentially minimize the shock factor that would undoubtedly come. Confetti and fireworks were everywhere, light and sound echoing as the group of survivors turned soldiers prepared to stand on the stage and perform for the masses to give them hope.

"After surviving through a long twenty-four hours of fierce battles, our winners have returned here and will soon be entering into the stadium!" the people cheered as Reiji Akaba took in a steady breath, it was time to begin the show.

"Please welcome back with a standing ovation! Our winners!" the doors opened, and the group stepped forward, everyone cheering for them, standing and clapping in excitement while Reiji watched Yuya keep his head down, pain evident in his expression.

" _Try and bear through it, I know this is a painful moment, but people will expect much from you soon enough, Yuya,"_ Reiji thought as the group stood and spotlights appeared upon them. Up in the stadium seats, Yoko, Shuzo, Tate, Allie, and Frederic watched the group in excitement.

"Big Bro Yuya and Big Sis Yuzu made it! So did Gongenzaka!" Allie cheered.

"Wait… why is Sawatari here? And that Aura girl, they aren't in the finale…" the group looked at what Tate pointed out, startling them.

"You're right… what's going on?" Yoko felt her eyes grow wide, seeing a familiar face, but deciding not to point it out in order to see what Reiji Akaba was planning.

The group came to stand before Nico, everyone still cheering. Sawatari waved, smiling while Gongenzaka stood stoic by Yuya's side with Sky on the other side next to Serena and Dennis, while Shay and Tsukikage were on either end of them and Aura next to the Fuma Ninja. People had noticed Sawatari and Aura, but had yet to take notice of Sky, which Yuya was thankful for as they waited for Reiji to begin the ceremony of officially announcing the Lancers. It felt wrong, and he couldn't help the despondent look on his face, but knew he would have to keep a strong front up before these people even if it hurt. When people started noticing Sawatari though, they began taking cheap shots at him, pointing out that he was a cheater and shouldn't have been there. Yuya took in a deep breath, trying to ease himself as Nico tried to calm the audiences.

" _ **They'll show a close up of you at some point, keep yourself strong until you're away from the public eye. Reiji's going to make them bank on you and the others, you've gotta be strong just for a little longer… okay?"**_

Yuto tried to sooth the boy, and he received a stiff nod, feeling the boy's heart racing, his body trembling with restrained tears and the desire to undoubtedly scream until he couldn't anymore. Yuya had been dealt a harsh blow, and he was putting himself in the line of fire for Yuzu's sake, but all the things he'd seen and endured alongside having her taken away from him, had been to much to handle at once, and so, at this point, Yuto could only hope the boy could keep it together for a bit longer.

Sawatari started grumbling about the people and making assumptions while Reiji watched, preparing to ready the video feeds he would require as proof. It would potentially expose the witches within the group, but if no one asked any questions, he would say nothing on the matter and would do his best to not say anything unless needs be. Just as he finalized what was needed on his duel disk, the screen in the stadium switched to his mother, just as planned, catching everyone's attention.

" **Hello? May I have your attention?"** all the people grew quiet, Reiji keeping a calm expression as the audience paid attention to his mother.

" **This is rather abrupt, but as the representative of the tournament's organizer, I have a very important announcement for each and every one of you,"** she stated.

" _Everything is going exactly as I planned it. Now I can only hope our ace can keep his act together until he's out of the public eye,"_ Reiji thought as he glanced to Yuya, his hands visibly trembling as he kept his jaw locked, and his eyes straight forward.

" **The Maiami Championship, as of noon today… has been officially canceled."**

People instantly began to shout and demand an answer which Reiji had anticipated. It was indeed an abrupt situation; however, it was also a necessity for the sake of the Lancers being officially announced. As of today, all of the hard work he had been putting into his selection, into monitoring information and choosing the people he wanted as members of the Lancers, was going to pay off, and it needed to go smoothly in order for the people within the Pendulum Zone, to fully trust them, and for Reiji to paint the correct picture with their Pillar at the center of it all in order for his plans to stop Academia to work.

" **Please listen. The reason we are canceling the Championship is because during the Battle Royale, hostile enemies from another portion of our world invaded. They proved to be incredibly strong and nearly caused multiple fatalities. Their intention was to send their vanguard to invade our Zone of our world. They use Duel Monsters as legitimate weapons, and in addition use a form of technology that almost seems to act like magic. The monsters they summon via the Real Solid Vision system, causes real harm and potential fatal injuries."**

"THAT'S BULLSHIT!"

"NO ONE WOULD DO THAT KIND OF THING!"

"JUST BE HONEST INSTEAD OF MAKING UP A BUNCH OF LIES!" Henrietta took in a deep breath.

" **The reason we did not show you parts of the Battle Royale during real time was to avoid causing panic among the citizens of our city, as well as any of our additional viewers. So, we only ask for your understanding in this matter."**

"THE HELL DO YOU MEAN _ZONE?!"_ Reiji took in a steady breath, knowing that soon he would have to step up.

"Did she say invaders?"

"And that they used magic of some kind? Or technology?"

"She said that they used Duel Monsters as a weapon!"

"What if she isn't lying? Then what do we do?"

"Yea, right! This is some science fiction bullshit!" Yoko tensed, knowing that her prior conversation with Reiji Akaba was about to come full circle as the young man would soon enact his plans.

"If you need further proof, allow me to provide selective scenes, please direct your attention to the screens." Reiji Akaba stated, gathering everyone's attention as he pressed a button on his duel disk and screens began to pop up. The first image was of an Obelisk Force soldier carding the Knights of Duels, something that Yuya had to look away from as people screamed in horror, wondering what had happened in disbelief.

"This is the modus operandi of these invaders who use the name of their society as Academia. They will ruthlessly defeat their opponents in Duels and turn them into cards!" Shuzo narrowed his eyes.

"If you lose a duel, they turn you into a card? Like hell that's possible," he stated as the children looked at the things going on around them.

"There's no logical way they could ever do that!" Allie and Frederic nodded.

"She's gotta be lying, right?" Reiji cleared his throat to catch the audience's attention.

"But please, don't worry. For those cruel, brutal invaders have been defeated and sent back to their Academia. The ones who did this are none other than our valiant Duelists who participated in the Battle Royale! Utterly and thoroughly so! Allow me to show you…"

On the screen, Shay appeared, using one of his Raidraptor Xyz Monsters to deal a crushing defeat to some of the Obelisk Soldiers alongside Gongenzaka, Sawatari and Serena. People began to mutter in shock and amazement, surprised by the quick work as Reiji prepared the next scene and Yuya came onto the screen, confident and knowing of his actions as he tackled enemies by himself in one of their many duels before the clip showed his and Sky's double Pendulum Summoning in order to Xyz Summon. Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon roared on screen alongside Frightfur Raven, causing the people to cheer as the two defeated their enemy in seconds, causing Yoko to feel horror rise up within her alongside disbelief as Shuzo and the others in the crowd stared in awe. Henrietta picked up her part of the introduction.

" **These brave youths are nothing short of Heroes who defended Maiami City! Today, we are unveiling the** _ **Lance Defense Soldiers!**_ **Or** _ **Lancers**_ **for short, and praise them as our saviors!"**

Everyone clapped, applauding and cheering for them while Yuya kept himself quiet and calm in the center of this arena. Reiji and his mother would be boosting everyone's adoration for them, but to some, they didn't quite feel like they were saviors. At this point, they felt more like they had just been fortunate enough to survive, unlike some of their allies. Shay understood that feeling that he saw on some of the other's faces: _survivor's guilt._ Wondering why they were the lucky ones when people they knew needed to be hurt or killed in their stead. The crowds cheered and applauded more, even while Yoko watched Yuya, seeing from even her distance that he seemed stiff, as though his body was trying to keep itself from collapsing.

" **Thanks to the Lancers' hard work, the crisis was thwarted for now. However, we are not certain as to when the enemy might return, and thus, in order to prepare for that, we must be ready to protect ourselves,"** Henrietta stated.

" _Yuya…."_ Yoko closed her eyes, pain etched onto her face as Reiji took command of the information once again.

"Times have changed. The peace we have lived in until yesterday is that of the past. We all need to recognize that from today, we live in an era of wars. The Leo Duel School – LDS – shall become the frontline of defense for the entirety of our world. Known from now on as the Lance Defense Soldiers."

" _Is this really happening?"_ Shuzo questioned to himself.

"A Lancer is a lance-wielding horseman who charges head on into the enemy forces. I hereby swear to our world, that we will annihilate our enemies! And so, we will prepare to depart from our Zone within our world, known as Pendulum, to begin combating the forces that threaten our world in six days' time, and I shall be joining them in this battle…." The crowds cheered as Reiji took it in stride, keeping an eye upon Yuya, who had a calmed expression, using his natural acting talent to his advantage to appear strong and ready to combat the enemy as opposed to how he was certain the boy was feeling.

" **At this point in time, we would like to formally introduce you to the Duelists who have formed our Lancer Team and who will be aiding in our home defense,"** Henrietta stated, the audience growing quiet in anticipation. The images of the duels taking place during the tournament of Hikage happened, the Ninja introduced before Aura was introduced as well, stating that they would be part of the home defenses, which earned them a round of applause while Sky tensed as Reiji began to show video feed of Gongenzaka's duels.

"Noburou Gongenzaka of the Gongenzaka Dojo!" the audience applauded, cheering loudly for him as the giant of a teenager kept himself still and steady, unwilling to leave Yuya's side during the entire ordeal.

"Sylvio Sawatari of the Leo Duel School!" another series of cheers went off, the half-Italian taking a slight, modest bow, anxiety having overtaken him as he thought of the words Reiji had stated about them leaving home in six days' time.

"Tsukikage Fuma of the Fuma Duel Academy!" the Ninja remained still, people still cheering to the point that it felt as though it was going to shatter everything around them, and they all knew it would grow louder, but they had to keep up appearances for just a bit longer.

"Serena Allister of Leo Duel School!" Serena's dueling scenes were bright on screen, showing her to have quite the skill with her Fusions and her teamwork while those who assumed she was Yuzu began muttering, but no less cheered for her as she stood beside Yuya and Sky, sorrow flooding her as she thought that Yuzu should have been the one standing there alongside her friends.

"Sky Shuinin of You Show Duel School!" Sky's duels were brought up, including a video feed of him tackling a team of at least twenty duelists at once, using pendulums and his Frightfur Raven to defeat them before it cut to his other duels while he remained where he was, noticing that Yuya was keeping up a mask as the secondary screen showed a current shot of each of them.

"Shay Obsidian of Heartland Academy!" people roared a cheer for him, applauding as expected for a crowd favorite while Shay kept himself stoic as always, not letting the loud noise and his exhaustion show or get to him for the time being.

" _ **Get ready, you're next… just remain calm…"**_ Yuya mentally nodded to Yuto's statement and Reiji smiled.

"And finally, the creator of Pendulum Summoning, which greatly aided our duelists in succeeding to defeat these enemies! Yuya Sakai of You Show Duel School!"

The sheer volume increase alone made Yuya feel like he was going to lose his mind. It was so loud that his heart felt as though it was skipping beats because of it, and his body vibrated with the sound. It was painful, the entire ordeal, the grandstanding that Reiji put them through, placing them all upon a pedestal, saying they were heroes and saviors, warriors for all of their sakes, when Yuya felt so defeated he wasn't sure if he had already lost part of this war or not.

 **{Outside of the Stadium: 7:04pm}**

Yuya was settled in one of the hallways waiting for a moment before he attempted to do anything further. Sky had stayed with him the whole time while Shay and Serena had gone back with Reiji to get cleaned up and rest before they started preparing for their departure the next morning. Yuya had already been told that he needed to be present at the Leo Corp tower at five in the morning alongside everyone else, and to be prepared for the work ahead. He only nodded without a word until Serena handed him back Yuzu's clothes, having been given a change of clothes consisting of a simple cotton sun dress and sandals to wear until they got to where Reiji was allowing her and Shay to stay. He had the girl's clothes, hair pins included, resting next to him, his body giving off tremors at randomized moments while Sky kept quiet.

"Big Bro Yuya?" scarlet eyes glanced up towards where the three children were, his heart beginning to race frantically as he saw them approaching.

" _ **Take a deep breath and take it one step at a time, I'm here, Sky is here… you're not handling this alone, I promise,"**_ Yuto whispered in his ear, and Yuya took in a shaky breath, preparing for what would come.

"Hey, guys…" he stood, grabbing Yuzu's clothes off the ground as Shuzo and Yoko appeared with Gongenzaka, the giant of a teen having gone to find them when he realized Yuya couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Sora, you came back!" the blue-haired Dyren witch gave them a tired smile as they gave him and Yuya a few hugs.

"Yuya… where's Yuzu?" the boy went white, body shaking as he went towards Shuzo and held the girl's clothes out to him.

He bowed his head, not able to look the man in the eyes. Yuya had promised Yuzu that he would see her when the tournament was over, that needed to tell her something important, that he silently promised to make sure she was safe as he always had. And yet, he hadn't been able to. Shuzo and Yoko took in Yuya's battered form, covered in bandages and evident bruises, his goggles hanging around his neck instead of being on his head while they noted the frayed tatters and blood smudges on his clothes. It spoke volumes of what he had endured as he kept his head down, body trembling as Shuzo took his daughter's clothes from the boy.

"I… couldn't protect her…. I…" Yoko watched him shake, his entire body looking as though if it was ready to give out on him.

"What do you mean you couldn't protect her?" asked Allie.

"She… I didn't… find her in time…" the boy remained where he was, tears starting to fall from his eyes to hit the concrete ground as Shuzo watched him.

"Yuzu wasn't… turned into a card was she?" Shuzo asked her as the boy flinched.

"What happened? Who was that girl with you? I thought that was Big Sis Yuzu?" Yuya shook his head and Sky looked down.

"During the Battle Royale, Yuzu and that girl, Serena, switched clothes, trying to draw those people away from one another so that they could find us sooner… but it didn't work the way they planned…" he informed them.

"Why would Big Sis Yuzu do that? it doesn't make any sense!" Yuya bit his lip, trying to hold himself together.

"I'm coming, too! Where are they?! Where is this Academia?! Tell me! Please, tell me!" Shuzo demanded as he took his daughter's clothes from Yuya while the boy shook his head.

"I-It's… impossible…" he wasn't prepared for Shuzo's next actions.

"Impossible, my ass! I'm a former Pro Duelist! I'll beat the daylights out of the people who took Yuzu! I'm not leaving my daughter at the hands of warmongers!" he snapped.

"I…" Shuzo took in a deep breath.

"Yuzu is all I have left of Sakura… I can't lose my daughter, too… and none of this mess makes any sense!" he stated sharply as Yuya took in a trembling breath. He felt so light headed, his body struggled to stay standing, and everything about him ached to the point that he wanted to pass out from it alone, but he needed to explain things as best he could.

"She's… in another Dimension… that was split off from one of our world's Zones. There are six Zones in our world… Ritual, Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, Pendulum, and Link… almost two years ago… an assassin named Paradox… came in and did something to cause a negative chain reaction… and the Xyz Zone in the wake of Academia's… invasion… it, Synchro, and Fusion were split in two… Dimensional counterparts of their Zones…" Yoko flinched, having hoped Yuya would never learn that kind of information.

"Then where was she taken?!" Shuzo asked.

"From what we know, Yuzu was taken to one of the Dimensional counterparts, but at this time… we're unsure which one." Sky filled in this information, knowing that Yuya was about to reach his breaking point.

"Then find out! You're Witches! Aren't you? Can't one of you find out where my daughter is?!" Shuzo snapped as Yuya recoiled from him.

"We… I…." he looked to Yuya sharply.

"You're a Waking Witch, right? One of the most powerful of your kind! Can't you do anything to help find her?! Yuya?!" the boy went deathly still, Shuzo watching alongside Yoko as they boy remained that way for just a moment.

In a matter of seconds, Yuya went to his knees, body propped up barely on it's own bones and muscle strength as he bit into his lip, drawing blood as tears started to slip down his cheeks, causing Shuzo to stare at him in disbelief as the boy made an almost choking sound, clutching his pants legs with his bandaged hands as he shook to the point that it seemed as though he was having a seizure. Yoko crouched beside the boy, unsure if it was safe for her to touch him as Yuya shook, trying to repress his cries and Shuzo felt his gaze soften as he looked at the child in front of him. Yuya's body was so beaten, it was evident that he had been hurt beyond words, not only physically, but emotionally and mentally.

"I… couldn't save her… there was nothing I could do! _I'm sorry_ … I lost control of myself… I saw so many horrible things, and I fought those Obelisk Force Soldiers who carded the Knights of Duels… and I completely lost my mind to my own magic because I'm… _to fucking weak to do anything!_ " Yuya stated these words with a strangled voice, tears falling hard as he covered his face, wanting to hide, to disappear from existence right that instant, because he felt so incredibly helpless and weak. Everything that he had tried to do right, he'd destroyed instead, having lost himself to his own magic, and reveled in it.

"Yuya…" Yoko went to reach for him, and the boy dropped his hands from his face, and looked to Shuzo, tears still falling freely from his eyes.

"I'm sorry… I… wanted to protect her… but I can't… even save myself… I'm just some broken… monster… who was too afraid… to even end its own life…." Yoko felt the pain of those words, as did all of the others there.

Yuya looked broken, as though he had lost hope even though he had tried to keep himself from falling apart. All of the things he'd endured and saw in the last twenty-four hours had shattered him, and losing Yuzu to whatever it was that had stolen her from him ended up being the point that he couldn't take it anymore. In his eyes, he had failed her, when Yuzu needed him, he hadn't been there, instead, he had let his magic get the best of him and take over completely to the point that he hadn't even cared who he was hurting. Yuya closed his eyes, tears falling as he pulled the wrist bands off his arms and leaned back against his legs, resting his arms upon his lap as he left those scars he had tried so hard to cover, be in view of those present.

"Big Bro Yuya…." Tate looked at the boy's wrists, seeing the vertical scars there.

"What are those scars?" Yuya closed his eyes and Yoko put her arms around him.

"Yuya…" the boy took in a steady breath.

"That's why… the Lancers are… going to find her… and stop this mess before it happens to the other Zones… just like it did to the Xyz Zone…" Shuzo looked at the boy as the children eyed him.

"But…" Yuya put his hands back over his face.

"I… don't know what to do…"

"Noburou!" all eyes turned to the man who was walking into the hallway, startling the group as Yoko shielded Yuya, knowing that the boy was to fragile right then.

"Father…" the man looked to him.

"I need you home. We have things to discuss…" he stated.

"Yes, sir." Sensei Gongenzaka looked towards Yuya, spotting the scars on his wrists before sighing.

"Quit giving into your emotions… there's a task you want to complete, am I wrong? If that's the case, then learn when to break and when to bend… otherwise, you cannot save Yuzu Hiiragi," he said before walking away as Yuya closed his eyes tightly. Shuzo crouched next to Yuya, taking the boy's hand gently in his own as dull scarlet eyes, full of tears looked to him.

"Bring her back to me… I trust you to do it, Yuya."

 **{Sakaki Household: 9:02pm}**

Niknak and Florence glanced into Yuya's room while the boy laid on the bed, seeming to be barely breathing as he did so. Once he had arrived home, Yuya had gotten himself cleaned up on his mother's orders, had his wounds treated, and was trying to rest until dinner was ready; however, the boy was wide awake, eyes blank and lifeless as he laid upon the bed, unmoving for the last half hour at least. The two entered the room, and were greeted with Yuto sitting on the ground at the foot of the bed, remaining silent as he let the other be alone for the time being. He placed a finger to his lips and the two stilled while Yuto glanced at Yuya, understanding that he needed time to put himself back together before anything else happened.

"Master… Yuya?" Florence started.

"…." Niknak sighed.

"Come and eat something, you look white as a sheet," he stated before taking Florence out of the room while Yuto glanced at the boy.

"I'm not going to ask anything about it, because I understand it. Your heart's hurting, from guilt, from grief, and regret… but you still have to decide what you want to ultimately do," he stated.

"I just… don't know what I can… do… I'm…" Yuto looked to him.

"Your you, Yuya, and nobody else. I get it, you're broken… there's parts of you that are never going to be repaired no matter how hard you try, and it hurts… because those broken pieces leave holes in you that can't be filled with anything," he told him.

"…" Yuto sighed.

"But… I want you to listen to me… when you feel this way… just… think about something, okay?" he asked.

"What?" his voice came out softer than it should have, and Yuto knew that.

"That even though you don't know it yet, there are people who need you…" Yuya scoffed.

"No… they don't. I'm unable to control my magic… I can't even save myself, so how… could anyone need me?" Yuto smiled a bit.

"Yuzu needs you, right now… no matter what," he told him.

"But I… couldn't…" Yuto shook his head.

"No, look at me, Yuya!" he stated as the boy shifted dull eyes towards him.

"Yuto… I – "Yuto gave him a pleading expression.

"Listen! Yuzu loves you! She needs you! The two of you are important to one another beyond all words. Without one another, you're incomplete! Right? That's how you feel about her? Right?" he told him.

"I…" Yuya glanced down.

"That's what I thought! So… if for no other reason, fight for her… it's not too late to protect her, and tell her that you love her…" scarlet eyes looked towards him, Yuya shakily sitting up, his body swaying just a fraction.

"Yuto… am I a monster?" the other shook his head.

"No, you're special… like a star or snowflake, unique and brilliant in its own way. You just need to learn how to control your magic. All it takes is belief in yourself… like you used to have before you found out that you had Waking Magic. It's always been your magic, and it always will be… and you've used it to do some incredible things, and make the ones who love you smile…" Yuya felt his eyes widen.

 _"Yuya, just promise me something, okay?"_

 _"What?"_

 _"Keep smiling for me, alright?"_

"I… made a promise with Yuzu, on my birthday… that… I would try to… keep smiling for her…" Yuto looked to him.

"And do you think that if she saw you like this that it wouldn't hurt her? I know it's hard, and you've been damaged… but you've gotta do what Gongenzaka's father said: _learn when to bend and when to break_. And right now, you've gotta make a choice," he said.

"I'm…"

Yuya knew what the answer was going to be even before he said a word. Yuzu had always been there for him, she had been the only reason he changed his mind when he'd tried to commit suicide, and it had been Yuzu who had helped him keep his spirits up when he was recovering, but most of all, when he needed her, she was right there, ready and willing to help him. Now, though, Yuzu was the one who needed him there for her, and he knew that even though it hurt, and the breakdown he'd endured earlier had been warranted, it was time to reign it back into himself and lock it tightly away. Yuto watched him, and finally saw light starting to return to Yuya's eyes as he smiled, being reassured that the boy had a chance to maintain the fire he'd seen when he was fighting the Obelisk Force, the ones who had taken Yuzu from him.

"I'm… going to bring Yuzu home… even if I have to put everything on the line… for her… it's worth all of it…" Yuto smiled, taking in a breath of relief.

"Then you know that for now, all you have to do is let your heart guide you, and it'll be okay…"

It was a few moments later that Yoko entered the boy's room and sat down on the bed with him, before she laid down, pulling the boy into her arms as she placed a hand against the back of his head, threading her fingers through his hair. Yuya said nothing as his aunt did this, feeling a great deal better after his conversation with Yuto, and any of his remaining anxiety was thinned as he was held by his aunt. It was quiet, just their breathing could be heard as Yoko held Yuya close to her, keeping his head against her chest as she tried to prepare herself for what was coming.

The moment Reiji and Henrietta Akaba began to explain the situation, Yoko knew what was happening. These Lancers were the group Reiji had mentioned in her meeting with him, and Yuya had ended up in the thick of it all. The blonde-haired woman tightened her hold on him, being careful to mind his wounds as she did so. Yoko knew that one day, Yuya would learn the full story of the world they lived in, and many other things that would change how his life had been up to this point; however, Yoko wasn't ready for him to know, and without question, she knew that if he knew everything that was buried in the past about their world: Yuya would leave. Though this child wasn't her own biologically, he was everything she had left of her little sister, just as Yuzu was all Shuzo had left of his wife, and she wasn't ready to let him go.

Yoko didn't question that if he tried, Yuya could handle this task set before him, but she also knew that he had endured several traumatic situations in the last twenty-four hours that made her anxious to let him to far from her reach. At the stadium, he had tried to hold himself together before they left; however, he hadn't succeeded. Seeing Yuya cave in on himself like he had made her wonder if mentally he would be prepared for what was going to come with going into a fight. Yoko closed her eyes tightly, cradling the boy to her as he remained quiet, letting her do what she needed to as he closed his eyes, not willing to break this silence just yet.

"Yuya… you do understand what's being asked of you, right?" she asked him.

"For me to… fight… Academia and win… no matter what." Yoko felt her eyes begin to burn.

"If you go… there's a chance you'll have to take others lives… that you'll be faced with things that are worse than what you've endured in the last twenty-four hours… that you'll be handling these things alone… and that you'll face a lot of hardships… are you prepared for that?" she inquired as Yuya bowed his head, curling closer to her.

"I… don't know. But… Yuzu… she's been there for me when I needed her the most… it's time… that I was there for her as well…" Yoko closed her eyes, tears falling as she tucked Yuya's head against her chest, holding onto him as tightly as she could.

"Yuya, I love you so much… I just don't want to see you hurt…" Yoko couldn't help her tears as she held onto the boy who pulled one of his arms free and wrapped it around her waist, closing his eyes tightly.

"Don't worry about me… I'm not going at it alone. Sky's going to be there, so is Gongenzaka, Shay, Dennis, Tsukikage, Sawatari, and Serena… we're all going to be working together," Yuya tried to assure her, but Yoko could only cry as she kept him tightly against her.

"Are you sure you want to do this? No matter what might happen? Even if you have to make choices that you aren't prepared for? Or have to face situations where you don't know what to do?" Yuya tightened his grip around her waist, taking in a shaky breath.

"I'm… scared to do it… but… Yuzu needs me. I can't just leave her at the hands of an enemy… I can't just do nothing… she's important to me… and not having her with me… feels wrong," he told her this and Yoko smiled.

"Then… even if you go through harsh trials… or are faced with those choices… I know you'll come out on top of them. Right now, though, I want you to eat something… please," Yoko stated as she sat up, pulling the boy with her as he glanced to her before nodding slowly as he got out of the bed and followed her down the stairs. For now, he would take it one step at a time, knowing things would become more difficult, but he would have to be prepared to do it.

 **{Synchro Dimension: 7:20pm}**

The rays of the settling sun gleamed down upon her face as Yuzu slowly opened her eyes, taking in a steady breath while her eyes adjusted, and she looked around, trying to identify where she was. With a gasp, Yuzu sat upright, looking at the sparkling white city around her built up on support beams and structures, showing off a sleek, futuristic design that startled her to a degree while Yuzu took in a few steady breaths, trying to recall what had happened last. Looking around her once more, she saw the blue-blonde-haired boy from earlier crouched next to his motorbike, his jumpsuit's upper half off and tied around his waist as he tinkered with a few things on the side before she looked at the small park she was in, seated upon a hill that looked out over the city.

"Dammit, looks like I'm gonna have to get that spare cylinder out soon… hmm? Oh, hey, you're up!" he stated.

"W-Where am I?" the boy came towards her, crouching by her side.

"My hometown, this is Neo City, pretty cool huh?" he inquired as Yuzu looked at it, noticing for the first time that there was dimmer, older looking buildings underneath the city.

"A city built over a city?" the boy nodded.

"Yea… the big old white buildings is the Tops, and the ground buildings are the Commons area… that's where I'm from," he told her as she looked him over.

"Hugo… right?" the boy nodded.

"Yup, Hugo Matsumoto, that's me! And you're Yuzu Hiiragi, I remembered that correctly, right?" Hugo asked her.

"Yes… but… why did you bring me here?" the boy shook his head.

"I was actually about to ask the same thing, but then I remembered something happened with your bracelet and my crystal," he told her as he held up the green and gold pendulum crystal.

"What happened?" Hugo hummed in thought.

"Well, most likely they resonated because of the magic stored in them," he pointed out with a nonchalant tone.

"M-Magic?" Hugo raised an eyebrow.

"Aren't you a witch?" he questioned.

"No… I'm not. My friend Yuya is, though." Hugo nodded.

"Oh, believe me, I know he is. I got my ass handed to me almost by him… he's stronger than he looks, but he's different, huh?" he inquired as Yuzu looked at her bracelet.

"Yuya's… a Waking Witch." The boy gave her a long look.

"Really? That's pretty cool! I've never met one before…"

The two sat there in silence for a moment, keeping to themselves. Yuzu had questions, and she knew Hugo had his own set of them as well, it would just be asking questions that would cause potential problems. Yuzu looked at the motorbike before her and thought on the situation for a moment, glancing to the city and then the boy with her.

"That's a really neat motorbike," she mentioned.

"It's not a motorbike, it's a D-Wheel, a type of motorcycle that's been aerodynamically designed to be used as a means to duel. Don't you have them in your place? The Pendulum Zone, right?" Yuzu shook her head.

"I've never seen one, but I guess that doesn't mean they don't exist. I'm just in Action Duels, so… I don't really see the other dueling fronts out there. Yuya could tell you more about those kinds of things than I could," she admitted.

"Ah, I see…" Yuzu glanced him over as he looked out at the sky, seeming to be thinking about something.

"You really do look like Yuya," she said.

"Think so? Don't know why I would look like your boyfriend… but I guess you can't just explain some things away…" Hugo sighed, and she looked to his hands, seeing a few scuffs here and there on them, showing that they had been worn from use and hard work.

"Where did you get your D-Wheel?" she inquired.

"Get it? Na, I built that thing." She gawked at him.

"Really? That's impressive…" Yuzu glanced down, her mind replaying events from earlier on.

When she had been taken away alongside Hugo to this place, she had been in the middle of the Battle Royale of the Junior Youth Championships, and she had been running from the Obelisk Force as well as another person who favored Yuya, but wasn't anything like Yuto or Hugo in behavior. Yuzu bit her lip, worry overcoming her as she thought about the current situation at hand, wondering if everyone had made it out okay, or if they had been carded. It made her want to find them, to make sure they were okay, but most importantly, Yuzu wanted to make sure that Yuya was safe. Worry started overcoming her as she hugged her knees to her chest, trying to hold back tears.

"You okay?" the girl shook her head.

"When we were taken away… Academia was invading… my friends were out there with those people's soldiers… and they card anyone who gets in their way… and Yuya… he's… not here… I'm scared…" Hugo took in a deep breath and moved closer to her, pulling her into a side-ways embrace, hoping to help her a bit.

"It's okay… I'll betcha that your friends are fine! Especially Yuya! He's a Waking Witch, and even if he's still in training, he'll be tougher than anythin' those bastards can dish out!" he assured her while Yuzu looked to him.

At first, she had thought it was their environment, but now that she was close enough to Hugo, she could still smell the scent of a storm. Like rainfall and wind, crisp and clean, but ominous and powerful. She sniffed a bit, trying to clear her nose from its congestion as she let him hold onto her. While he most certainly didn't have the same comforting effect on her that Yuya did, Hugo did seem to ease her anxiety just by being close to her. Tourmaline eyes kept a watch on her, and Yuzu swallowed a bit, questioning the situation they were in.

"Sorry about earlier… you know? For mistaking you for Rin," Hugo stated in apology while Yuzu eyed him.

"So… that means you really are the person Yuya told me about… the one whose looking for a girl named Rin Mashima." The other nodded.

"Rin is my girlfriend… but we've been friends since we were toddlers. Ya see, Rin grew up at the orphanage, and when my parents died, I came to stay there as well. It's not been easy, seeing as things work differently around here, but we've managed to get by," Hugo told her.

"What do you mean by working differently around here?" Hugo narrowed his eyes.

"I'm a Common… that's the name that the lower class have here… and… I'm also a Witch… a Tempastus kind… and I have a Strain… so I'm a problem in this place. If I'm found out, it's pretty likely that they'll either send me to prison, the undergrounds, or strip me of my magic…" periwinkle eyes widened.

"What?! But… why?" Hugo sighed.

"Roughly eighty-seven percent of the Tops – the upper class – are able to use magic of some kind, and Witches are the most common type of magic users, but there's also Sages, Warlocks, Wizards, Sorcerers, Alchemists, and the Magus as well. In City, only the privileged are allowed to freely practice magic of any kind… if you're part of the ninety-percent of the impoverished and you're caught practicing magic or identified as a witch, you're punished in the way they see fit."

Yuzu didn't know what to make of the information. In Maiami, there were thousands of witches, as she had been told by Yuya, and while they maintained private lives as witches, they also didn't normally have to fear being found out and being punished just because of what they were. However, she had also been told by Yuya that most witches weren't allowed to tell their mortal friends that they were such until age sixteen, normally. Taking in a deep breath, Yuzu looked to Hugo, wanting to find out more.

"So, because you're a witch with a strain and are a common, you're not allowed to freely practice magic?" she asked.

"Yea, it sucks… all of us try to keep a low profile, but sometimes we get caught… it's a belief that Strain Witches are dangerous and can't be trusted because half of us aren't defined as human…" Yuzu frowned.

"That's not true, is it?" she inquired.

"Only a tiny amount of us are actually cruel towards anyone we please. But… most of us are kind and helpful… we have families and loved ones that we try to keep safe and provide for. Commons don't have much, so we care deeply for the things we do have and appreciate it, no matter how little it is…" Yuzu took in the words, looking to Hugo in questioning as she thought on his words.

"What about the Tops? Are there Strain Witches with them?" Hugo shook his head.

"Not really… I've seen a few, but mostly specific Fae… and that's to produce better health or looks. But that's specific breeding, if there's no pedigree, you're considered a filthy mutt," he informed her.

"Fae? You mean like Fairies and things like that?" Hugo nodded.

"The most common are the Elven Fae, and the Nymphs… anything else is kind of considered subpar. Myself included," he stated.

"What are you mixed with?" Hugo glanced to the side, blushing a bit.

"I'm half Undine… a water-type Fae that's known for healing and the ability to ease tensions. We're also gifted in water and wind magic, but my healing abilities are a little higher than most because I'm also half witch," he told her as Yuzu took in the words.

"An Undine, I've heard of those… is that where your hair and eyes come from?" Hugo nodded.

"Yea… I look like my dad apparently, but the blonde in my hair came from my mom…" Yuzu smiled.

"But… what I want to know is whether or not there are people who could change the laws… isn't it wrong for only the upper class to have the right to use magic freely?" Hugo sighed.

"Unfortunately, it ain't just magic… owning a D-Wheel and being a Common isn't really allowed either… and then we're not supposed to Duel or have Duel Monster cards either. The Tops are scared that if Witches dueled, they'd be overthrown," Hugo mentioned.

"That's ridiculous! Just like the treatment of Witches in Academia!" tourmaline eyes looked to her.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"I heard that Academia puts Corruption Curses on witches that they have… they also think that only purebloods, full-bloods, and half-blooded witches are good, and Strain Witches have to be executed." Hugo's eyes grew wide in horror.

"Do you know anything about Rin?! I've gotta find her, if that's the case!" Yuzu looked to him in confusion.

"I-I um…" Hugo trembled a bit as he put his hands on Yuzu's shoulders.

"Rin is a Sylphian, she's like me… a Strain Witch… she's got Sylph blood from her mother… if that's the case, and they're using Corruption Magic… there's no telling what they'll do to her," he stated, sorrow lacing his voice.

"I don't think Rin is in danger. Before you showed up, a Duelist from Academia tried to capture me, and he told me that they had Rin and one of my friend's little sister, Ruri. He was sent to capture me because I look like them… and another girl who looks like me named Serena Allister… but…" periwinkle eyes met tourmaline ones.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"He looked like you and Yuya as well as Yuto." Hugo slumped a bit.

"Four girls who look like each other… and four boys who look like each other? Whoa…" he muttered.

"Hugo? Do you know why Academia is doing this?" he shook his head.

"Nope, but I do know a little bit about how our world is structured. The whole Six Zones thing, and how each of them are named after a Summoning method," he told her.

"How do you know that?" Hugo thought for a moment.

"It's an old story that Fae children are taught. Five thousand years ago, a powerful King dispersed the darkness in the world during a time of war; in order to save our world, he sacrificed himself and broke apart the world into six Zones in order for it to survive the backlash of the darkness that had sought to destroy all of the worlds! He was our world's guardian, but when he died, the power was divided to each zone in twos… and when the world was threatened again, the guardians would rally alongside one another and still the hand of war that would try to darken the world," he told her as Yuzu looked him over.

"That's… similar to the one I've been told, but it was only some hundred-and-twenty years ago, not five millennia. There are six Zones in our world, Ritual, Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, Pendulum, and Link… but almost two years ago, Academia sent someone to the Xyz Zone to do something that would ultimately start a domino effect that would turn the Xyz Zone into a Dimension of darkness… and then that caused Fusion, Synchro and Ritual to split. When he tried to go and do something else to further it, he was stopped by three Duelists working together, and Ritual was saved… but… Synchro and Fusion I don't think were so lucky…" Hugo looked to her.

"This means… the thing that caused the Xyz Zone to become a dimension… was the death of it's Primary Guardian," Hugo told her this and Yuzu took in a deep breath.

"If that's the case… then… what's going to happen to it?" Hugo shook his head.

"There are supposed to be two guardians per Zone. The reason is because, supposedly, if something were to happen to one of them, the other could take their place… but no one's heard or seen anything about there being any guardians in a long time… but if the Zones split or were turned into Dimensions… then that proves that they're out there…" Yuzu looked to the side, thinking over the information.

"The question is, if Academia knew where one of these guardians were… then… do they know where the others are?" Hugo tensed.

"More than likely… but the thing we've gotta think about is that these guys are supposed to save us. Remember? When the hand of war threatens our world, the guardians will work as one and stop it!" he told her.

"So, you think that Academia is this hand of war?" Hugo nodded.

"Exactly! And what this assassin guy did more than likely means the Xyz Zone has lost its primary guardian… so the secondary has taken his place!" Yuzu hummed.

"You might be right… Academia's plans are to turn all the Zones into dimensions and make them fuse back together in order to form our world into one again…" Hugo's eyes grew wide at the information.

"Then the story's coming true! Yuzu! What if this Academia is looking for the guardians! That's why they're invading your home Zone! They've been looking for your Pillar!" Yuzu frowned.

"Pillar?" Hugo nodded.

"Formally, the guardians are called Pillars, because they support the existence of our world. If one falls, the stability is weakened, but if two or more die, our world will start to collapse…" Yuzu took in a deep breath.

"So, they've been going to all the Zones looking for the Pillars? But what about the secondary ones?" she asked.

"You said that some of the Zones split, right? I got a theory…" Yuzu crossed her arms over her chest and glanced to the side before looking to Hugo.

"What is it?" Hugo swallowed nervously.

"Well… what if… when the Zones split, one of the Pillars was thrown into the Dimension in order to stabilize it?" he offered.

"Then… they'll go from Pendulum… to…" the boy nodded.

"Here, the Synchro Dimension…" Yuzu flinched back.

"Dimension? You mean we're in the Synchro Dimension?!" Hugo sighed.

"Yea… I don't know why, but I was aware that this isn't the Synchro Zone… that's why I started doing some research on the old stories, and I found all of this stuff stored away in an old bunker on the outskirts of town, like people were tryin' to hide it or somethin'," he stated.

"So… none of these things are coincidences… something's… actually happening." Hugo nodded once.

"These kinds of events are too close to the legend… and the actions that Academia is doing will definitely spread darkness… they're also invading and attacking people within these Zones and Dimensions… so that means they're a hand of war… and then there's how the Zones were split in the first place…" he mentioned.

"Then the story is true… and we're dealing with something coming back from… what? Five thousand years ago?!" she asked.

"Most likely… and this means… someone knew the stories. When I found them in that bunker, they were stored carefully, the documents were really old, but they were in good shape… so whomever put them there found them important enough to not destroy… knowing that, I took them out of the bunker and brought them back to my place next door to the orphanage…" Yuzu swallowed thickly.

"Then they were aware of everything… and have been targeting the Pillars particularly…" Hugo nodded slowly.

"This is bad," he stated.

"What do we do, though?" Hugo thought.

"I know! Let's storm Academia!" he said excitedly.

"S-Storm Academia? Why?" Hugo rolled his eyes.

"Duh! If we get Rin and that Ruri girl out, they'll help us! Then we can find the Pillars and bring them together! Once they unite, the darkness of our world won't stand a chance! Academia will fall like a tree in a hurricane!" he told her.

"Hugo, I'm not a witch! I can't fight them when it comes to magical ability, and I doubt I can do a thing against them with my deck…" Hugo shook his head.

"So? You've got the spirit of a warrior maiden! I can feel it! If we use that bracelet of yours and my pendulum crystal, we can find a way to make them synchronize! Once we do that, we can warp right into the place and find the girls! Pop back out and start finding the Pillars!" he stated.

Hugo was so excited and sure of the plan, that Yuzu almost wanted to relent. His tourmaline eyes shined with determination and hope, something that she noticed he seemed to be full of. Periwinkle eyes softened as she stared into his jovial expression, it reminded her so much of Yuya, but at the same time, it was impossibly different as well. While the blue-silver-green eyes, and blue-blonde hair indicated that Hugo and Yuya looked different, the boy before her was also clearly older than Yuya, and was taller. Yuzu sighed.

"Hugo, that won't work." He gave her a surprised look.

"Why not?" he questioned.

"Because I can't just make this bracelet activate when I want it to." Hugo sighed.

"But we can find a way to make it work! I'm a witch! A strong one, at that! Surely I have enough magical energy to help you power that thing up!" he told her pointedly.

"It's not just that… even if we manage to make the bracelet and pendulum synchronize, we have no guarantee that we'll end up in the Fusion Dimension, or even anywhere near Academia… and what if we're captured by the soldiers? They won't put you with me, Ruri, and Rin... who knows what they'd do to you…" Hugo gave her a firm look, reading her expression and emotions.

"I'm half undine… so I can read you like an open book just by looking into your eyes. What I'm seeing isn't doubt… it's fear… and sorrow…" he told her. Yuzu stood, and started walking away.

"This… is just too dangerous… I'm not sad… just concerned. I agree with you that finding the Pillars and having them work together would be a good move, but how do we find them? How are we certain that we can even get to them before Academia does? Besides, I don't have any power, and one mortal and one witch storming a militaristic society's base is too big of a risk." she received a shocked look, but in his eyes, hope was still shining.

"Then what if we found that Yuya guy to help us out? He's a Waking Witch, he could do something about it! Right?" he suggested as Yuzu stopped where she stood, her back facing him.

"That… also wouldn't work…" Hugo gave her a concerned look.

"Why won't it?" he inquired. Yuzu's form trembled, her breath coming out in a fragile rush.

"I mean… he's not even… Yuya's…" tears started to fall, and Hugo was on his feet in an instant, coming over to the girl.

"Hey…" she turned to him, tears in her eyes.

"Yuya's not here! He's always by my side… and he's not here! I want to find him… but I can't… I don't have any power in this kind of world… I'm just a pathetic, weak mortal girl who got mixed up with a witch… what was I thinking? I can't even help myself! How can I do anything for Yuya? Or for our world?!" she crouched where she was, covering her face as Hugo's expression softened before he approached her, crouching beside her before he placed his hands on her, using the natural ability to sooth people he had to help calm her down.

"That's not true… I don't personally know Yuya, but I can tell that you love him. and he probably feels the same way for you… the kind of feelings you have for him are just like my feelings for Rin… she's my everything… and while I don't have much to offer her, I do all I can to be there for her sake… because she's always been by my side… but she's not here right now, either," he said.

"But you're a witch! You can do something about it… you have enough power to actually fight this war… I'm just a duelist… just a mortal… compared to you… I'm weak…" Hugo shook his head, reaching into his pocket to pull out a handkerchief for the girl.

"Yes, I'm a witch… and yes, I have a strain… so I'm stronger than most… but… that doesn't mean I'm superior to anyone. I'm powerless in this world, too… I found out all this information, but there's nothing I can do to put it to good use to stop whatever's happening… so, the two of us are just as powerless to help the ones we love and our world… at least… alone," he stated.

"Alone? Hugo… we can't do anything… I can't help you…" he smiled to her.

"I'll let you in on a little secret. Do you know where a witch gets their power?" Yuzu took the handkerchief and started wiping her eyes.

"I'm not sure…" Hugo smiled.

"A Witch's magic comes from their heart and soul. Our life force feeds our magic and our power… our emotions and feelings are things that make us stronger or weaker… just like mortals. If we have something to protect, we're stronger, because we're not just fighting for ourselves, but for someone we love. So, you see, a mortal and a witch aren't that different… and if you don't believe me, look…" Hugo held his ungloved hand out to her, showing his open palm to her as she looked at his hand in confusion.

"W-What?" Hugo took her hand that lacked a glove.

"See the lines on your hand? The one that curves around your thumb is your life line… mine's really long, and yours is, too, so that's good! Then the one that goes across the very middle of your hand, is your marriage line, both of ours a straight, so that means we'll only ever love one person, and will only marry once… and the smaller one up towards your fingers is your offspring line… the line that shows you how many children you'll have… looks like we're both going to have big families one of these days…" Yuzu felt more tears fall down her face.

"I don't get it… what does that…" Hugo looked to her.

"Our hands are the same… no monster lines, no helpless lines, and no pathetic ones either. It shows us we may not technically be the same race, but we're still the same deep down. _Just two human hands_ with their own stories to tell and write… but…" Hugo interwove his hand with hers, fingers lacing together.

"I-I…" he gave her a genuine smiled, easing her tensions.

"When we put our hands together, and work as one… something incredible happens… we find this _amazing magic that exists in everyone,_ " he told her.

"M-Magic?" he nodded.

"You know what it's called?" he inquired as she shook her head.

"N-No… I don't…" Yuzu felt a few more tears fall even though she listened to what he had to say.

"Hope, that's what it's called." Yuzu took in a deep breath, handing Hugo his handkerchief.

"Thank you," she said as he smiled, shrugging.

"I'm sorry for making you cry like that." Yuzu shook her head.

"No, you made me feel better, thank you, Hugo," she told him as he gave her a lazy half-smile.

"I always blurt out anythin' that comes to mind. It's a bad habit of mine… comes from being half-undine… we're always really eager to do something right… and we try and help, but we can get easily scatterbrained… Rin always keeps scolding me, tellin' me to think before I talk. It's a bad thing that a Sylphian has to keep and Unduline in check… but I guess it makes sense, I can go on two different sides of crazy in zero point two seconds," he stated, making her laugh a bit.

"Sounds like Yuya…" Hugo shrugged once more.

"Yea, Rin was always like _that's not good enough! This is no good! You've gotta learn when to stop babbling! I know you like to tell people things, and you're opinionated, but you've gotta keep your head_. She always did that kind of thing," he told her.

"Yep, that's like me and Yuya. He's really smart and talented, but… he does things that make me so angry sometimes… especially when he keeps things from me knowing that it'll upset me when I find out… he tries to protect me, and I keep trying to prove I can stand by his side." Hugo hummed.

"Well, like I said. Everyone has a little magic in them, you've just gotta reach into yourself and pull it out… and hope is one of the strongest forms of magic there is! Rin always believed in that, too, even when she was nagging the hell outta me," he mentioned.

"She sounds like a mother." Hugo smiled broadly.

"That's exactly it! Well, neither me nor Rin remember our parents, but we're our only family, always have been, always will be," he said.

"That's really –"

"AHHH!" the duo jolted, looking to where a young child in fine clothes approached the D-Wheel, causing Hugo to stand and pull his suit back up before zipping it up as a finely dressed woman came over to the child and picked him up quickly.

"You must not touch that! Why would you ever do that?!" Hugo started moving, grabbing Yuzu's hand as he did.

"We gotta book it!" Yuzu felt her eyes widen.

"What?! Why?!" the woman continued talking to the child she had in her arms.

"Whatever would I do if you got sick?" she asked the child.

"This is a Tops area! Get on now!" Hugo started up the D-Wheel and tossed Yuzu a spare helmet, which she quickly put on.

"We're just going to run away?" she asked him.

"If we're caught, we'll be thrown in prison! You don't want to end up in the prisons here! They're hell on earth for witches and mortals! Now come on!" he pulled her onto the D-Wheel.

"Someone! Someone please help!" the D-Wheel started up as the police officers started to approach.

"What's going on here? Ma'am, what's the matter?" Yuzu glanced back at the scene as Hugo finished gearing up the D-Wheel.

"Over there… they're commons!" the two looked at them.

"Probably Casts as well! Hey! Get off the runner right now!" Hugo looked to Yuzu.

"You might wanna hang on…"

In a rush, they were gone, speeding away at top speeds as Yuzu put her arms around Hugo's waist as she screamed in surprise they went down the street, the wind ripping past them as Yuzu stared in disbelief, the lights of the city glowing brilliantly in the darkening sky as they kept moving. It was an exhilarating feeling, the way it felt as though they were flying while Hugo kept skillfully steering them through traffic and further down into the streets. However, the wonder of being on a D-Wheel for the first time and seeing the city was dulled by the fact that Yuzu had just seen proof of how hostile and dangerous this version of the Synchro Zone was, and she could only hope that somehow, Yuya and the others could find her, and they could do something about the problems that had risen.

 **{…}**

 _I'll be dead before the day is done…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** This is kind of the build-up to the start of the Synchro Dimension; however, I did wanna give you guys a taste of it. In the next chapter, we'll be rounding up the portion with Hugo and Yuzu, and then we'll be returning to Pendulum where the Lancers will begin their preparations for departing. Let me know what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

In this chapter, I had decided to focus on Yuya's emotional state after the ordeal because we didn't get a whole lot of that in the anime.

Reiji is still an ass

Some may complain that Henrietta and Reiji gave away too much during their speech, I think they did it just right, considering the situation.

Hugo and Yuzu's conversation takes place in Episode 54 – The Synchro Dimension

The act Hugo was using to read Yuzu's palm is called palmistry. That was something my mom actually had a book on that I read when growing up.

All stories characters tell that revolve around legends or fairy tales have a lot of weight to them, so pay attention.

Each pendulum crystal embodies something, like the girl's bracelets do.

Guess what Hugo's pendulum embodies.


	51. Chapter 51:Respite

Chapter 51: Respite

 **{Streets of Neo City, July 25** **th** **, 2014: 10:40pm}**

Yuzu and Hugo had continued going down the street for a few moments in peace when they heard a siren go off behind them. Hugo had been quick to speed up; however, as Yuzu watched, she realized that the person was an officer. At first, she had considered asking Hugo to pull over and try and explain themselves to the officer, but the moment she let the thought cross her mind, she recalled what Hugo had told her about how things worked in this city. Neo wasn't Maiami, and the people wouldn't be as understanding as the ones she knew. Holding on tighter to Hugo, they sped up, and only a minute later, a light engaged around them and sirens began blaring alongside flashing lights that signaled a duel was about to start as she looked at Hugo's D-Wheel, and saw that the Duel Mode had been engaged.

"I need you to move onto the back of the D-Wheel… just hold onto the handles there and get ready, this is gonna get intense," Hugo warned as Yuzu nodded and did as she was told.

"Be careful!" the other nodded.

"I'm up first! Here goes! I summon Speedroid Three-Eyed-Dice from my hand! If I control a Wind-Attribute Monster on my field, I can special summon Speedroid Taketonborg from my hand!" a small drone-like creature appeared before turning into a transformer-like robot.

" _Are, they machine type monsters?"_ Yuzu thought.

"I'm Tuning my Level Three Taketonborg with my Level Three Three-Eyed Dice! _O magical sword formed in the image of a cross! Come to my hand so that my enemies may be cut down by your power! Synchro Summon!_ Appear! Level Six! High Speedroid Magical Sword Dahma!" a monster with two oval caps and a spindle appeared with a sharp diamond shaped edge to it. The monster was blue, and had twenty-two-hundred attack points.

"A Synchro Monster right out of the gate?!" Yuzu asked in amazement.

"You betcha! Now, here we go! I activate Magical Sword Dahma's effect! Once per turn, by Banishing a _Speedroid_ from my graveyard, I can inflict five-hundred points of damage to my opponent!" the chaser's Life Points dropped to thirty-five-hundred while Hugo cheered.

"Hell, yeah! Now that's what I call a head start punch! I set one card and end my turn! Come on, Mr. Puppet! Show me what'cha got!" he taunted as the Duel Chaser narrowed his eyes while Hugo sped up.

"H-Hey, you mean you're gonna duel while riding a bike? They actually do that here?" Hugo nodded.

"Of course!" Yuzu winced.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Hugo laughed.

"Just enjoy the show! It's gonna be a blast!" the Tempastus Witch sped up again and Yuzu shrieked.

"Y-YOU'RE KIDDING ~!"

Just as Yuzu tightened her grip on the handles attached to the back of the D-Wheel, she saw a bright light and saw a helicopter come into view, causing her to stare in disbelief as Hugo kept going, knowing what was happening.

"Tch… seems like they're here now, too," he stated.

"Who are they?" Hugo looked to the street ahead of him.

"They're reporters, this is entertainment for the Tops!" he announced as Yuzu bit her lip, while up in the copter, a woman with a strong southern accent and dressed in attire that suited her accent held a microphone.

" **Good evening, my dear City-Folk! I'm Melissa Claire, the top reporter from Tops City TV! As usual, I'm delivering a thrilling chase and an amazing Riding Duel tonight!"** Yuzu looked around as the sound of something coming up out of the ground as the signal of the track changing came onto the side bars while Hugo swore under his breath.

"They're about to bring out the big guns! Make sure to smile for the camera when I kick this guy's ass!" Yuzu clenched her hands tighter on the grips while Melissa Claire continued her narration.

" **The trio consists of one of Security's Stars, the Duel Chaser two-twenty-seven, and two escaping fugitives! The Duel's first turn has just ended and the Duel Chaser has taken initiative damage of five-hundred points! Who will reign victorious and who will fall? And how will the case end? Its an on-the-edge-of-your-seat live broadcast! I, Top Reporter Melissa Claire, promise you the greatest entertainment around!"** Yuzu looked to the Chaser and then took in a deep breath.

" _Entertainment? This isn't entertainment… I know what that's really like and –"_ a flash of Yuya's brilliant smile came to her mind as he raised a hand into the air, announcing to the audience that the fun part was about to begin.

"Now, get a move on, chump! Let's get rarin' to go for our TV viewers at home! Or are you afraid that a Common is gonna kick your ass across the track?!" Yuzu flinched.

"Hugo! Be careful!" she warned.

"Hmph. Let me warn you in advance. My riding duel arrest rate is a solid one-hundred percent! There's no way I would ever lose to some _Cast rat like you!"_ Hugo growled at him, hating the name that the Tops had given his kind.

" _How degrading… being called nothing more than a Cast when I'm so much more!"_ Hugo thought as the Chaser started his turn.

The Security officer had managed a Synchro Summon in his first turn as well, having used a combo of Jutte Knight and reducing Hugo's Sword Dahma's attack points by five-hundred in order to special summon Sasumata Gardna from his hand. That was followed by the Synchro Summoning of Goyo Chaser, a bulky samurai-style monster with white and red face paint. He proceeded to attack Dahma and destroy it, dropping Hugo's Life Points down to thirty-eight hundred as he did so. At that point, Dahma was brought onto the Chaser's side of the field via Goyo Chaser's effect.

While Yuzu could agree with the statement that Hugo pointed out as being a cheap shot and dirty playing to steal his monster, and then have it attack him directly, she also wasn't sure what could be done about it. At that point, they had taken eleven-hundred points of damage, resulting in Hugo's Life Points dropping to twenty-seven-hundred, Melissa Claire happily cheering on and narrating the duel in her jovial tone while Yuzu did her best not to say anything on the matter.

It was so backwards; this wasn't entertainment, this was harassment and cruelty. Periwinkle eyes narrowed as Yuzu took in the fact that Neo City seemed like it was fine with putting the lower cast out on their ear for their own _entertainment._ The pink-haired girl sincerely hoped that if Yuya came to this Dimensional version that he would be prepared for the way things worked.

"Are you okay, Hugo?" Yuzu asked.

"Yea! Heh… things are gettin' interesting!" the Chaser continued.

"I set one card face-down and end my turn! Come, show me what you can do, filthy mongrel!" he called as Hugo took in a deep breath.

" **It's truly a back-and-forth battle! How will the fugitive be able to turn the tide with things like this?!"** Hugo smirked.

"I'm gonna go out full throttle! My turn! I Summon Speedroid Ohajikid!" he stated as a small robot in western clothes and a cloak appeared.

"Haha! What a shrimp!" Hugo raised an eyebrow.

"Don't dis my monsters! Now, during the turn this card is successfully Normal Summoned, I can target one Tuner Monster in my opponent's Graveyard, and Synchro Summon using it with Ohajikid! I target Jutte Knight!" he announced.

"What?!" Yuzu smiled broadly, cheering a bit.

"I can use _your_ Monster, too! Jackass! I'm tuning my Level three Speedroid Ohajikid with my Level two Jutte Knight! _Resounding forces of opposing sides, unite for a common goal! Synchro Summon!_ Come out! The soul brimming with excitement for clashing swords. The level five, High Speedroid Chanbarider!" the rocket-like sword, red machine appeared beside Hugo and Yuzu.

" **Oh my! The fugitive stole the Duel Chaser's Monster to Synchro Summon!"** Melissa Claire announced this as Hugo huffed.

"Now, let's battle! Chanbarider attacks magical sword Dahma! And at the same time, I activate Chanbarider's effect! When this card battles, its Attack Points increase by one-hundred!" the attack went through, dropping Chaser two-twenty-seven's Life Points down to twenty-five hundred.

"Shit…"

"And that's not all! Chanbarider's effect lets him attack twice during the battle phase!" the Security officer stared in shock.

"He can do what?!" Hugo ordered his Monster to attack.

"Go, Chanbarider! Attack his Goyo Chaser! And when Chanbarider battles, it gains one-hundred attack points!" the second attack went through, dropping the Chaser's Life Points down once more all the way to twenty-two-hundred.

"Yes! Way to go, Hugo!" Yuzu cheered.

" **The fugitive is piling damage on the Duel Chaser with his combo attacks! He's giving the officer an unexpectedly hard time!"** the Chaser played his face-down card.

"Trap, activate! Descending Lost Star! This card's effect lets me target one Synchro Monster in my Graveyard and then Special Summon it in Defense Position! Come forth once more! Goyo Chaser! However, the effects of my special summoned Goyo Chaser are negated, its Level is lowered by one, and its Defense Points become zero. Also, its battle position cannot be changed!" Hugo narrowed his eyes.

" _ **Hugo! Use me!"**_ tourmaline eyes grew wide at the voice that entered his head and he sighed as Melissa Claire kept commentating.

" **Look closely, everyone. The Duel Chaser's Goyo Chaser has returned!"** Hugo remained calm, knowing what his next series of moves would be.

"And with that, I end my turn," he stated.

" **However, the fugitive has managed to corner the Duel Chaser. His dueling talent is quite admirable."** Hugo didn't flinch even at the compliment, understanding that it was only done to add flair to the show.

The Security officer drove ahead of them, blocking them off each time they tried to go around him. Yuzu narrowed her eyes, knowing that he was making an attempt to keep them from getting too far ahead of him so if they lost or won they wouldn't escape. However, she had the distinct feeling that Hugo would be having none of that. Melissa Claire kept commentating, letting the audiences know about the action taking place down below while Hugo kept trying to get by, scanning the area with his eyes as the Chaser continued to swerve every so often to block them at every chance he got. It was in the moment that the Chaser told them all ways were sealed off to them that Hugo revved up his engine and sped up, driving on the wall and startling everyone as he and Yuzu went ahead of the officer.

"That looked pretty open to me!" Hugo called.

"You mangy little Cast! I'll put you in your place!" Hugo laughed.

"Well, you can try, but ultimately you're going to end up learning your place!" he stated.

" **Th-The… fugitive… uh… just drove on the wall?!"** Yuzu looked to him.

"Don't be so reckless!" she stated.

"We'll be fine, I've got some magic coursing through the D-Wheel, it'll keep us from wrecking. Just have some faith in me!"

"But what if something goes wrong?" Hugo looked to her.

"The only thing that'll go wrong for us is if we end up in the detention center here! They're horrible to both witches and mortals, it doesn't matter! If the Tops want you there, they'll put you there. If that happens, I can't keep my promises to Rin, and that's not something I'm willing to do! Besides, what'll you do if Yuya comes here and you're locked up?!" Yuzu stared at him.

"Hugo…" she started.

"I'm going to rise up in this world and make a better life for me and Rin! I'm a Witch, an Unduline, and a Duelist, and I'm going to use all of this to climb up as high as I can! It's the only thing left to do! And I'm going to find a way to stop Academia, so that means protecting you for Yuya's sake, and that means I've gotta win this and do whatever it takes to keep my hope alive!" Yuzu looked down in thought.

" _Dueling as a means to live and fight… Hugo has so much hope even though he's in such an impossible situation…"_ she thought.

"Well, get on with it! You gotta beat me in a Duel if you wanna catch me, bud!" Hugo stated sharply as the Chaser laughed.

"You're a lowly rat! Defeating you will be easy!" Hugo smirked.

" _We'll see about that…"_

"My turn! I summon Torapart from my hand! I'm tuning Torapart with my Level Four Goyo Chaser! _Capture him with the fangs of a savage beast! Synchro Summon!_ My Level Six! Goyo Predator! I'll be throwing you two in the slammer! My Goyo Predator attacks your Chanbarider!" Hugo looked in time to see the attack.

"When Chanbarider battles, its effect causes it to gain one-hundred attack points." Chanbarider was destroyed and Hugo's Life Points hit twenty-six-hundred just before the Monster appeared on the Chaser's side of the field.

" **Look everyone! The fugitive's Monster is on the Duel Chaser's side! It looks like we're about to reach the climax of this duel!"** Hugo hissed.

"Dammit! You already snatched my Monster earlier! When in the hell did Security start using such dirty, underhanded moves?!" he asked.

"Foolish Cast, we use whatever means necessary to capture a fugitive. This is the way of ensuring that. Chanbarider attacks directly! When Chanbarider battles, its effect causes it to gain one-hundred attack points!" the attack shot Hugo's Life Points down to five-hundred.

"Hugo, Chanbarider can attack twice, right? So, if we're hit by another Direct Attack, we're done!" she stated.

"I know, don't worry!" Chaser two-twenty-seven looked them over.

"It's game over you, street rats! Once this is over, I'll be able to update my record of continuous arrests! And I'll be getting a promotion! Chanbarider attacks directly a second time in a row!" the monster came in to attack, and Hugo glanced back, a smirk coming to his features.

"Trap Card, Dice Roll Battle! This card, if my Life Points are one-thousand or lower, when I receive an attack from my opponent's Monster, lets me send a _Dice_ Monster from my hand to my Graveyard, so I can perform a Synchro Summon using Monsters in my Graveyard as Materials! So, I send my Red-Eyed Dice from my hand to the Graveyard!" Hugo announced.

"What?!" the boy smiled.

"Here we go! I'm Tuning my Level Six Magical Sword Dahma in the Graveyard with my Level One Red-Eyed-Dice! _Mighty being of the most treacherous winds, soar upon those beautiful wings cut from the gleaming skies! Rid the earth of my foes at the speed of the breath of Mother Nature!_ Synchro Summon! Appear, take into the skies that granted you life! _Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!"_ the massive, stunning black and white dragon appeared soaring above them, its crystalline wings glowing blue-green and shimmering particles fell from it as they continued down the track.

"A Dragon?!" Hugo nodded.

"Clear! Give them a welcoming befitting the Fae of Waters and Winds!" he called to her.

"Hello there, little thing!" The Dragon's voice echoed throughout the area, startling the officer and Yuzu.

"D-Did she just talk?!" Hugo nodded.

"Clear does that, just watch her work! Due to Dice Roll Battle's effect, Clear Wing is forced to battle all of my opponent's Monsters!" he stated. Chaser two-twenty-seven's expression became pale.

"Chanbarider's attack points increase by one-hundred every time it battles!" Hugo sent him a knowing look.

"Sorry, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon negates the activation of a Level Five or higher Monster's effect on the field, and also destroys it! Then, my girl's attack points rise in an equal amount to the destroyed Monster's attack points! _Dichroic Mirror!"_ light and water-like waves spiraled around the Dragon, a brilliant glow coming from her wings as Chanbarider was destroyed, and Clear Wing's attack points shot up to forty-six hundred.

"W-What?! It has forty-six hundred attack points?" Hugo looked to the Chaser.

"Not it! _She!_ Alright Clear! Bring it home! Attack Goyo Predator!" he called as the Dragon roared, looking at the Chaser.

"COME HERE, YOU LITTLE BITCH!"

The Duel Chaser screamed in shock as Clear Wing destroyed his Monster and his Life Points hit zero. Hugo smirked as Clear Wing let out a mighty roar, Yuzu staring after the Dragon as Hugo picked up speed again, leaving his defeated opponent in the dust. Yuzu found herself confused as to why the Dragon was still there, but chose not to ask right that moment as it seemed Hugo was trying to concentrate on something.

"We gotta move it, they'll be trying to block us off! Clear! What do you see?" he asked.

" _ **They've prepared blocks, I would begin appraising the winds if I were you!"**_ Hugo nodded as Yuzu looked to him.

"What did she say?" Hugo glanced to her.

"Hold onto me, we're gonna have to get over a blockade!"

Yuzu did what she was told and the two soon found themselves meeting a containment van and a series of armed guards. Clear Wing let out a bellowing roar, startling them long enough for Hugo to speed up, and a moment later, they were over the van and Clear Wing let a whip of her tail cleave the van into as they speed up, pushing two-hundred as they took off into the night, Yuzu unsure of what other dangers would come her way during this adventure she'd found herself on, but feeling a bit relieved to know Hugo was a capable Duelist and Witch, and that she would be safe with him.

 **{Leo Corp Tower: July 26** **th** **, 2014: 4:55am}**

Yuya let out a yawn as he stood at the entrance of the Leo Corp Tower, awaiting the other's arrival. He had been woken at four in the morning and had gotten dressed quickly, his mind protesting him being awake this early as he stretched a bit despite the injuries he had covering his body, but well hidden under gauze and pastes that were going to help the bruises fade and the cuts he'd received. Yuya crossed his arms over his chest, currently taking a moment to let his tired body and mind catch up with one another. He was dressed in a pair of dark wash jeans, black converse sneakers, and a black t-shirt with a red hoodie on over it. His goggles and choker had been left at home, his head and throat too sore to wear them, while he still wore his pendulum crystal and had forwent his wristbands. Sighing, he blew his bangs out of his face and Yuto appeared beside him.

" _ **Are you ready for whatever Akaba has planned?"**_ he asked.

" _Not really, but I figure there's nothing I can do… I've gotta do something to help Yuzu, and he's the only one who can do a damn thing to help me."_ Yuto nodded.

" _ **If you're sure. I know you want to save Yuzu and stop all this mess with Academia… but just promise me you'll try to be careful… I don't know what it is, but I have some reservations about not knowing the full scheme of things when it comes to what Reiji Akaba has planned for the Lancers,"**_ he pointed this out, and Yuya took in a deep breath, looking up at the stars above him.

"All the same… guess we'll just have to wait and see…" he muttered as he heard a series of footsteps arrive.

"Yuya!" Dennis called as Yuya looked to him.

"Hey guys, everyone as unawake as I am?" he asked tiredly.

"Pretty much… are you doing alright? Sawatari?" the half-Italian frowned as Tsukikage stood nearby, looking as though he had slept fine.

"I'm – ahhh! Fine…" the teenager yawned while Yuya gave him a tired smile.

"Looks like you're covered in bandages," Sky mentioned, holding boxes in his arms.

"Yea, my mom made me basically take a bath in an herb mixture… I think my skin still smells like that stuff…" Sky sniffed near the boy.

"You smell kinda like rosemary and some other stuff… oranges and cinnamon?" he inquired.

Yuya had never been able to figure out why, but according to what Yuzu had once told him, he smelled like spiced oranges, and it was a scent that she always associated with him; however, Yuya suspected that it was just the way he smelled, as opposed to Sky, who he noticed for the first time smelled like a candy shop, causing him to raise an eyebrow as he looked the blue-haired Dyren Witch over while Sawatari stood near the door.

"That's my normal scent, Sky." The other smiled.

"It's nice… wait… where are your goggles? Don't you always have them on?" he inquired.

"My head's kinda sore… so my aunt made me leave them at home. I'll be fine though."

"Hey, the door's open guys! Let's go!" called Sawatari. The group started into the building and were greeted by a man in a suit that began escorting them to the office where Reiji, Shay, and Serena were already awaiting them. As they walked, Yuya glanced towards Gongenzaka and found himself wondering what had happened to him.

"Um… Gongenzaka? What happened to your face?" he questioned.

"I fought my esteemed father in a duel to prove my determination, holding nothing back." Yuya gave him a knowing look.

" _And he got his ass handed to him, but his father more than likely understood what his choice was…"_ he thought.

It was five minutes later that the group had gone up an elevator, and ended up at the top of the tower, where they were let into the office. Reiji was standing near the windows, looking down on Maiami City as the lights glittered like jewels in the night, holding a cup of what seemed to be coffee in his hand, while nearby Serena was seated, nursing a cup of tea, while Shay stood against the table where a few small items were laid out, and nearby Reiji was a young boy with pale lavender hair and dull cornflower blue eyes. Sky went over to the table, sitting down the boxes in his arms before reaching in to grab himself a doughnut, which caused Sawatari to question the boy.

"Did you rob a doughnut shop or something?" he asked.

"Of course not, Krispy Kreme is open twenty-four-seven!" the blue-haired boy took another bite of his pastry while Yuya shook his head, seeing the lavender-haired boy glancing at him.

Yuya sent him a small smile, and the boy hid behind Reiji while Sawatari fixed himself a cup of coffee alongside Gongenzaka, leaving the Pendulum Creator to sit down at the table and grab a small cup before pouring himself a bit of tea, being quick to mix in a small bit of honey before sighing in defeat as he pulled a vial out of his pocket and poured the orange liquid into the cup before starting to stir it, tapping the stirring straw a few times before he left it alone, letting it stir alone, causing the child next to Reiji to gasp, eyes widening as Yuya moved his finger into a circular motion and the honey put itself back in place before with a slight wave of his hand, the trash threw itself away, causing the boy to gape while Sawatari rubbed his eyes.

"What was in that vial?" asked Serena.

"Medicine… I'm… kinda being made to do it because I'm so bruised and scratched up." the girl nodded, saying nothing more as Sky held a box of doughnuts in front of her.

"Take one, I wasn't sure what anyone liked, so I got two of every kind they had," he stated.

"Um… I don't know either… I've never had one…" Sky hummed.

"Do you like fruit?" he inquired.

"Apples…" Sky pulled two of the apple doughnuts out and placed them on a saucer before pushing it in front of her.

"There ya go, give those a try… Shay? You got a favorite?" he inquired as Reiji smiled, looking at the group.

He had been the one to contact Sky almost an hour ago and ask him to go and pick up the doughnuts, hoping to try taking a page out of the Dyren Witch's handbook, and ease some of the tension that everyone had by presenting a peace offering of sorts. Tsukikage thanked Sky and took a plain one while Gongenzaka took two chocolate ones as Shay eyed the blue-haired boy in questioning, before he was approached and sighed, relenting at the boy's expectant look as he took two cinnamon ones before Sky went towards Yuya.

"You gotta eat, right?" he offered, and the boy gave him a small smile, pulling out two lemon-filled ones, putting them on the saucer while Reiji moved towards the table, taking a seat while the boy stood off to the side, looking nervous. Yuya eyed him for a moment and then reached for one of the boxes, using a napkin to take a chocolate glazed one out before going over to the boy, crouching down to his eye level.

"Hey, what's your name?" he asked, causing the group to look at him.

"He won't answer you, he's – "

"R-Riley…" Reiji felt his eyes widen as the boy nervously answered the Waking Witch.

"Nice to meet you, Riley… I'm Yuya. Do you like doughnuts? Or have you never had one?" he asked.

"N-No, I haven't…" Yuya held out the one he'd grabbed.

"When I was about your age, these were the kinds I liked. Wanna give it a try?" he questioned as Riley timidly took the pastry from Yuya's hand and took a bite, chewing slowly before smiling to himself.

"Hmm…" Reiji smiled a bit.

"See? They're really good, huh?" Yuya inquired as Riley nodded.

"Good…" Serena, Sawatari, and Shay stared at the boy in questioning, having never seen him interacting with children before.

" _He's so gentle and kind… that kid looked terrified, but now he's calmed down, just because Yuya talked to him,"_ Shay thought to himself as Yuya continued to stay crouched before the boy.

"So, you wanna come join us at the table? You can even sit by me if you want, but I'm sure your brother wouldn't mind you sitting with him, he seems to really care a lot about you," Yuya stated, somewhat startling the group, Reiji included.

"How did you know he was my brother?" scarlet eyes glanced to him, Reiji taking in the boy's attire and the lack of goggles.

"The way he acted around you. I kinda took the cues he gave off by hiding behind you and sticking by your side…" Riley looked him over.

"T-Thank you… Mr. Sakaki," the boy stated weakly.

"Just Yuya is fine, no need to be formal with me. We're friends now, right?" he gave the boy an honest smile and Riley nodded slowly.

"O-Okay..." Reiji looked to him.

"Riley, you can sit by me. I won't mind at all," he told him as the boy nodded, sending Yuya a small smile as he came to get into the seat next to Reiji before Yuya returned to his seat.

A moment later, everyone was seated, eyeing Reiji as he finished stirring in some sugar into his otherwise black coffee before he sat the straw aside, and looked towards the group sitting before him. All his hard work had paid off to some degree at the very least; however, there was much to still be discussed, and many things to undergo before the Lancers would be prepared to depart from the Pendulum Zone. With that in mind, Reiji decided to begin discussing what would need to be done in preparation for their departure.

"It's good to see that all of you are here on this fine morning," he stated.

"I wouldn't exactly call this morning…" Reiji smiled a bit.

"And yet, all the same, we must begin discussing the current situation," he explained as Shay frowned.

"Okay, then how about we start with some questions being answered?" violet eyes glanced towards tawny ones.

"And what would those be? Shay?" he asked. The Risulian Witch gave him a glare that Yuya could admit was a bit unnerving.

"Let's see… how about how you know all of this information you told us about yesterday? I know Shuinin gave you information on the Obelisk Force's invasion, but how did you know everything else?" Reiji raised an eyebrow.

"Please specify." Serena huffed.

"The story about the Zones and that our world is called Millennium," she stated.

"Your intentions with the Lancers." Gongenzaka narrowed his eyes.

"And how you knew so much about Yuya," he informed the other as the scarlet-eyed boy gave him a long look.

"W-Wait! Just the important information is fine, no need to get personal…" Reiji sighed.

"Very well, I can deduct that all of you are untrusting of me because I did indeed manipulate all of you in order for you to be tested during the Battle Royale; therefore, I suspect granting you some information before we get to the main reason we're here is in order," Reiji stated.

"It's not just that you manipulated us… Reiji, there are several of us who have loved ones on the line… and your actions make us think you might be more of an enemy than an ally. We're asking for clarification. Please." Violet eyes looked to scarlet, and he sighed, bowing his head towards Yuya slightly, almost as in a sign of respect.

"If that is what you want. The information on the Zones of our world is old knowledge, that through various resources I was able to find on a hunch. I heard of the old fairy tale that five-thousand years ago, a war had broken out that spread darkness through all the worlds… in a desperate act to protect our world, a King sacrificed himself, sparing our world destruction and instead split it into six Zones that later received the names they bear now of Ritual, Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, Pendulum, and Link. However the King was also the protector of our world, and upon his death, that title was divided amongst the six Zones into twos, so that supposedly, when a war of darkness started in our world again, they would band together and stop it from destroying us," Reiji stated as Sawatari scoffed.

"A fairy tale? You formed all of those strategies and pulled all the right strings because of some old story?" the silver-haired seven-teen-year-old took in a deep breath.

"Yes, because unlike many believe, this story and these protectors are very real. They are known now-a-days as Pillars, and unlike the story, there are not twelve, but ten of them, two for each Zone of Ritual through Xyz, which leaves Pendulum and Link with one Pillar," he informed them. Serena took in the statement nodding at the words.

"You told me about that, they're the people that the Professor intends to assassinate in order to make the Zones become Dimensions…" Sky looked down.

"But, how can we be sure that's the case? Is there any proof that these people are real?" inquired Gongenzaka.

"There is insurmountable evidence to support the story. At current, we are in a war that is threatening to destroy our world for the sake of one psychopath's ambitions…" Tsukikage frowned under his mask.

"Might inquire how this Zone-Dimension transformation began?" he probed.

"Yes, it all started in the Xyz Zone, in the Spring of twenty-twelve… the invasion of Academia began, and thousands were lost in a short time… however, it was a month into the invasion… that a certain someone was taken hostage, in April on the twenty-third in mid-day… am I mistaken, Shay?" all eyes turned to the Risulian Witch.

"How did you… know? Yuto never talked about that around you," he stated as Yuya tensed.

"I was able to take a few liberties and found a way to gain information on the Xyz Zone. That mostly came from Yuto Kisaragi's Duel Disk…" Shay tensed.

"Alright, here's a question I've got! What the hell happened to Yuto?!" he snapped.

"I'm unsure, his Duel Disk was recovered from central park on July sixteenth in the middle of the night." Sky flinched.

"When I was about to be called back to Academia, Yuto and Yuya were there together," he mentioned as Shay looked to Yuya, a sharp glare in his eyes.

He stood, and in an instant had the boy pulled to his feet while he stared into scarlet eyes that gave him a worried look. Shay didn't want to fight a Waking Witch, whether they were experienced in their magic or not, going into a toe to toe battle with one who didn't have good control over their abilities was asking for death, and what made it worse was how much Yuya looked like Yuto. He appeared a bit younger, and his skin had a slightly darker complexion to it than his friend's, his hair wasn't black and lilac, and his eyes weren't a silver-stormy gray, but Yuya still looked like the boy.

"Tell me something… you claimed Yuto gave you Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon… but… I'm not sure I believe you… I think you took it and his Duel Disk by force and handed it over to this manipulative jackass! So explain it to me, right now!" Shay went to put his hands on Yuya's shoulders, and the moment he did, Yuto's appearance overtook the other and he heard his friend speak.

" _ **Shay, don't hurt Yuya. He's a friend that I fully trust… Yuya wouldn't betray or trick us… he's a good person…"**_ Shay felt his eyes widen.

"Yuto?" he let go, backing away as Yuya gave him a concerned look.

"W-What? Are you okay? Shay?" Yuya asked him as the other shook his head.

"I'm… sorry… it's easy for me to lose my temper when I'm this tired. Forgive me for acting that way." The other smiled to him.

"No, I understand. Yuto asked me to take care of his Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, and to use it to make things better. I'm sure if Yuto could tell you right now, he'd tell you to just take a deep breath and trust me… I have no intention of betraying his trust…" Shay stared at him in disbelief before he slowly looked down and returned to his seat.

"As I was saying, on that day, Yuto Kisaragi was kidnapped by a man named Paradox, and he was rescued by his comrades in the Resistance… Shay, can you fill in the rest?" Reiji questioned as the Risulian Witch took in a deep breath.

"Yuma, one of our closest friends, was our commander, for multiple reasons… he was perfect for the job. He took it in stride, and was always close with Yuto… but on that day, when we managed to rescue Yuto from that man… Yuma was killed… cut down in front of us in cold blood." Yuya bit the inside of his cheek, choosing to hold his tongue on the subject.

"It was, I can assume, not an easy loss… and I apologize for bringing up an unpleasant memory," Reiji said as Yuya felt Yuto growling in the back of his mind.

"Then why did you bring it up?" Yuya bit his lip as the words left him, causing him to keep his gaze down while Reiji raised an eyebrow.

"Because on that day, Paradox completed the first step of his mission in slaying the primary Pillar of the Xyz Zone, Yuma Tsukumo, successfully transforming the Zone into a Dimension, and leaving its Secondary to take his place as the sole Pillar of the now Xyz Dimension," Reiji explained as he closed his eyes.

All eyes went to him at the words, the very information striking them like a bolt of lightning. Yuya heard Yuto swearing within his mind, letting him know that the information was just as gut-wrenching to him as it was to them. To learn that some old fairy tale had not only substance but proof to support it was a terrifying notion, to even the Witches of the group. Shay closed his eyes tightly, clenching the sleeve of his jacket as he took in the information that made his guilt of not being able to help Yuma survive even worse.

"So… in order for Academia's scheme of putting the Dimensions into one… the Pillars have to die?" inquired Dennis, his expression pale.

"Indeed. Though I am unsure how they found Yuma Tsukumo, I do have a theory of the Academia knowing all locations and identities of the Pillars of Millennium." Yuya tensed.

"Then that means they'll hunt them down… but why haven't they already?" he asked.

"Because Paradox attempted to assassinate three of the Pillars last year, and he was destroyed. If the Pillars stand together, they are very difficult opponents to defeat, and this is one of the reasons that Academia waited; in addition, I get the feeling that wiping them all out at once wouldn't have worked in their favor…" Sky nodded.

"In which case, they would have waited, biding their time in order to make it easier to get their hands on the Pillars when they're separated from one another or in a place that it would be easy to kill them off," Sky stated while he glanced to Yuya.

"Then… what do we do? If these Pillars are so important to our world, we can't just let 'em be killed." Reiji smiled at Sawatari's statement.

"Correct, that is why one of the goals of the Lancers will be to head into the Dimensions and find the Pillar that was cast into the Dimension when it was split from the Zone. This will most likely be the Secondary, and if we do find them, we will have them join us as a Lancer," he stated.

"Wait! If we do that, we're putting them at risk!" violet met scarlet and Reiji shook his head.

"They'll be safer fighting alongside allies… in addition, if we have two Pillars, we can restore the Dimensional-Zone rift with their power," he said.

"How do you know that?" Reiji raised an eyebrow.

"In the old documents, the Pillars are said to have incredible power when united. Should something begin happening to the Zones of Millennium, pooling the power of two Pillars or more can reverse the process of a Dimension being born or continuing to exist," he stated as Serena looked to him.

"I remember you mentioning that… those three Duelists that stopped Paradox were Pillars, and they spared the Ritual Zone from being completely split, unlike Fusion and Synchro." Reiji once more nodded.

"Correct, now, one of the tasks of the Lancers is to head into the Synchro Dimension, gathering allies, and seek out the Pillar who resides there. Once we do, we can find a way to mend the Synchro Dimension back together with its Zone, then we will head to the Xyz Dimension and attempt to do the same… then, we will finally head to the Fusion Dimension, defeat Academia, and put it back together with the Fusion Zone." Yuya thought on the plan and sighed.

"If we do that successfully, then the original plan of Academia to fuse the Dimensions into one whole world will completely fall through. Just fixing one Dimensional-Zone rift would put a severe chink in their operation," he informed the others.

"Good point…" Reiji smiled, looking to the scarlet-eyed boy.

" _Our Pillar is quite a fascinating creature… that much is certain,"_ he thought before resuming the conversation.

"Now, I've explained the ordeal of how I know this information, and what our main obligations are as Lancers, so… the question of how I knew so much about Yuya is all that's left," he stated.

"Y-You don't…" Reiji shook his head.

"No, I pried into your personal information, and I do apologize. However, I have been attempting to form the Lancers since I became the President of Leo Corp after I met Serena when I accidentally stumbled upon a gateway to my father's island, which had become Academia," he explained to them.

"Y-Your father? The leader of Academia is your dad?" Reiji nodded.

"Unfortunately, that is the case… but I want to stop him because I cannot agree with his actions. If he wanted to help our world, he should have brought the Pillars together, allowing them to know of one another's existence instead of trying to kill them. Now, after Yuya's first Pendulum Summoning, I took note that something was… special about him and decided to investigate into the matter more," he told them.

" _ **Stalker…"**_ Yuya gave Yuto a mental prodding.

" _Hush! Now isn't the time to be snide,"_ he thought to him.

"In the end, I found out a bit more than I thought possible. Including that Yuya was a Witch, and I even found your adoption records." Several eyes turned to the red-green-haired boy.

"Oh… you did?" he questioned.

"Y-You're adopted?!" scarlet eyes looked to the others in questioning.

"Yusho and Yoko Sakaki are my aunt and uncle. It was their younger siblings who were my parents… but my mom was sick when she was pregnant with me… so… they had to take me early and we were alright, but when I was six months old, my dad passed away, and my mom started getting sick again… when I was eight months old, my mother passed away, and per her final request, her older sister, Yoko, and her husband, my father's brother… adopted me and raised me as their own," he explained. Sawatari glanced down, wanting to ask more, but not having the heart to do so at the information.

"Damn…" Sky sighed as Reiji looked to Yuya.

"I'm also aware of your actions towards my computer mainframe in the recent months," he told him knowingly as Yuya gave him a sheepish look.

"Right… um…" Reiji reached for the papers at his side.

The Leo Corp President started to hand them out to each person present, knowing that the time had come to begin delegating the things that would need to be done before their departure. It was the main reason that he had asked them to come so early in the morning, so that they would have plenty of time to begin the process of completing their tasks. As the papers reached each of them, some gave confused expressions, seeing their names and jobs that were required of them, which caused some confusion as Sawatari looked at the paper and then looked to Reiji in shock.

While most of them knew that they would have to do some things before departing, the things described on the papers, weren't anywhere in the spectrum. Taking in a deep breath, some of them sat the papers down, Yuya choosing to start eating the doughnuts he'd elected not to touch until then while drinking down his tea to keep himself from saying too much, or from Yuto blurting out something that that neither of them needed to. At that moment though, Dennis let out a shocked exclamation and Sawatari read through the paper again while Sky and Shay shared looks of equal surprise.

"G-Guns?! Bombs?! And m-magic training?!" asked Sawatari.

"Oh, my…" the other shot Dennis a look while the orange-haired New Yorker looked down at the paper before him.

"Are you serious? Why do we need all of this?" inquired Serena.

"Because we're unsure of what may await us in the Synchro Dimension. I can supply the guns for each of you to keep on hand, should a situation require it. Then, there is the matter of the bombs… Shay? Sky? Can the two of you handle programming?" the trio gave him a long look.

"I guess so… but… what about this other thing, calibration of security and teleportation settings on Duel Disks?" Yuya looked through the information and looked to Reiji.

"That is your main job, Yuya," he told him.

"W-What?! Me? Why?" the silver-haired D/D/D Duelist gave him a knowing look.

"You're the infamous _Phantom_ , the hacker that's been getting into all of the databases off and on for quite some time. The anti-hacking program you use is very good, and we've been unable to hack you back at any point, meaning having this installed into the Duel Disks will keep others from hacking it and doing damage to them through signals," he explained while Sawatari looked to Yuya.

"Phantom? As in the hacker that bugged the central station's cameras three months ago?" Yuya gave him a sheepish look.

"That would be me… but I'll have to have about a day to completely rework the program in order for it to be used as a Duel Disk security system. Also, if you're wanting to use teleportation magic fused with technology, I'll have to do some extra work on the Duel Disks… it'll only take a few extra hours in addition to the security program… can you design something to act as an activation key?" Yuya looked at the other information and Reiji nodded.

"I can. I'll have everything you need here tomorrow for you to begin, right now, I have other tasks involved. Tsukikage, Gongenzaka, I would like you to provide basic combative training, Sawatari, I need you to pull strings with your father and have everyone given leave from school, can you manage that?" he inquired.

"Sure thing, just let me tell my dad a little info on why. Plus, if you send in a formal letter, or give him a confirmation call, he'll handle the rest I'm sure." Reiji looked to the two others.

"What about the two of you?" he asked as Tsukikage nodded and Gongenzaka slowly did as well.

"I will do my best." Reiji smiled.

"Good, now, Serena, I need you to make some of your powders, ones that can act as a healing agent. I have provided as much material as you will require; Dennis, if you have the chance, please make a few protection crystals for our team to wear in order to ward off curses," he stated as Dennis shook his head.

"I'm good at charms, hence my Skill Title… protection crystals aren't my forte. But I can make some warding stones to keep everyone from getting targeted by lethal spells. They won't work forever, but they'll do their job while they can." Reiji gave him an agreeing nod of his head, and looked at the information.

"Then we'll have to find someone whose adept at – "Yuya looked to Reiji.

"I can do those. It's one of my talents… protection crystals and wards are something I'm pretty good at. In addition, you have these things… Fly-By-Night capsules… are you intending for us to have the mortals use them?" he questioned as the witches of the group looked between him and Reiji.

"Yes, I do… in addition, I want you, Sky, and Shay to show everyone basic spells. Today, you must start to gather the materials required to make two bottles of a hundred and ten capsules per current members, in addition to five extra bottles for anyone whom we gather that aren't Witches… whatever means necessary to do so is fine." Sky gave Reiji a long look.

"Fly-By-Night flowers aren't easy to put into a capsule form! Plus, that amount would take more than just one or two witches!" he pointed out.

"He's right, that would take an entire coven… seven to thirteen witches…" Sawatari shook his head.

"Okay, hold the phone, I heard it yesterday, and I know what I saw you do earlier with your drink… are you really…" mauve eyes looked to Yuya who looked to him with a calm expression.

"Yes, I'm a witch…" he stated.

"Yuya isn't just any witch, though, he's what's known as a Waking Witch, one of the rarest of our kind. His magic is incredibly powerful, and very unique," Dennis supplemented while Sawatari's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

"S-So… you'll be teaching us magic?" Shay looked to Reiji.

"Are you sure having him do that is a good idea? I know you saw what he did to those Obelisk Force Soldiers in the Ancient Ruins area," he stated.

"Yes, I did, and letting him practice with his magic and show others will help him better control it. In addition, having a Waking Witch on our side can give us a distinct advantage…" Yuya glanced down.

"But… you've gotta understand that my magic is extremely aggressive and possessive of me… if something triggers it, I can't be sure I won't try to hurt everyone else," he admitted.

"I have the video footage of your battle with the Obelisk Force Soldiers… without question, it's an incredible, and terrible sight… for those who didn't witness what took place, or wish to, I will allow them to view the footage for their own sakes, if that is fine with you, Yuya." The boy bit his lip.

" _ **I don't know if showing that is something that needs to be done."**_ Yuya sighed.

" _Yea, I know… but the others have a right to know what I'm capable of. If they see it for the first time in the battlefield… it could cause problems,"_ he sent his thoughts on the situation to Yuto, who huffed.

" _ **Alright, just be careful, okay?"**_

"It's fine if you show them the footage, just… bear in mind, I wasn't in the right state of mind at that point…" Serena raised an eyebrow.

"Very well. I want to get everyone's measurements in a bit, and following that, we'll be giving everyone a set of cards designed for their decks based on the current summoning mechanics we'll be facing: a Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, and Pendulum monster as well as what will be required to use them… however, should you already have one of these, you can choose whether or not to take them," Reiji stated.

"That's a smart move, you did the same thing with me. And we've got five days to learn how to use the other summoning mechanics… but will the Resistance member be willing to learn such an evil method?" Shay shot Sky a hard look.

"Watch it, you Willy Wonka reject, or I'll put you in a taffy stretcher," he growled.

"Oh, really?! Well, why not have a little rematch? Right here and now!" the two stood, moving closer to one another, magical pulses starting to flare.

"Sure, I don't gotta problem with kicking your ass right here in front of everyone," Shay snapped. Yuya narrowed his eyes.

"I'd like to see you try! I might be against Academia, but I sure as hell don't have any problem putting a stuck-up Xyz user in their place!" the moment the words left Sky's mouth, Yuya was on his feet.

"ENOUGH!" he shouted, the lights flickering as the two stared at him, red energy forming around his body in a manner that looked threatening.

"Y-Yuya?" the boy shot the two a withering glare.

"We're on the same fucking side! We have a common enemy! And if we're gonna win this fight and stop them, we've gotta put our differences aside! I created Pendulum Summoning, I use _Fusion and Xyz Monsters!_ They work in harmony alongside all my other Monsters!" he stated.

"Sakaki… your eyes…" Yuya narrowed now crimson eyes at the two.

"If I have to be a fucking example of how any mechanic can work with another, then I'll do it in a damn heartbeat! So, you've got two choices: either work together, get your shit together and sit down, or, you'll duel me, and I won't fucking entertain either of you, I'll stomp you into the ground so hard you're heads are gonna be spinning for the next two weeks! _Now take your damn pick!"_ Eyes the color of freshly drawn blood remained locked on the two, both of them feeling the energy coming from the boy, which drew anxiety into their systems.

Shay and Sky both knew how powerful Yuya was, whether he was in control or not would dictate how horrible the fight would be; however, neither of them were keen on going against him when he was clearly sleep deprived and had a short fuse. Taking in a deep breath, the two slowly went back to their seats, and Yuya gave them both a scolding look before sitting back down in his seat, leaning in his chair as the group stared at him, Riley giving him a spooked expression.

"Now that everything is settled, I want everyone to get their measurements done, and then come collect your cards, today is time for preparations… tomorrow, we begin the process of putting everything together," Reiji stated as everyone nodded. They knew one thing was certain at this point: the next five days were going to be quite the ordeal.

 **{…..}**

 _Seven Devils all around you, Seven Devils in your house…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Yep, the Lancers are starting to prepare for their departure, and Hugo's Clear Wing seems to be a troll. Anyways, this chapter was mainly exposition, as most of the next chapters will be; however, they're also to begin a bonding segment where all the Lancers can kind of become a bit closer; in addition, they're also going to be learning some things from one another. Tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Hugo ex Machina moment during his duel with Chaser 227.

Clear Wing Synchro Dragon's chant was inspired by her attribute.

A Cast is what a lower-class magic user is called in the Synchro Dimension.

Krispy Kreme is a doughnut place in some parts of the USA, I've gone there off and on since I was a toddler, and it's been around since the 1930s. they've got amazing doughnuts and are actually open almost 24/7.

The idea about using the doughnuts to ease tensions is something my high school year book administrator did for all of us new staff members when I joined my sophomore year of homeschooling high school.

We got some more details on things pertaining to the Pillars in this chapter, so pay attention to those things.

A good portion of this chapter is inspired by _Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V Season 2 episodes 53 – 55._


	52. Chapter 52: Coven

Chapter 52: Coven

 **{Sakaki Household: July 26** **th** **, 2014: 9:20am}**

"I'm home!" Yuya called as he dragged himself inside the door, kicking off his shoes as he gave an exhausted sigh, Yoko looking to him as he came towards her while she eyed him.

"You look exhausted, maybe you should get some rest." The boy sighed and held the paper out to her.

"Take a look at this," he told her.

Yoko took the paper from her son and began reading through it, her eyes widening as she looked to the things that needed to be done in the process of them departing in five days' time. She was flabbergasted by the amount of things that needed to be completed by the time they left on August first, and how so much of it would need to be handled by witches. Sighing, Yoko looked at the exhausted boy before her and pulled him into an embrace, being careful not to irritate his injuries as she did so.

"Seems like all of you have your work cut out for you." He nodded, putting his arms around her waist.

"No kidding…" he muttered.

"You know it'll take a coven to complete this, right? Just the two of us can't complete all these Fly-By-Night capsules and protection crystals." Yuya nodded slowly.

"I know… what do I do, though?" he questioned as Yoko sighed.

"We'll have to call for a coven. How many witches are in the Lancers?" Yuya hummed, his tired brain not wanting to process the information.

"Myself, Shay, Sky, Dennis, Serena, and Aura…" he told her.

"So, that means we have seven including me; however, it'll take more witches to do that many capsules," she explained as he groaned.

"Then what do I do? Atop this, I've gotta reprogram all of our Duel Disks, and teach basic magic spells…" Yoko placed a hand atop his head.

"We'll have to get a full coven together… thirteen witches," she told him.

"How?" Yoko thought for a moment.

"I guess it's time for you to give Umino another visit," she stated as Yuya looked up to her in shock.

"What?! No way! I'm not going in there!" Yoko gave him a long look as he shook his head, refusing to accept the information.

"You don't have a choice. I'm your overseer, but you're the one in need of the coven to make the capsules. That means it's time to don the witch's attire again, Yuya," she stated as he sighed.

"Dammit…" Yoko frowned.

"Language, young man," she said as Yuya slumped in defeat.

"Fine… I'll go get ready…" Yoko nodded.

"And take the broom, you know how some of the elders can be," she told him as he nodded and went up the stairs.

Yuya wasn't a formal person, that much anyone who knew him could tell you point blank; however, even he knew when it was time to submit himself to the fact that he would have to _dress up._ At current, he was going into his closet and pulling out a trunk, taking in a deep breath as he thought of what he was having to do before opening it. Yuya quickly gathered the items out of it, pulling out a few dark colored objects before he looked at the small box at the bottom.

He groaned in defeat as he picked it up and opened it, knowing that he didn't have to change his attire for this situation, but would need to do a few things in addition to arriving with a formal request. Yuya looked at the black ink-like paste inside the box before taking some of it onto his fingers as he pushed his bangs out of the way and drew a rune symbol on his forehead, knowing that the magic ink would remain in place until he needed it to wash off. He proceeded to place another rune atop his left hand, and then closed his eyes, placing the ink at the edges of his eyes as he took in a deep breath and looked at himself in the small mirror on his closet door.

"I fucking hate this shit," he muttered.

"Well, you look very edgy, but I'm not sure I get the point of that stuff." Yuya sighed.

"This is a really annoying, but very old tradition. When asking for a formal request, you're supposed to place runes on your skin with charcoal, if you're going into war, it's ash; however, if you've returned from a war, you have to do this with blood… the ink is an ash mixture… so, I have to do this crap…" Yuto watched the boy as he rubbed a faint line under his eyes, causing the scarlet color to stand out more than it normally would.

"And once you're done?" he inquired.

"I can't take this damn stuff off until around mid-day tomorrow. It's a sign of an agreement and honoring the elder witch you've visited by letting them draw a rune on the left side of your face. So, this is gonna be some seriously weird shit." Yuto smirked.

"And you have to show up all done up, this'll be fun to explain," he stated.

"You know, sometimes, I think you're more like a curse than an attached spirit."

Yuya gave him a pointed look as he grabbed a black hat off the floor and went towards the back of the house, his aunt coming with an old broom with runes drawn into the handle alongside a series of ornate designs. It was going to be a long day, Yuya knew that when he'd woken up that morning, but this most certainly was the icing on the cake for him. Yoko adjusted the hat on his head, something he never wore unless required, before giving him the broom, which when he took hold of it, the designs on the handle lit up red for a moment before he prepared to leave. Yuto asked him a few questions about riding the broom, and he answered quickly before kicking off from the ground, taking as high as he could into the air before flying off, leaning down on the broom a bit as he got it to speed up.

When he was learning how to fly a broom, Yuya had run into a few trees in the area outside of town, and eventually the tree side-stepped him, causing him to crash into the ground; however, with a few well-placed spells by both he and his aunt, they had avoided serious injury, not that he wasn't dizzy for a while after that. Eventually, he got the hang of it, but he still preferred walking, taking a bus, or a car as opposed to using a broom, but it did beat heavy traffic. Yuya sighed in defeat as he kept flying, being thankful that a type of sticking magic was used on witch's hats to keep them from flying off when in flight.

" _ **Will Umino help you?"**_ Yuto's question had Yuya shaking his head.

" _I don't know for certain, but this is a serious situation, and I'm sure Aura has already let her headmistress what's happening. She's probably expecting me, all the same…"_

 **{Umino Fortune Duel Academy: 10:02am}**

Yuya landed in front of the school, and entered the gate, walking forward, and towards the door before knocking a few times. A moment later, he was let in by a student, taking in his appearance as he glanced their way and sat the broom down beside the door while he kept his hat upon his head, Yuto remaining frighteningly quiet as he spoke to the student, asking to see the headmistress, and was nodded to quickly, the person not meeting his eyes as they lead them towards her office in the highest point of the school.

While it was uncomfortable, Yuya understood why the student didn't meet his gaze at any point: he was wearing the facial markers of a witch about to head into war. It was a small but strange custom to not meet the gaze of a witch wearing those marks upon their face until they've been given a blessing by an elder witch, and that was part of why he was there now. The rest was going to be a chance of good luck and determination to convince an elder witch to help form things that would aid mortals who would be fighting alongside him in combat.

The student and he finally reached the door of the headmistress, and with another knock, he was let in and felt her energy hit him like a stiff wind, magic curling about his waist as he was jerked into the room and the door slammed shut behind him. Yuya was released and he quickly removed his hat, placing it at his side as he got down on one knee, keeping his head bowed as his heart began racing in fear. While he had met this woman before, it wasn't for reasons of him needing her students to help with, and this time, he was asking them to become actively involved in a war.

"Blessed be and merry met, brethren Yuya Sakaki," she said.

"As I am humbled to be in your presence, Madame." He kept his gaze down, taking in a slight breath.

"What does a child of Hecate require of my time?" she inquired as Yuya kept his head down.

"I seek your blessing… and…" the Romanian woman took in a steady breath.

"Child, I know what it is you come for. But why do you so? Your presence is ushering in the footsteps of doom. The battle that is soon to be raged will be nigh difficult for you, child of Hecate," she told him as he took in a deep breath.

"Yes, but please, I ask that you hear me out!" the headmistress took a long look at the boy.

"Raise your head," she stated. Yuya did so, scarlet eyes locking with the woman's cool greenish-blue ones as she observed the child in front of her.

"Madame Aradia, you know why I came here. There is war brewing, and many witches have and are going to be in this battle, I am asking for assistance in gathering items required to aid the witches…" she eyed him.

"But also the mortals that shall head into battle alongside you. Child, do you know what you ask of me? We are not a warrior race… our kind is humble and granting of the gifts given unto us… heading into war is not what we do," Madame Aradia told him.

"As I am aware; however, this situation… it may destroy our world, and I need help to prevent it." The woman closed her eyes.

"As a Child of Hecate, one who bears the same ancient and noble magic that the Great Magus herself does, you have an incredible gift that allows you to not be contained to a single branch of magic to focus your power upon. You can do many things with your gift… however, squandering it upon war will not benefit your talents," she stated.

"This isn't what I want! Please! All I desire is for the person I love to be returned to me, and for our world to be safe! We are witches, as you said, and as such, we value life and nature greatly… but… if we are to turn a blind eye to countless lives that will be forfeit at the gain of a heartless beast… then we're not fit to call ourselves anything that is descended from the Druids or the Wiccans… who held that above so much else!" Madame Aradia stood from her seat.

Yuya was jerked to his feet, his arms suspended at either side as he was hoisted to the point that he was barely touching the floor. His body was unable to move as invisible coils wrapped around his waist, arms, legs, and throat as the Headmistress of Umino came towards him, sweeping gown trailing behind her as she appeared, standing before him. Yuya knew who she was, a woman who, though she fooled everyone, wasn't quite what she seemed. Madame Aradia was actually an Italian Witch, a very old one, though her legend only truly surfaced in the Victorian era. Aradia was a Strain Witch, descended from a Goddess, and one of the most powerful non-Magus witches in existence. Her action of restraining him right then was child's play for her, and he knew that very well.

"I am well aware that this is a vital battle, but you… Yuya Sakaki, do not understand who you really are," she said as she grabbed his chin, forcing him to look her in the eyes.

"What do you mean?" she sighed.

"The powers you have are indeed great, but there is more than just light within you. Darkness is also part of who we are… if you desire to do something against this battle, you must be willing to delve deep into the darker side of your magic… and once you do… face the evil that may await you on the other side of that door," Madame Aradia told him as she stared into his eyes.

"I'm… well aware that we're beings of darkness and light… and while I'm certainly scared of what I might face… I'm… not going to break under it… I'll bend, but never shatter…" the elder witch narrowed her gaze.

"There is an answer I seek… hold still," she stated as Yuya was forced to stare into her eyes.

"Let go!" Madame Aradia's magic tightened its grip on him, causing him to give a slight cry of pain as she looked at him.

"You have a deeper side to you… there's more to your life than just being a Waking Witch, and I desire to know what I am choosing to help or deny before I do…"

Madame Aradia went towards a cabinet to the left of the room and opened it before reaching into it to pull out a crystal vial with a purple liquid in it. Yuya narrowed his eyes as she came towards him, and went to grab his chin again, causing him to turn his head to the side as she narrowed her gaze once more. Yuto panicked, but whatever kind of magic she was using kept him from helping Yuya as she held his head in place and opened the vial before forcing the potion down his throat. Yuya coughed violently at the bitter taste as she sat the vial on the desk, her gaze remaining on him as he hung his head, breathing coming out in a series of sharp pants as he felt the potion starting to take effect.

"W-What was…" Madame Aradia kept her expression neutral.

"It'll show me what you're really like for just a few moments. I'm going to see the thing you're trying so badly to restrain…"

" _ **Shit! Yuya! Hey! Answer me!"**_ Yuto called to him, and Yuya felt his vision blurring a bit as he shook his head.

The creeping chill of his magic started to cover his skin, and he ground his teeth together, wanting deeply to restrain it, but whatever mental barriers he had put in place were shattered against the potion's effects, causing him to shiver as he tried to move out of the restraints. While he was a Waking Witch, Yuya was also only fourteen years old, and that meant the likelihood of him being able to combat Madame Aradia's magic was slim to none. The woman smiled a bit as the boy took in a few weak breaths, and she started to move towards him.

"Now, let's get a good look at your true appearance," she said as she reached out to grab his chin in her delicate, long fingers.

Yuya was forced to look at the woman who stared at him, confused and somewhat surprised as Yuya kept his gaze upon her, knowing that his eyes had changed colors, the dark markings having appeared under his eyes while without question his canines had sharpened to some degree. Madame Aradia laughed a bit, looking him over in curiosity before turning his head left and right, almost as though she was examining him.

"Fascinating, you are truly a remarkable creature… I see now… then I suppose your desire to fight cannot be quenched. Release him," she said with a snap of her fingers. The binds let Yuya go and he went to the floor coughing, his body shaking as the potion remained in his system, his Waking Magic flooding his entire form as he desperately tried to reign it back under his control, but it refused as he remained on his hands and knees, upon the floor with panic startling to rise up in him.

"The potion only induces the effects of your magic, you won't lose control. Also, you are not in any danger or harm; therefore, it is sensible to assume you've got full control over it for the time being," she told him as Yuya looked to her.

"Why did you do that?!" he snapped, jumping to his feet.

"Because I don't agree to helping anyone without knowing exactly who and what they are. As for you, Yuya Sakaki… the more I witness your abilities… the more I realize what a rare being you truly are. Someone such as yourself is quite uncommon; magic aside… your heart is pure… nothing but untouched light, so, I wonder what a taste of darkness will be like for an untainted being such as yourself." Crimson eyes looked her over.

"Will you help me or not?" he inquired.

"Indeed, I will. You desire to have Fly-By-Night capsules made for yourself and your comrades… very well, we have a large store of them here, and can produce the require capsules for you in three days' time. Will that suffice?" Yuya nodded slowly.

"I… thank you," he stated.

"No, I appreciate you making my day a bit livelier. I am an old witch, child, excitement only comes once in a blue moon. Now, kneel please." Yuya did as asked, closing his eyes as he felt the woman's long nail slide across his left eye and curve just under his cheek, placing a temporary rune in place to show her acceptance and promise to uphold their arrangement truthfully. Soon, he was told to leave, and Yuya stood, bowing quickly as he grabbed his hat and rushed from the room while she smiled.

"A Pillar, a Witch, a Duelist, and so much more… my you are indeed a wondrous creature," she muttered to herself.

 **{Sakaki Household: July 27** **th** **, 2014: 4:20am}**

Yuya blew his bangs out of his face as he tugged on a deep blue t-shirt and a black hooded jacket that he quickly zipped up, putting his glasses away in a case in his pocket he grabbed a small back pack and slipped in a few notebooks he'd written the program's information onto before putting his duel disk and deck into his pocket before he started down the door, Yoko looking to him as she handed him a small canister, and he was out the door a few moments later, taking in a deep breath of the cool air. He started walking, pulling the hood of his jacket up to hide the marks on his face as he did so.

When he'd returned home yesterday afternoon, Yoko had seen the runic seal over his left eye that went straight over the lid and covered a portion of his forehead and the area just under his eye. It was a simplistic rune, but not too simple either, and would be impossible to rid himself of until after mid-day today. Which meant heading in to work on the programming with the ash marks under his eyes, the rune on his forehead, left hand and over his left eye for everyone to see. Some of the witches would know what he'd had to do; however, he worried about the ones who wouldn't understand.

It was fifteen minutes later, that Yuya arrived at the Leo Corp tower and sighed as he looked at the nearby clock in the street and saw that it was a bit past five, meaning that he needed to get straight to work when he arrived where they would be working on all the technical things together. Sighing, Yuya blew his bangs out of his face once more before he took the elevator down, waiting for the responses that he knew would come as he finally hopped off the elevator and was greeted by the group while he gave them a quick wave and went right to the computers that Reiji had set up for him to use.

Yuya laid out his notebooks and put his glasses on, finding it strange that they bothered his eyes slightly, but considered that it meant his eyes were more tired than anything else as he got the Duel Disks everyone had left on the table and began hooking them up to the computers, opening the notebooks as he began working on the programming, causing the group to pause as he worked between the three computers, keeping the hood of his jacket up so that no one would see the marks on his face. Being thankful for the chair that he had which possessed wheels and would swerve if he needed it to, Yuya used it to his advantage to double check a couple connections before he started to go back to his programming.

"Whew! He's working like a lightning bolt!" Dennis stated.

"Y-Yea… that's… pretty impressive…" Shay watched the boy, seeing the occasional flash of the light of the computer screen off of his glasses lenses.

"Yuya? Do you want something to drink?" asked Sky.

"I'm good right now…" he kept working away, slender fingers moving across the keyboards skillfully as Reiji observed the boy from a distance, seeing the programming from over the boy's shoulder.

"How long have you been doing this?" inquired Serena.

"About four years now. It started off with small stuff, but now I can hack into most mainframes if I have a means to…" Gongenzaka remained silent next to Tsukikage, seeing the boy working with a fast pace.

"How long will that take before – "Yuya paused.

"Sky's Duel Disk is finished, next up for the transfer is Serena's," he stated as slid to the side, unplugged Sky's yellow Duel Disk and placed it to the side as he moved back into place and went working on the computer once more.

"Didn't you mention that this could take a whole day? Or more?" Yuya nodded at the question.

"I checked it over yesterday evening, there's a secondary algorithm that I didn't exploit originally, and since I found it, I can implant a different code strand and cross it with the original binary and there you go! The Duel Disks will be done in no time, then all we have to do is implant the magic strain in them and they'll work fine with the cards Reiji develops," he told them.

"Let me just pretend I understood that…" Yuya shrugged.

"Basically, I'm replacing an old wire with a new one to fix something and make it run better," he mentioned, sliding to the side as he removed a purple Duel Disk that belonged to Serena and then went to the next one.

"Who's next?" Yuya paused.

"Sawatari," he stated before going back to work.

The group watched him for a few minutes, doing their work in between their observation while the clacking of the keyboard echoed in the otherwise silent room. Yuya continued to work, wanting to get done as soon as possible; however, when he glanced at the clock, it was only six in the morning, meaning that while he had been making progress, it had still taken about an hour to finish the reprogramming on the two Duel Disks he'd finished.

Sighing, Yuya finished Sawatari's and set it aside before he leaned back in his chair, stretching a bit as he went to work on the next Duel Disk. It was in that moment, though, that he was given a shock of his life as the chair was whirled around and his hood was thrown back by a quick hand belonging to Shay. The moment that happened, everyone in the room had looked over, seeing the Risulian Witch step back as Yuya gaped at him in disbelief, revealing the boy to the others as his expression became one of annoyance as several shocked expressions appeared in his line of vision and he jolted.

"Shit!" he went to cover his face and Shay grabbed his wrists.

"Oh, no, you don't! what the hell did you do?" he asked as Yuya pushed himself back from the other using the wheels of the chair to his advantage for a moment.

"It's not anything bad! I swear!" Yuya tried to defend himself as the group stared at the strange marks on his face. He looked tired, but above that, they saw the dark lining under his eyes, the slight sight of a rune on his forehead, the black mark on his left hand, and the evident black rune that was drawn clean over his left eye.

"What the hell did you do to yourself?" inquired Serena as Yuya sighed, removing his glasses as he did so.

"In order to get what Reiji needed for the Fly-By-Night capsules, I had to go and speak with the elder witch in our area… and well… there are… requirements that have to be met… the marks I've got on my face are part of that… the rune over my left eye is her agreement to help make the capsules…" Gongenzaka stared at him in disbelief.

"So, you let her mark you like that?" he questioned.

"It's not permanent! It'll be gone by mid-day today. Promise!" Sawatari eyed the boy and looked at the marks before glancing at the glasses on the table.

"Wait… you wear glasses?" he inquired.

"I'm far-sighted, okay?!" Sawatari rose an eyebrow.

"You? Far-sighted? I've seen you spot an action card half-way across the field!" he told him.

"And? They're just for when I'm reading or working like this! Otherwise my eyes are fine!" Sawatari laughed a bit.

"That's kind of funny…" Yuya bit his lip.

"It's not funny!" he stated.

"Yes, it is! to think that you need glasses…. I guess you're human after all." Yuya gave him a startled look.

"Human?! The fuck, are you talking about?! I might be a Witch but that doesn't mean I'm not human at least by emotional standards! _Witches aren't monsters, Sawatari!_ We're not the kind of things movies make us out to be!" he snapped, closing his eyes tightly.

"Whoa! I didn't mean it like that… I just… to find out all this kinda stuff is really insane. I never really believed in the supernatural before all this." Yuya glanced to the side.

"This is the life we've lived with for thousands of years. A long time ago, we were appreciated… then we were hunted and ostracized just for being different. Everyone thought that we stole children and ate them or bathed in their blood… but… hardly any of us did that… only the evil witches do that… and most of us just want to live peaceful lives… we're not warriors, most of us just want peace and safety for our loved ones! And yet we still have to live in secret every single damn day! Do you know what that feels like? No, I doubt you do…" the boy closed his eyes again and Sawatari looked at him, seeing that the boy had his arms folded in a manner that had his hands and wrists tucked under his arms to keep them hidden.

" _What is he trying to cover up?"_ Sawatari sighed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel like that. Um… listen… what's the deal about your magic?" he asked.

"My magic? I'm a Waking Witch, Sawatari… if people threaten me, I can lose myself to it. It's like someone flipping a switch… one minute I'm myself, the next minute I'm completely insane and willing to hurt anyone… including my friends… and that's because I can't control it yet." The half Italian glanced to the side.

"Yea… but… I've never seen it so – "Reiji stood.

"That can be quickly remedied," he stated as he grabbed a remote from nearby and pointed it at the large flat screen TV hanging on the wall, at which point he turned it on and a moment later the footage began.

"Yuya, if you don't wish to see this, you can leave." The boy shook his head.

"No, I want to see it," he stated as Reiji bowed his head to him.

"Very well…"

The group watched as Yuya seemed to go unnaturally stiff upon one of the pillars before he slumped forward a bit, his body looking mechanical as he stepped forward before slowly he stood straight and jumped across the way, landing on the street smoothly as he stalked towards the Obelisk Force Soldiers, catching their attention, and not a moment later, the duel began. It was a horrific sight because of the behavior Yuya exhibited during the fight, being quick to be hit for several points before they noticed the magic having taken over completely. The boy's wild, glowing red eyes, his sadistic smile and cold laughter joined with the strange marks under his eyes and his fanged teeth set the appearance of something dark and twisted as opposed to the person they knew.

For those who hadn't seen the beginning of the duel, where Yuya had risen up like a corpse from the grave, and his slow changes, it was unnerving while they only stared at the sight. It was brutal, the duel changing into a vicious beating as Yuya used Xiangsheng and Xiangke Magician to summon Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon as the boy took in a deep breath and obliterated the Obelisk Force before he turned his gaze towards the screen and a moment later it went off. The room was deathly still as Yuya slumped into his seat, his mind racing. Was that really what he looked like? How he had acted? There was no denying that his friends should have been horrified of him in the state he had been in, and that information was undeniably terrifying.

"Gods…" Sawatari glanced to Yuya.

"That was… your magic?" he asked.

"Y-Yea…" he shook his head.

"Holy… I mean… what the… and you looked so different! But…" Sawatari couldn't find the right words and merely shivered as Yuya looked down.

"I know… that's the first time I've seen what I did… and it's… just as bad as I thought it would be," he muttered. Riley, who was standing near Reiji glanced at the boy before hiding behind his older brother.

"You shouldn't be ashamed of your abilities, Yuya. As I see it, the magic did as it was meant to and helped you to protect your allies. Perhaps you did lose control, but it means you must learn to bend it to your will… in addition, it proved you have truly valuable allies," Reiji stated as the group looked at the red-green-haired boy as he took in a deep breath.

"Maybe you're right…." Dennis smiled to him.

"Of course, he's right! Yuya, you're strong, yes, but the way I see it, you're a great asset to us. Just remember, witches have their gifts for a reason, and because we have those abilities, we need to do our part in order to help our world," he told the boy as Yuya smiled a bit.

"Right, but I'm not any more important than the rest of you." Serena let the words sink in, and she nodded.

"Exactly, we all have a role to play in this war, and we're going to do our best. So, let's get back to work," she stated as she went back to making the powders Reiji had requested of her and soon the others set back to work, Yuya glancing to the others momentarily while smiling before heading back to reprogramming the Duel Disks.

 **{Synchro Dimension: 11:40am}**

Yuzu looked around the place she was in, questioning what was going to happen since they had escape Security. Hugo was across from her in the kitchen, working on fixing them something to eat while she sat on the sofa in the living room, her mind toying with the information she'd received in the last twenty-four-hours. Periwinkle eyes closed, exhaustion getting the best of her as she elected to ignore the situations that had happened during these last few hours. Hugo came over to her and placed a plate down that consisted of an omelet, sliced apples, and a few pieces of bacon. The girl thanked him as he nodded and sat down a glass of iced water.

"We'll be fine if we lay low for a few days," he stated.

"Are you sure?" Hugo nodded.

"It's not the first time I've evaded them," the blue-blonde admitted as he sat down with his own plate, causing Yuzu to look at him as a small flickering caught her attention at his shoulder.

"What's that on your shoulder?" Hugo glanced her way and then reached up and pulled a small version of Clear Wing Synchro Dragon off his shoulder before setting her down on the coffee table.

"This is Clear's form when she's not in a duel," he explained as Yuzu looked at the tiny dragon.

"She's so tiny! Like a kitten's size…" Hugo held an apple slice out to her and she took it, nibbling on it.

"Yea, Clear is my familiar. Some witches who are duelists have their favorite monster as a familiar, Clear's been mine since I was a little kid," he stated as he took a bite of the omelet and Yuzu followed, being grateful for some food for the first time in almost twenty-four hours.

"So… I gotta ask… what's a Cast?" Hugo glanced down.

"It's a slur towards us commons who have magic. They call us that bullshit because saying we're Witches or something else is _above us._ It's fucking insulting… a Witch is a Witch, plain and simple…" he told her.

"Um… you mentioned earlier that… there are others who can use magic besides a Witch?" Hugo looked to her.

"Yup… Witches are the most common and have the most versatility in their magic; however, Sages are really great for care and creation… they've got a serious talent in making things, and tend to take care of children and have a strong sense of justice… though they're typically peaceful, they do know how to fight… after Sages are Alchemists, the medicine makers… that's their skill, creating medicine and toxins… they're not fond of violence and believe that in order to gain anything, something of equal value must be lost," he explained to her.

"So, Witches are the most versatile in magical abilities, Sages are good at making things and care for others, and Alchemists make medicines and toxins… what's after them though?" Hugo smiled.

"Sorcerers, they're straight-up combative magic users. They know how to use spells designed for warfare and are some of the best combat magic users; however, Risulian Witches are still tougher… they're called the Lion Witches sometimes," he stated.

"Combative magic users, huh? Then… what comes after them?" the Tempastus Witch hummed.

"Warlocks… nasty pieces of work. They're good at curses and were formerly witches who turned to the dark arts… you better hope you never cross paths with one. Then you have the Wizards, they're more knowledge gatherers than anything, and are normally benevolent, but you'll run across one everyone once in a while that's anything but," he informed Yuzu of this and the pink-haired girl swallowed nervously.

"And then you said there was another one… I don't really remember the name though." Hugo nodded at the statement.

"The Magus… they're ancient, and powerful Witches with incredible abilities. Some of the oldest are Hecate and Cernuous, they're lovers… others include Merlin, Morgana le Fey, and some others like that. A Magus, though, they hide in plain sight often, but one of the oldest, Hecate, doesn't even go out into the world anymore, she's hidden away somewhere so that she doesn't have to be around people anymore," he told Yuzu this as the girl looked down.

"That sounds lonely… wait… isn't Hecate the Goddess of Witchcraft in Greek Mythology?" Hugo shook his head.

"She was painted as such, but that isn't true. She's no deity… just a very powerful and ancient Witch… I heard she's still very beautiful, though." Yuzu rose an eyebrow.

"How old is she?" she inquired.

"Let's see… her story is in Ancient Greece… so… she's around… seven thousand years old…" Yuzu felt her jaw hang open at the statement.

"W-What?! S-Seven thousand years old?" she asked him.

"Um… yea… Witches can live thousands of years, and we don't really age that much so…" Yuzu swallowed nervously.

"So… you're really fourteen, right?" she questioned as Hugo gave her a bland look.

"No… I'm not." He went back to eating and Yuzu raised an eyebrow.

"Then… how old are you?" she questioned as Hugo glanced her way.

"Fifteen…" Yuzu started eating again, taking in the silence for a moment.

The information had Yuzu wondering about the length of time Witches lived. They seemed to be capable of living forever, and she suspected that those situations occurred only if something else such as injury or illness didn't kill them off. Periwinkle eyes glanced down to her plate as she sighed, wondering if this was what Aura had meant when she'd told her that she and Yuya wouldn't work out. True, Yuzu didn't know a lot about the world Yuya was a part of, and even if she learned all there was to know about it, Yuzu still wouldn't be able to truly be apart of it. Yuya would outlive her by leaps and bounds, his lifespan extended by his magic and his heritage as a Witch, while Yuzu, a mortal would eventually age and die. The girl put her plate down, expression somber as she thought on these factors and Hugo looked to her.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Can… witches and mortals live peacefully together? If they're in a relationship? Or… does the lifespans make it harder?" Hugo gave her a long look.

"Oh, this is about you and your boyfriend, huh? Well… there are half-bloods, one witch parent, and one mortal parent. They're not that uncommon, but I wouldn't worry too much… if you and Yuya want to stay together, do it… there are spells, potions, and curses that drastically expand the lifespans of mortals who are lovers to witches and creatures… so I wouldn't get so flustered over it… you guys are what? Fourteen? You've got plenty of time, just focus on us finding the Pillars and kickin' Academia's ass! Once we do, the two of you can discuss wedding plans," he stated only for the girl to blush and him be slammed over the head by a fan. Hugo tumbled off the sofa and groaned, thankful that he sat his plate down before he'd gotten assaulted by the girl's hammerspace fan.

"Yuya and I… never got to tell each other how we felt… so… one of the reasons I want to find him… is so I can tell him… that I'm in love with him… and I… have been since we were little kids…" Hugo stared up at the girl as she sat her plate to the side, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Hey, I get it. Rin and I are dating… but I haven't told her how… much I love her yet either, and neither has she… the day she was taken… we had planned to go out somewhere and… she told me she wanted to tell me something important, and I did, too… but because of Academia, I didn't get to hear her say what I was hoping for the most… and I didn't get to tell her that I love her, either…" Yuzu wiped her eyes and glanced to Hugo.

"It seems like the eight of us are a series of unspoken words… like we're unable to admit we love one another before we're ripped away from each other… it's not fair… you and Rin, Yuto and Ruri, Serena and Joeri, and Yuya and me… it's because of this stupid war," she said, wiping her eyes again as fresh tears fell and Hugo sighed as he got back up on the sofa and put an arm around her.

"You'll be okay, all of us will be. Remember what I said? If we put our hands together to do something, we can topple fucking mountains! You know it just as much as the next person, so cheer up, m'kay?" Yuzu nodded slowly.

"Okay…"

 **{…..}**

 _See I was dead when I woke up this morning…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Whew… this chapter made me anxious. I actually am recovering from a concussion, so the writing has been going super slow, but I am still managing to give you guys chapters, so I hope I get at least one review for each chapter, considering what I'm struggling against. Tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia.

The ash paint Yuya put on his face is actually inspired by Native American traditions of war paint.

Aradia is an actual historical witch from the 1400s, but her name wasn't known until the 1800s.

Yuya basically going ex Machina when it comes to hacking.

We got some explanations on the different kinds of magic users exist.

Yes, some of the witches are _that old._

Hecate is the Greek Goddess of Witchcraft, Magic, Spirits, Necromancy, and was known as a kind and helpful goddess.


	53. Chapter 53: Veiling

Chapter 53: Veiling

 **{Leo Corp Tower: July 28** **th** **, 2014: 4:00am}**

Reiji Akaba stood observing the data that had been implanted on his Duel Disk, finding the anti-hacking program Yuya had put into the electronic to be nearly flawless. The program had only one weakness, and it was only accessible with a singular code, which, from what he saw, Yuya himself was the only one aware of it. Reiji smiled, satisfied with the work the Pillar had done while he also considered that today, the spell required for the card he'd developed to work would be applied, and once it was, the Duel Disks would be completed, in addition, the bombs would be finished today. Reiji looked to the table where a small set of packs were located, and smiled to himself, knowing that he had completed the work he needed to on the cards for the group. As he sat his Duel Disk down on the table, the door opened, and he looked to see his mother present.

"Good morning, Reiji," she said.

"Morning, mother, have you slept well?" Henrietta smiled.

"I'm afraid these early hours aren't sufficient for me. However, you are much younger than I am, so me being able to be up this early is reasonable I suppose," she stated.

"Hmm… is Riley with you?" Henrietta shook her head.

"I was going to let him sleep for a bit longer. You know young children need more sleep than you teenagers do," she explained as Reiji nodded and Henrietta looked at the Duel Disks and cards laid out on the table.

"So, I'll take it that Yuya Sakaki completed the Duel Disk programming?" Reiji glanced her way.

"In no time at all, our Pillar has completed the reprogramming, gotten a coven together to make the Fly-By-Night capsules, and will be applying the magic to the Duel Disks today, and then he and some of the other Lancers will be meeting up at his residence, and with Yoko Sakaki's aid and supervision, will be creating the protection crystals while also making the anti-curse stones," he informed her as she nodded.

"Then they're coming along with preparations nicely, and we're only on day three. Have they prepared to do magic practice and combat training?" Reiji shook his head.

"That will start tomorrow. Today, Yuya informed me that he has to return to Umino Fortune Duel Academy and pick up the capsules, then he and the Lancers will proceed to make the crystals and stones before coming here. They will arrive later today to complete the bombs, Duel Disks, and begin gun training," he stated as he looked towards the city below him.

"I see… and are you certain teaching them how to handle guns is appropriate?" Reiji nodded swiftly.

"The Obelisk Force has placed witches in front of firing squads in order to execute them. This leads me to believe that they may use such methods to do us harm should they come to the Synchro Dimension… in addition, magic in the basic form will be shown. Yuya will be one of the people who teaches us, alongside Shay and Sky," he said simply.

"Are you positive having Yuya Sakaki teach all of you magic is wise when he can't even control his own?" Reiji smiled just a fraction.

"Yuya is more than capable of controlling it; however, there are moments when it gets the best of him. Doubting one another is not something we can do right now though… Yuya is our Pillar, and we cannot afford to mistrust him, nor misuse his power," Reiji stated simply.

"Very true, but still… the powers he possesses are not known to us, what if he were to use this against us?" the silver-haired teen glanced her way.

"If you're insinuating that Yuya would betray us, I suggest you save your breath… that boy isn't that kind of person," he closed the conversation, and Henrietta sighed.

"Whether he is or not, a Waking Witch is a lethal force of nature… that much was made clear in the stories." With that, Henrietta walked away, exiting the office as Reiji sighed.

Since he had chosen Yuya as a Lancer, his mother had cautioned him against it, not only because there was a high risk of something bad happening to the boy on the front lines, but because it was evident that Yuya had very little control over his magic when his emotions got the better of him. Reiji knew all of these details very well; however, he also was aware that Yuya was undoubtedly powerful, and would be a valuable asset on this journey. The silver-haired teen sighed, closing his eyes for a brief moment while he thought over how the Dimension-Zone rift would have to be repaired, thus doing just as suggested, and snuffing out his father's schemes in moments. At the moment, though, preparing his Lancers, would be the best course of action.

 **{Sakaki Household: 8:03am}**

Sylvio Sawatari let out a long sigh as he walked towards the address he had been handed by Yuya yesterday afternoon. He was supposed to be present at the house alongside the other Lancers in order to assist where they could in addition to receiving their crystals and stones. It was going to be a grueling process, he understood, and while he was thankful that he had been able to sleep in just a bit today, he was also questioning why the hell he was having to come when he had no power. It rubbed him in an odd way, to know that the boy he had picked on and challenged to a duel for his Pendulum cards had been a powerful Witch all along, and most likely could have just turned him into a mouse or something if the notion had crossed him.

However, what unnerved him the most, was getting to know more about the red-green-haired Odd-Eyes Duelist. Ever since elementary school, Yuya Sakaki had made him extremely confused, and it had little to do with much more than by his appearance and presence. The scarlet-eyed boy had an aura of purity and innocence around him, something that made Sawatari nervous if he got down to the root of his dislike of the boy. Yuya was always smiling, giving people understanding, and never chose to seek revenge, when it was obvious that he could have. The half-Italian sighed in defeat as he considered how many times he had picked on the boy, and how often he had seen signs that Yuya was more than just a strange-looking but beautiful person.

His energy had always been a source of envy growing up, seeing as he could keep going much longer than most could, and he rarely got winded or tired, and then as they entered middle school, after a short stint away, Sawatari had been floored when he'd returned from his vacation, to see the strange little boy he'd met, had grown quite a bit. Yuya had shown what his mother called a natural beauty, which he never quite understood – but his mother was Italian, and he supposed they understood it better than most – when she had met Yuya, the woman had fawned over his scarlet eyes and mixed color hair as though he was a work of art. Sawatari groaned, wondering why his tired brain was making him think such strange things.

"It's like he's some kind of mythological creature or somethin', I swear," he muttered as he heard someone fall into step with him and glanced to the side to see Shay walking beside him.

"Good morning, Sawatari." The blonde-brunette jolted.

"O-Oh! Morning! I guess you're heading to Sakaki's house, too, huh?" he inquired.

"Yuya requested the witches to be there so that they could help with empowering the crystals and stones that he and Dennis are working on. As a witch myself, I feel as though I have a responsibility to be there when asked to help." Sawatari eyed the blue-haired teen.

"Witches sure are high on this honor code thing…" he stated.

"It's because during times of crisis or war, we are all one another has. Our community has been built upon thousands of years of tyranny and suffering from mortals who merely didn't understand us and thought we were evil." Sawatari sighed.

"Admittedly, I kinda thought that, too. Until yesterday when I saw Yuya nearly in tears when he said what he did about being a witch… at that point… I couldn't see him or any of the rest of you who are witches… as what I used to think they were," he informed him of this, and Shay huffed.

"Not that I blame you, because you didn't know better… but perhaps you should have considered that what movies portray something as doesn't necessarily mean that it is exactly that." Sawatari nodded glumly.

"Until a few days ago, I thought all of this was fictional bullshit for little kids… and yet, here I am," he told him as Shay glanced his way.

"Believe me when I say this: _reality can be more terrifying than fiction_." The other sighed.

"Yea, no kidding… especially the one we live in," he muttered.

"HEY! HURRY UP YOU SLOW POKES!" the two looked up to see Sky standing at the end of a driveway, waving his arms back and forth as they picked up their pace and approached.

The moment they turned around the shrub and the house came into view, Sawatari was frozen in his tracks. It was a normal, modern house, painted white with a nice garden and private backyard. Plants were growing, neatly kept in the garden, butterflies were floating around, the grass well-kept, and everything tidy. He blinked, rubbing his eyes and took a moment to gather himself before he followed Sky and Shay down the driveway and Sky opened the door, letting them in where Sawatari was greeted with another shock. Aside from the climbing wall and fireman's pole, the house was clean, with hardwood floors, neat, white walls, and a few randomized things here and there that looked like foreign decorations, but Sylvio suspected were part of the practice of witchcraft.

"You're looking kinda bug-eyed there, Sawatari, you okay?" mauve eyes looked up to the top of the stairwell and saw Yuya leaning over it.

Yuya looked tired, dark circles under his eyes, his normally faintly tanned skin pale, and his commonly vivid scarlet eyes a bit dull. His hair was mused up in an odd way, his goggles not there to keep it tamed as he crossed his arms over the railing. Yuya was dressed in loose fitting green pants like his normal ones, a black v-neck t-shirt, and his pendulum crystal.

He was barefoot, lacking his arm warmers, and anything else that was common in his attire; however, his arms were marred with severe bruises, gauze, and bandages, showing him how injured he was. Sawatari eyed him as he stretched and grabbed hold of the fireman's pole before he swung down gracefully and landed like a cat. Yuya stretched once more and looked to him.

"I-I um… your house wasn't what I was expecting," he admitted as Yuya chuckled a bit.

"Guessing you were expecting a cottage or maybe a house made of candy?" Sawatari felt his mouth open and close like a fish while Sky hummed.

"That would be kinda cool, but that hag had it comin' to her, giving the rest of us a bad rep," he mentioned as Yuya shrugged, Sawatari staring at him still.

"Yea, you've gotta point there." Shay removed his jacket and shoes, Sawatari following as Yuya stretched a bit more.

"Did you just wake up?" the Risulian witch inquired.

"Sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night… fixed a few small bugs I found in my own duel disk. It's wanting to be kinda weird with me… probably because it's used to the magic I put in it when I duel normally… when the programming changed, I had to extract all the magical impulses embedded into it so it would take it and also accept the spell I'm putting on the other ones." Shay sighed.

"Just don't get yourself too worn out, got it?" Yuya nodded, covering his mouth as he yawned.

"Gotcha…" Sky laughed.

"Maybe you should drink some coffee," he suggested as the other shook his head.

"Mhm… I don't like the taste… is anyone hungry? My aunt's making breakfast for everyone." The group walked into the kitchen, being greeted by Yoko busying herself with cooking as Shay looked around alongside Sawatari while Sky sighed, Yuya going to help his aunt.

"Thank you for making breakfast for all of us, Mrs. Sakaki," Shay stated as Yoko glanced his way.

"No problem dear. The lot of you can't survive on doughnuts alone, even though our resident Dyren Witch could say otherwise." Sky smiled.

"Hey, they're a breakfast food!" he defended as Yoko shook her head.

"Your kind of witch have such ridiculous sweet toothes." Sawatari looked around the kitchen, seeing dried herbs hanging from the ceiling in different areas.

"Make sure to give him the chocolate chip ones, then," Yuya mentioned tiredly as he started to get a few jars out and began putting the leaves he plucked from it into a silver ball before he grabbed a red tea kettle and sat it on the stove, preparing to turn it on normally when Yoko looked to him.

"Yuya…" he rolled his eyes.

"Right," he stated as he pointed his finger at it and the dial turned as he rotated his finger to the left, turning it to four in order for the water to boil, causing Sawatari to gawk.

"Vielen Dank…" Yuya hummed.

"Dankon…" he replied as Sawatari slowly took a seat at the surprisingly large table.

"What was that?" he muttered to Sky who smiled.

"Esperanto, witches have used it to communicate for a pretty long time now, and that was mostly because it was a mixture of Romantic, Germanic, and Slavic languages with a dash of Latin and harder for people to understand back in the day. It's pretty dead now-a-days, but witches use it and Latin still as a universal language as well as our native tongues." Sawatari stared as he looked to Yuya.

"How many languages do you speak?" he inquired.

"Five…" the other felt his jaw drop open.

"F-Five?!" he exclaimed as Yuya glanced his way.

"Yea… well… technically six, but the others are only on basics, I can speak five fluently, though, excluding my native language…" Sawatari hummed.

"Which ones?" Yuya thought for a second.

"Esperanto, Latin, German, French, and English," he stated.

"I only speak Japanese and Italian." Yuya looked to him again as he leaned against the counter.

"That's something my mom's trying to teach me," he informed the other while Yoko sent him a look.

"Hai bisogno di esercitari…" Yuya blew his bangs out of his face.

"I know, but with everything going on, I barely even have the time to read the grimoire, let alone practice another language," he defended as Shay smiled.

"Seems to me that you're gonna have to pick up the pace if you want to get a handle on that Waking Magic of yours." The scarlet-eyed boy gave him a peeved look.

"Thanks, I'll remember that if you flub something up or – "Yuya was cut off by a squeak of shock as the broom slammed into the floor, causing Sawatari to jump as Yuya padded over nonchalantly and picked it up.

"Broom fell again," Yoko stated as Yuya gave her a knowing smirk.

"Company's coming…" Sawatari eyed him strangely.

"How do you know that?" Yuya looked to the corner of the kitchen and sighed as he walked over and picked up a purple fluffball in a turban, showing Sawatari that it was Performapal Momoncarpet, in the flesh.

"It's both an old belief and a witches' skill in knowing… if a broom falls, company is arriving," the boy explained.

"But still, how can you – "a ring of a doorbell came through the house and Yuya glanced to Sky.

"Can you grab that, Sky?" the other nodded and rushed to the door while Sawatari continued to stare while Yuya let Momoncarpet crawl up his arm and rest atop his head.

"You have a Duel Monster on your head," Shay mentioned as Yuya shrugged.

"That's where she usually goes… now, if I can just find Odd-Eyes…" the boy grabbed a small bag of dog food from the cabinet and poured it into a bowl before a series of pets came into the kitchen, Yuya moving around the cats and dogs as he started setting down bowls for them, hopping around them as though he were actually dancing, which was the sight that greeted Serena, Dennis, Gongenzaka, and Aura.

It was quite the sight, Yuya jumping around the hungry animals with a smile on his face as Momoncarpet clung to his head and he started putting down more bowls until finally they were all down and the animals started leaving him alone, which allowed him to sit Momoncarpet down on the far end of the counter for her to eat her grapes and cat food in peace. A squawk caught his attention and he crouched, picking up a smaller than normal Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon which crawled to sit on his shoulder, causing some of them to gape.

"Oh, my Gods! Is that Odd-Eyes?" Dennis asked.

"Yea, he's one of my familiars… but he seems to be feeling a bit gloomy… he's smaller than normal." Aura looked around and Sky shut the door at long last, taking in a deep breath as everyone began to sit down at the table, and Yuya went to pull the kettle off the stove, being mindful of his mother's new rule, which he followed by using magic to turn it off and set it on the table.

"How are you feeling? I heard you didn't feel good yesterday after what the headmistress did to you," Aura stated in concern.

"I'll be okay, the marks are gone, so I'm just glad it's over…" Yuya sat down another small bowl and Odd-Eyes started growing a bit until he was the size of a cat and started chowing down on the dog food.

Serena eyed the place around her, taking in the animals in addition to the duel spirits that were eating happily as she took her seat and remained quiet, thinking over how strange it was to be in an actual house instead of the castle that was Academia. Glancing up, she saw the herbs hanging from the ceiling, drying to be used in potions and powders, which caused her to smile a bit as it reminded her of the green house Joeri tended to.

The blue-purple-haired girl took in a deep breath, crossing her fingers in her lap as she thought about her friend and if he was safe or not. Dennis being here also drew concern to her mind; however, she also had a feeling that asking him just yet would be a poor move on her part, and so she waited and strategized a way to get her answers as soon as possible.

"Now, is everyone here?" Yoko asked as Yuya got a few mugs on the table, a series of plates soon following with a set of forks, spoons, and knives next as he yawned again, causing Aura and the others to gawk a bit as he nodded to his aunt.

"Yep, that's everybody." She smiled, and before they knew it, the food flew onto the table, and Yuya and Yoko had joined them.

"Well, then… color me impressed," stated Dennis.

"Thank you, now, everyone enjoy!"

The group set to taking what they wanted from the choices available, Yuya putting an omelet on his plate with a few slices of tomato, apples, and bacon, foregoing sweets for the time being as Sky grabbed pancakes, chocolate chips, and blueberry syrup. Aura laughing a bit as Serena raised an eyebrow and Yuya shook his head while Gongenzaka thanked Yoko and started to eat his meal, taking his time alongside Dennis and Shay. Within a few minutes, they had gotten what they wanted and started to work on eating, silence overtaking them in a mixture of awkwardness and the deep desire to enjoy a few sparse moments where they weren't having to eat and work at the same time.

Within the last twenty-four-hours, the group of eight had been swamped beyond belief with their work, but had managed to cram it into that tiny window of time and got themselves a brief respite from the task of reprogramming duel disks, making bombs, gathering agreements from other witches, getting permission for them to not return to school any time soon because of a _special program_ Leo Corp was putting together – even though all of them believed that the head of their schools were already well aware of what was actually going on – and getting the basics of their first set of assignments out of the way before physical, magic, and weaponry training would begin later today and tomorrow.

"So, are things going well?" Yoko asked.

"At this point they are, who knows how it's gonna go between this afternoon at the departure date…" Yuya shrugged.

"Reiji's making sure we're prepared as we can be this quickly… but I get why he's doing these things," he stated.

"Why do you really think he's wanting us to learn magic? The minor combat and weapons training I kinda get, but why magic?" Shay looked to the others.

"Because if you don't know basics alongside those capsules… you'll be slaughtered," he pointed out as Yoko eyed him.

"I understand that things went badly in the Xyz Zone, and that you witnessed it. I'm sorry for it happening… if there had been a way, I'm sure a coven could have been called to help…" Shay shook his head.

"We did call a Coven… it didn't work… and what's worse… even our Pillar couldn't do anything to stop them…" Yoko looked down.

"That's another unfortunate thing as well… could you… maybe tell us what he was like?" she inquired as Shay took a bite of his meal, almost wanting to refuse, but decided against it.

"Yuma… was an exceptional person… he was kind hearted, honest, and dreamed big… no matter what, his attitude remained the same, even when things got bad. That was why he was in charge of our unit in the Resistance… he was just the right person for the job, and knew when to fight and when to retreat… it was a true honor to both fight alongside him… and to be his friend." Yuya felt his eyes soften.

" _ **Shay… I wish I could tell you how sorry I am for not being here… I should be able to help you… like I promised,"**_ Yuto thought.

"He sounds like the kind of person Yuto would have gotten along with well," Yuya mentioned, causing Shay to eye him.

"They were very close. Yuma was older than Yuto, but they were like brothers sometimes… it was like they had some kind of strange connection or something." Yuya hummed.

"From what I know about Yuto, that sounds like he had a good relationship with him… and I'm guessing the same goes for you? The two of you are childhood friends, right?" he questioned, causing tawny-eyes to widen.

"How did you know that?" Yuya felt a flush come to his face.

"Yuto mentioned it to me in passing…" Shay sighed.

"Oh, well… I guess that makes sense… I just kind of wish I knew where he's gotten off to. How far he is and if he's okay," he stated.

" _He's a lot closer than you think he is…."_

"I'm sure he's fine."

 **{One Hour Later: 9:40am}**

Gongenzaka and Sawatari stood up on the banister of the catwalk that connected the upstairs and the stairwell while the witches gathered in the area below them. It was quite the sight, all seven of them were barefoot, a circle of salt was surrounding a series of crystals that had been placed on braided ropes for them to put on their persons wherever they chose to. At the left side was Shay and Serena, across from them was Sky and Aura, while Yoko and Dennis were on the south end, and Yuya stood alone at the north. Sawatari was curious, but also worried, as he saw a dagger in Yoko's hand, and he began to wonder what they intended to do with it.

All of them before they had put the crystals on the floor, neatly separated from one another, and drawn the salt circle had gone to a basin Yoko had prepared in the kitchen and rinsed their hands in the icy water, while Sawatari and Gongenzaka watched, and Yoko drew different runes upon all of their foreheads, each symbolizing different elements and powers of nature before placing one upon her own forehead. It had been at that point that she had rinsed her hands, and taken a basin full of hot water and sunk the dagger she now held into it up to the hilt, closing her eyes as she carefully held it in and then removed it.

From there, everyone had to be certain that they cleared their minds, and soon, they would begin fusing the magic in with the crystals to purify them and form a protective spell upon them. Sawatari watched in fascination as Yoko took in a few deep breaths, and she soon opened her eyes, looking to each of the other witches before taking the dagger in her hand, and cutting a line on her palm which oozed blood before she held the dagger in front of her, letting a drop of blood hit the salt line, which quickly turned pale green-gold, spreading outwards as it started glowing.

"What in the – "Gongenzaka shook his head as Sawatari clapped his hands over his mouth, recalling that Yoko had asked that neither of them speak during this process.

"I open this blessing circle, so that these crystals may be cleansed," she stated as she handed the dagger to Dennis, who took it and cut a gash into his palm as well, holding the dagger in place as a drop of blood fell and the line of salt turned orange.

"Thus, I continue this blessing circle, so that these crystals may be unified." He handed off the dagger to Aura and clasped his cut hand with Yoko's own, the two waiting for the others to continue. Aura repeated the process, and took in a deep breath as pale green appeared upon the line of salt in front of her.

"As I forward this blessing circle, so that these crystals may aid," she stated as she handed the dagger off to Sky, and he followed the process as Aura grabbed Dennis's uninjured hand with hers. Sky took in a steady breath, dropping a bit of his blood on the salt before it glowed bright blue.

"So, I continue this blessing circle, so that these crystals may be supported." He held the dagger across to Serena who nodded, as Aura and Sky locked their wounded hands together.

"I pass on this blessing circle, so that these crystals may be a symbol," Serena said as she let the blood drop, causing it to become bright purple as she handed the dagger to Shay as she locked her uninjured hand to Yoko's.

"Once more, I continue this blessing circle, so that these crystals may be a shield." Shay cut both his palms, letting the blood drop on the salt to where it turned golden in color as he handed the dagger to Yuya while he locked his left wounded hand with Serena as Yuya looked at the others, Sawatari watching.

"As those who came before me, I complete this blessing circle, so that these crystals shall be bound and cast upon the mantle that all have spoken in a breath before I. They shall guard the hearts and souls of those who bear them upon their flesh, so say I," Yuya finished as he cut his hand, dropping the blood upon the salt which turned a vibrant glowing red as he tossed the dagger into the floor, anchoring it between the crystals before locking both hands with Shay and Sky.

The seven witches closed their eyes, Gongenzaka and Sawatari watched as the now gleaming, colored salt slithered forward, encroaching upon the crystals as it sought the dagger. Within a few moments, lines reached into the circle's center, touching the crystals as it coiled around the dagger, the crystals being dragged with it before a series of small glows appeared from the ten stones, startling the two mortals witnessing this as the crystals shined brighter as a gust of wind started to pick up, ruffling the hair and clothes of the witches, who still kept their eyes closed as the magic in the room crackled and seemed to cause the house to creak and groan to the point that Sawatari gripped the banister in fear that the house would fall apart before in the blink of an eye, it all stopped. The noise, wind, and lights vanished from existence, and a moment later, the witches opened their eyes, the salt retreating as Yuya glanced to the others.

"Job well done, kids! The purification and rite worked perfectly, the crystals will do their jobs now," Yoko told them as everyone nodded, Sawatari's eyes gleaming with fascination.

"That was freaking epic!" Sky laughed a bit at his exclamation while Yoko looked to her nephew.

"Yuya, I believe you know how to handle this part?" she inquired as he nodded.

The group watched as Yuya held his hand over the salt circle, moving his fingers as though he was making a string puppet move and slowly the salt began to move towards him, cascading up into a standing as he rotated the motion to both his hands and shifted his weight onto his front left foot, moving the salt into the air as though it was alive. Gongenzaka's eyes widened as Yuya kept his concentration, being careful as the salt kept lifting into the air and he took steady steps, making sure not to get distracted as he rotated the salt around his form, and back to in front of him.

Yoko watched with a satisfied smile as the boy moved his hand back and the salt followed until she opened the door, and he closed his hand into a fist, and then released it, taking in a deep breath which he quickly blew out gently, letting the air slip past his lips almost as though he were blowing a kiss of sorts as it sailed through the air and out the door to scatter about the front yard. Aura started clapping, jumping up and down a bit as Dennis whistled while Serena raised an eyebrow while Yuya picked up the dagger while Gongenzaka and Sawatari came down and stood near the boy while Aura giggled.

"Oh! That was so pretty! You did such a good job, Yuya!" she stated as Yuya smiled in her direction.

"Thanks, I'm not really an expert on that, though…" Gongenzaka looked to his friend.

"What was that exactly?" He probed.

"That, my dear friends, was what is known as a salt dance spell. It's a very old spell that was designed to gather salt from stones and natural resources, and make it abide by the hands of the witch… it's used during some of the solstices as a form of entertainment, but can be incredibly tricky if it's done incorrectly," Dennis supplemented.

"It was pretty neat to see, the only sort of traditional dancing spells I've seen done were the departure dances that my sister did." Yoko looked to Shay at that.

"Then I'll suspect your sister is an Avian Witch, that's quite an honor," she stated.

"Avian?" Yuya nodded.

"There are about fifty or so different types of skills witches are classed under, Avian Witches sing elegies for the dead, perform complex dancing rituals, purification rites, are renowned for their healing abilities and their gentle nature. They're not vicious unless you threaten to harm the lives of their loved ones," Yuya explained as Sawatari nodded.

"So… there's Avian Witches, Dyren Witches, and Waking Witches, what else?" Yoko shook her head, laughing a bit.

"No, Sawatari, dear… Waking isn't a skill… Yuya's kind of magic is used by less than once percent of our global population. Waking Witches have a special kind of history all their own," she told him as he looked to Yuya.

"Seriously?" Dennis nodded.

"Yup, just like red hair has a lot of history in witch culture as well," he pointed out.

"Red hair?" a sudden noise caught their attention as a grumpy looking gnome entered into the house, grumbling as he marched up to Yuya.

"Would you mind not spraying me with salt this early in the morning?!" Sawatari felt his eyes widen to the point he was certain they were going to pop out of his skull.

"Niknak, now – "the gnome stomped his tiny feet.

"No! I understand there are many things happening! I truly do, Master Yuya, but please! For the love of hemlock! Watch where you aim your spells!" he stated sharply.

"O-Okay, I just was trying to clean up after we did a purification rite, so I…" Niknak frowned.

"You red-haired witches are gonna get yourselves into a heap of trouble one of these days! You hear me?! It'll be the dark ages all over again!" he said as he stormed off, and Yuya sighed.

"So… who was that?" Yuya looked to Sawatari.

"Our garden gnome…" he mumbled.

"I see… excuse me, I think I'll go check myself into the nearest psychiatric ward…" Dennis grabbed him by the back of his shirt.

"Not this time, old chap, we've got work to do…" Sawatari was dragged away into the kitchen, deciding that in a house full of witches, it would be pointless to struggle.

 **{Leo Corp Tower: 1:00pm}**

"Alright, since we're all present and accounted for, I suppose it's time that I return everyone's duel disk, save for Yuya's I suppose. In addition, the cards I had mentioned earlier are present today for you to add to your decks," Reiji stated as the group nodded.

They had arrived after a quick lunch, and had been thankful for that before they'd arrived at Leo Corp's tower. Now, they were going to be heading straight into the task at hand: checking the Duel Disks to make sure they worked correctly, and adapting to the new monsters they had received. At current, they had retrieved their Duel Disks, and had each grabbed the cards handed off to them, and had begun inspecting them.

The lot included four Pendulum Cards, Polymerization – for their non-Fusion users – a Fusion monster, Synchro Monster, two Tuners, and an Xyz Monster. Gongenzaka eyed his Pendulum monsters, being thankful that he had been blessed with two of them having an effect that allowed him to Fusion summon without Polymerization. Sawatari eyed the newest additions to his deck, a Fusion Monster named Abyss Actor Stunt Double, two tuners known as Abyss Actors Announcer and Narrator, and an Xyz Monster known as Abyss Actor Legacy Legend.

Serena's newest monsters were a few pendulums known as Moonlight Wolf, who was a Scale One, Moonlight Tiger, which stood at a Scale five, and Moonlight Canary with a Scale of Seven. Following that were two tuners: Moonlight Black Cat and Moonlight Crimson Fox, and then her Synchro Monster of level seven named Moonlight White Bat. Lastly was her Xyz Monster, a rank four that had been given the name Moonlight Graceful Liger. She smiled, satisfied as she put the cards into her deck, having not received a Fusion due to her using those fundamentally. Her gaze turned to Shay, who looked at his cards, nodding and putting them into his deck without question, before Dennis cheerfully added his own, then it was left to Yuya.

He had been given five new monsters that he quite honestly didn't know what to expect from. The first one was a Fusion Monster with a Wind attribute, following that was a Synchro Monster with a Fire attribute, and an Xyz Monster with a Water attribute. Raising an eyebrow, he looked to his two tuners: Performapal Odd-Eyes Synchron, and Nobledragon Magician. Yuya read through the effects and nodded, plugging them into his deck and extra deck before shuffling the deck just before locking it in place within the duel disk, which he put into his pants pocket.

"Is everyone satisfied with the cards?" Reiji inquired.

"Yea! I think they'll be great additions!" Yuya glanced to Sky.

"You've already got yours, so I guess that's a good thing," he stated.

"Oh, it is… those cards helped save our asses during that invasion." Shay glanced to Sky.

"Which reminds me, why did you use an Xyz Monster?" he probed.

"Duh! Because I knew it was the right thing to do, and because I knew it would spook the socks off those flybys." Yuya shook his head.

"Shay, you can trust Sky… he's helped us through a lot already, and he's not going to turn on us… believe me," he stated as he locked eyes with the Risulian Witch. He never understood it, but when the boy looked to him in such a manner, he felt an overwhelming sense that he had no need to question his judgment on others, and thus, he only sighed and shrugged, not knowing what else to do.

"If you say so…" Dennis smiled.

"Now, shall we have a friendly duel to check on each other's disks and test out these new cards?" he suggested.

"That sounds like a splendid plan… I'll observe while the eight of you have your rounds." Reiji walked away, sitting down off to the side of the large, open room as the group squared off, four verses four. Tomorrow, they would begin physical and magic training and would only have three days to get the basics down before they departed. At this point, Reiji could only hope that it worked out as well as it did in theory; otherwise, things would become twice as dangerous as they already were going to be.

 **{…}**

 _I'll be dead before the day is done…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Dear sweet heavens! I was beginning to wonder if I could ever get through this chapter. It's one of the few that actually gave me a huge amount of trouble; however, I think I did okay. This chapter is much shorter than the prior ones, but that's because I'm using these as breather chapters before we get into the Synchro Dimension. At current, the Lancers will be departing from the Pendulum Zone in chapter 59 and we'll beginning the Synchro Dimension in chapter 60. Anyways, let me know what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

There's a hint in the first line Sawatari says.

It's true that the truth is stranger than fiction, and in this case, twice as dangerous.

I grew up hearing that if a broom fell, company was coming, and strangely enough, every time a broom falls in my house – even when I still lived in the house I grew up in – someone would come visit us.

Yuya and Yoko's statements to each other: _Vielen Dank: Thank you/Dankon: Welcome._

Esperanto was invented in _1887 by L.L Zamenhof_ and is spoken by approximately two-million speakers worldwide, and it is the most widely spoken constructed language in the world.

Yoko's statement in Italian: _You need to practice._

This is one of the first times we see Yuya using household magic.

The purification rite done on the crystals is made up, but it was inspired by the exorcism scene from _Practical Magic_.

The Salt Dance Spell was inspired by Element Bending from _Avatar: The Last Airbender._

Yes, there are approximately 50 different skills for witches; however, I only plan for 27 or so to show up in this story.

Hemlock is a toxic plant, and ironically is part of _the carrot family_.

I'll show everyone's new monsters at least once at some point in this story, don't worry.

Moonlight Graceful Liger, is a reference to one of Yuya's monsters that he uses in the manga known as _Handsome Liger_.


	54. Chapter 54: Witch Ruling

Chapter 54: Witch Ruling

 **{Sakaki Household: July 28** **th** **, 2014: 9:04pm}**

Yuya collapsed upon his bed, taking in a deep breath as he closed his eyes with a content sigh. The four-way duel had been fun, the group going in as teams of four each, trying to beat each other while using their new monsters. Gongenzaka had managed to Fusion Summon for the first time, and Sawatari had Synchro Summoned; however, Shay had stuck with his Xyz monsters while Serena had settled into an Xyz monster quickly, as had Dennis with his Fusions and Synchros. Sky had been able to get out Frightfur Raven and Frightfur Dragon in three turns, each of them attempting to Pendulum Summon at least once, but only three of them managed it in the end, excluding Yuya himself.

It was in that moment that he realized a quick tutorial was required, and had stepped up to the plate to do so in a matter of moments, asking everyone to stop dueling so that he could take a moment to explain. Yuya had quickly gone over the basics once more for anyone who hadn't been able to Pendulum Summon before, or who felt that they needed a refresher. Reiji had even listened in on it, and had constantly given him a knowing smirk that honestly bothered him to a degree. At current, though, he was glad to have gotten home, eaten dinner, gotten his bath, and now, was heading to bed, having to get up at four in the morning again the next day. As he set the alarm and flipped off the lights, Yuya sighed, pulling the covers up to his face, curing his hands under them as he snuggled into the warmth they provided while Yuto watched him.

"You look tired," he said.

"I am… it's been a long day…" Yuto smiled.

"Then go ahead and get some sleep," he told him as he sat down on the floor, only for Yuya to sigh.

"Hey… Yuto?" the spirit glanced his way.

"What is it? Am I bothering you?" he questioned.

"No! I was just… wondering something…" Yuto raised an eyebrow.

"Wondering what, exactly?" he probed as Yuya sighed.

"I just… had a thought about what you said today… when Shay was talking about Yuma…" he mentioned.

"And?" scarlet eyes glanced to silver-gray ones.

"Well… what if I helped Shay? So that you could still keep your promise to help him bring Ruri home?" the spirit's eyes grew wide in disbelief at the suggestion, not because it was a bad one, but because he couldn't believe Yuya would offer such a thing.

"Yuya… don't worry about it. You have your own problems, and Shay can still save Ruri without my help… besides, you don't owe us anything." Yuya shook his head, sitting up.

"That's not true! Yuto, you saved my life when Hugo lost control! And Shay pushed me out of the way of the attack of the Obelisk Force Soldiers when they sent that spell at us… I owe the two of you a lot!" he stated firmly.

Yuto looked to the boy, his thoughts wild as he considered what Yuya said. The boy had an expression of determination on his face, scarlet eyes blazing with the incredible will that he possessed as he kept his attention on the spirit. Yuto would admit one thing that he was certain of: Yuya was a stubborn person. Naturally, witches could have quite the temper; however, Yuya Sakaki didn't just have a temper, he had a stubborn streak in him that would make a mule jealous. Taking in a deep breath, Yuto shook his head, knowing that he wouldn't convince the boy of anything once he'd become like this.

"Alright, I relent. You can offer your help to Shay; however, if he says no, don't push it, just accept it and leave him be. Am I clear?" Yuto questioned as Yuya nodded, smiling as he laid back down, curling back under the blankets while the spirit watched him.

"I promise, I won't pry… goodnight…" with that, the boy closed his eyes and dozed off into slumber a few seconds later. Yuto smiled, watching him as Yuya's long day got the best of him, a slight laugh coming from him.

Even before his attachment to Yuya, he hadn't known what it was, but he wanted to protect the boy. There was this _pure innocence_ to him that shined like a star in the darkened sky, and it made him feel better to know that Yuya would be kept safe. Involving him in this war wasn't a wise choice; however, he knew that Yuya wasn't going to back down now that he'd made up his mind, even if it did change him. It was a curious and terrifying thing to think of, and how it would happen, none of them knew, but even Yuto could guess that once they left the Pendulum Zone, Yuya's fate would follow whatever path it chose to, with nothing but the tiniest of details being able to change it if they were caught in time.

All Yuto could do was hope that he'd be able to help him in some way if something were to happen, but even then, there was only so much he could do as an attached spirit, and fighting for the boy wasn't one of those things, but Yuya wasn't going in alone, and that brought comfort to him more so than anything. Taking in a breath, Yuto smiled once more as he looked at the sleeping boy and closed his eyes, allowing himself to hide away within Yuya's body, resting assured that things would turn out alright.

 **{Leo Corp Tower: July 29th, 2014: 6:40am}**

"You need to relax and focus… you're too tense," Tsukikage pointed out to Sawatari as he laid flat out on the ground.

The group of nine had been doing a few basic sparring sessions with Tsukikage, Gongenzaka, Shay, and Sky helping out where they could; however, it had proven that the four of them were their more adept physical fighters. Serena wasn't too bad, but against Shay she was quickly taken down, Dennis was agile, but didn't fair as well as he'd hoped to when faced with Gongenzaka – then again, with a person that tall and great mass overall, who would? – and Sawatari was doing as well as expected against a trained Ninja: this left Yuya and Sky together. It was interesting, as they had dueled against one another before, and it hadn't been very easy, but fighting was a different story.

Yuya had very little combat experience, but he did know a form of combative straight magic, and he used that and his acrobatics to his advantage. Sky had tried to cut him off, and had managed to make him trip a few times, but he recovered smoothly, his years of Action Duels paying off as he jumped onto his hand, twisting before he landed in a crouch, balancing on the balls of his feet as he prepared to dodge another attack. Sky smirked, eyeing his friend as he saw the boy taking in a few steady breaths, scarlet eyes trained on his form as he took a step back and then lunged forward, only to be kicked square in the stomach.

"Nice kick," Sky muttered as he wrapped his arms around his stomach, taking a moment to get his breath.

"You okay?" Sky nodded.

"Just… catching my breath…" Yuya gave him a sheepish look.

"Sorry…" the blue-haired teen shook his head.

"No… it was a good kick… urgh…" the Waking Witch crouched next to his friend.

Sky and Yuya had been sparring off and on for the same length of time as the others, and in a little over an hour, the blue-haired Dyren Witch had learned that while Yuya was very thin and small for his age – only coming in at around in the ninety-six-pound range – he was all lean muscle, and thus, his kicks hurt like getting slammed by a brick to the abdomen. In addition to that, Yuya used his acrobatic skills and slight build to his advantage, being able to recover from his falls with ease, and find a way to adapt the abilities he had as an Action Duelist to the basic combat skills he was being taught.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Yuya inquired.

"Uhuh… your kicks are really strong… must be because of all the acrobatics and time as an Action Duelist, huh?" the boy flushed a bit, glancing to the side.

"That, and I… know a single form of combative straight magic," he muttered as Sky sighed.

"I figured as much. Anyways, let's take it from the top!" Yuya nodded.

"Right…."

The group continued their sparring session until eleven, when they were allowed to take a break. By that point, most of them were showing fatigue, their bodies aching a bit as they settled upon the floor, recovering their energy as the group of eight took in the opportunity to rest while Reiji had vanished to somewhere else. Yuya laid back against the cool stone floor, closing his eyes for a moment while he listened to the others resting nearby him. It felt strangely good to do something active even while he knew his body was ultimately going to punish him for being this physical when there were still bruises and cuts littering his entire form.

However, after their break, they would be beginning magic training, and the mortals would be taking Fly-By-Night capsules for the first time. Yuya had gotten the capsules yesterday evening delivered to his house by Aura, who had shown up with two fairly big boxes, and inside the boxes had been several bottles of bright bluish-purple pills filled with liquidized Fly By Night flowers. He had counted the bottles, and found the number correct and thanked Aura before the girl flew away, leaving him to tend to them with his aunt. There were supposed to be two bottles for each mortal and one for each witch – to give them a boost should they need it – in addition to a few spare bottles should they gather allies.

Yuya had brought the bottles with him and had also been mindful to read the letter that Madame Aradia had written him detailing how to precisely take the capsules without causing addiction and the dangers of witches taking them, which was something he was thankful for. The information had left a bitter taste in his mouth as he thought about the risks of these magic-making pills in addition to how they could possibly carry more than their own personal bottles on them. Reiji had assured him he had taken care of the means to carry the things they would need to have on their person without weighing themselves down too much.

"So… magic is next?" asked Sky.

"Yep…" Dennis looked to Yuya, who was still lying on the ground with his eyes closed.

"Yuya? Madame Aradia sent the capsules to you last night, right?" he inquired as the boy opened his eyes and sat up, running a hand through his messy hair.

"She did, and she included instructions on how to use them properly." The group nodded at the statement.

"My friend Joeri told me that Fly By Night flowers can boost the magic of a witch greatly and give mortals magic for twenty-four-hours per pill; however, if they're not taken correctly, they end up addicted to them," Serena explained.

"A-Addicted? Should we be taking them then?" Yuya looked to Sawatari.

"Don't worry, Madame Aradia gave me direct instructions on how to best handle them for both the mortals and the witches," he said simply as the others nodded slowly.

"Alright… so there are two bottles per mortal and one bottle per witch, right? If that's the case, how many are in the bottles exactly?" Yuya rolled back and pushed his body forward, jumping to his feet in an instant as he went to the boxes and pulled out the paper.

"One hundred and ten capsules. So, mortals are carrying two hundred and twenty on their persons and witches the standard one-ten," he stated.

"Whew, okay… then how do we use them?" Yuya looked through the papers again, double checking what he had read last night.

"This portion is for the mortals: swallow one pill for twenty-four hours of magic use. You should have a symbol of some kind appear on the palms of your hands, flowers, or a symbol that's unique to you is possible. When the symbols disappear, it's safe to take another one; however, doubling up or taking more than one during the twenty-four-hour time frame will result in an addiction starting." Sawatari swallowed nervously.

"There will be no problem for me," Gongenzaka stated as Yuya smiled.

"Right…" Sawatari gave him an imploring look.

"So, um… what will we be able to do strength wise?" Yuya thought for a moment.

"Doesn't say, but I figure you'll have about the average minimum strength of a witch about our age," he summarized.

"Except for you, whose a Waking Witch and has Hecate's blessing…" Yuya shot Sky an annoyed look, causing Sawatari and Gongenzaka to grant the boy confused looks just as Reiji entered the room.

"How is everyone doing?" he inquired.

"We're fine, just working on making sure we understand how to properly use these capsules before we start practice…" Reiji nodded.

"And I suspect that making sure not to overtake them within twenty-four-hours surmises it?" he probed as Yuya gave him a long look.

"Right… but our main focus is making sure we don't do something foolish. The next portion is for the witches." Yuya shifted the pages, and grabbed at his right shoulder, rotating it a bit to get the stiffness out.

"What's it say?" Shay asked him.

"Um… at current, we have to make sure that we minimize how often we use them. Witches cannot use these every twenty-four-hours, otherwise we could enter a drift, at which point we could begin having trouble with our magic, or even end up burning ourselves out for more than forty-eight hours." Serena shivered.

"That's unpleasant," she mentioned as the other witches nodded.

"So, we'll just have to make sure we regulate them. The bottles have a spell on them so that the number on them will go down for everyone taken. That'll help us, and it also says witches can become physically ill if they take more than one every forty-eight hours or so. We'll have a mark appear somewhere on our hands, but it may not be on our palms, seeing as we're witches I guess it would make sense that it wouldn't respond the same as it does to mortals." Sky looked at the others.

"I say we get started, that way we can gauge how strong each person will be with it," he told them, and Sawatari raised an eyebrow.

"Even the witches?" Sky nodded.

"We're in a controlled environment, there's no equipment or anything else in this room except us, I think we'll be okay. Although, I do suppose the witches could wait and focus on helping the mortals first," he stated as the others nodded.

"We'll be fine, besides… the witch I'm the most worried about is you, Sakaki." Shay's statement had the scarlet eyed boy glancing to the side.

"I get why… because of my Waking Magic, there's no telling what taking one of those capsules could do," he said before Sawatari looked to him.

"Okay, rewind for a bit. I get your Waking Magic is powerful – we all saw the video – but I wanna know what this has to do with that Hecate person, and some of the stuff that has to do with all this witch business!" Dennis laughed.

"Well, I suppose some history and dialect lessons are in order," he mentioned as the others nodded, agreeing that it would probably be best to clear the air before getting started on training with magic.

"That would be nice for the three of us who are mortals in the room." Reiji glanced to Sawatari and then cleared his throat to cause him to look in his direction, where Riley stood by his side.

"Excuse me, I meant four," he corrected himself and Yuya sighed.

" _ **This one's a little on the spastic side, huh?"**_ Yuto's statement had Yuya laughing internally.

" _You don't know the half of it…"_

"Well, how about we start with some basics? As you know, there are fifty types of skills witches can be classified under, but there are also basic branches of _attributes_ witches are also classed under in addition to their skill type," Dennis explained.

"Okay, what are those? And what are the skills?" the orange-haired New Yorker thought for a moment.

"Alright, for starters, I'm a Charm Witch, and I specialize in what my title says, in addition, I also am a vibrant, jovial kind of person who enjoys making others happy. Charm Witches flourish in environments where they can put on a show and use their abilities to make others smile and laugh, as we draw our power from levity and elation," he clarified.

"Then wouldn't Sakaki be one?" Yuya shook his head.

"No, I'm a Waking Witch, and that's one of my attributes. My magic isn't confined to a singular skill, and I can kind of be _a jack of all trades_ , so unless I decide to, I won't be accounted as having a skill title," he stated, pointing to himself as he explained.

"Isn't that a little weird?" Yuya shrugged.

"Eh… not really." Dennis cleared his throat.

"Anyways, we actually have a variety of witches in the room right now. As you know, I'm a Charm Witch, but Sky is a Dyren Witch, and they're known for manipulation-type magic, offensive-defensive magic, illusions, and their massive sweet toothes," he pointed out as Sky puffed out his cheeks.

"Well that fits…" the blue-haired teen shot Gongenzaka a frown.

"I can't help it! I've always loved sweets…." Yuya gave him a knowing look.

"Seems more like an addiction to me," he mentioned.

"No, it's not! Dyren Witches expend a lot of energy, so we have a taste for sugary things, because that's one of the resources we draw our power from." Reiji hummed.

"So, each witch has something that helps support their magic?" he questioned.

"Exactly! Mine is the joy of others, Sky's is sweets, and the Kontis Witch of our group, Miss Serena here… is strongest when she's near water." Sawatari tilted his head.

"Why?" Serena looked to him.

"Kontis Witches are _ocean witches,_ we're known for making powders from shells and things of the sea… we have incredible abilities with water-type magic, and draw our energy from the push and pull of the tides. We're by no means weak when away from water, but you never want to battle a Kontis Witch if they're next to the sea," she stated sharply.

"How come?" Yuya looked pointed to Sawatari.

"Because they'd drown you and make sure your body is dragged to the deepest depths of the sea," he said simply as Sawatari jolted.

"Yikes!" Dennis smiled.

"Next, we have the Risulian Witch, Shay here. They're often known as the Lion Witch because they're courageous and are best in combat. They have a keen eye for body language, are very observant, and their magic is highly combative and ranges from weaponry, summons, elemental types of magic, and energy manipulation skills… one of the most defining traits of a Risulian Witch is their magic usually manifests itself in three distinct eye colors: yellow, pale green, and greenish-blue," he detailed as Reiji hummed.

"Then we have a good ally on our side, with your type of power." Shay shrugged a bit.

"I'm just as good as anyone else here," he stated as Dennis glanced to the four mortals.

"Is everyone with me so far?" they nodded.

"I believe so, you're a Charm Witch, Sky is a Dyren Witch, Serena's a Kontis Witch, Shay's a Risulian Witch, and that leaves…" all eyes turned to Yuya who gave them a nervous look.

"Um…" Dennis smiled.

"Correct! The rare and powerful Waking Witch! I mentioned it yesterday, but Waking Witches have their own kind of history, starting with Hecate, the one whose said to be the first of their kind. She's known as the Mother of Waking, those who bear Waking Magic are often called her children, even though there's no relation between them. Waking Witches have several different titles they go by, but the type of magic they use is the most common…" he paused and Yuya rolled his eyes.

"Don't make a show out of this!" Dennis grinned.

"As Yuya said, the Waking Witch is a jack of all trades. They never have one specific type of magic they are titled under, and are usually powerful and beautiful looking. They possess immense magical auras, and can be associated with an element, but not all the time. In addition, Waking Witches have a teardrop-shaped birthmark on their bodies somewhere, known as Hecate's Tears," he informed the others as Yuya glared at him with a putout expression.

"You just had to bring that up, huh?" the orange-haired witch glanced to the side.

"Well, I suspect that means you do actually have that birthmark?" he inquired as Yuya gave him a bland look.

"It's on my right shoulder, and it's pretty small and dark red…" Reiji rose an eyebrow.

"If I may ask, why do Waking Witches possess those marks?" Dennis sighed.

"Well, in some stories, it's because Hecate cursed them. Waking Witches are so rare because many years ago, she and her husband Cernuous had a child, and it inherited the same magic as its mother, growing into a powerful witch; however, as time went on and the child became older, it saw how horrific humanity was to one another and decided that we were deserving of punishment… because of that, the child attacked humanity, causing great calamities…" he paused, and Gongenzaka gave him an imploring look.

"What kind of calamities?" he inquired as Yuya huffed.

"Ever hear of a little thing called Pompeii?" Sawatari jolted.

"S-Seriously?! But that was what? Thirty-eight hundred years ago?" Dennis nodded.

"Hecate and Cernuous are Magus, ancient witches with incredible powers. They were worshiped as Gods in the ancient world… that child caused a lot of trouble and deaths… finally, Hecate had enough and called forth a coven to help her, and she sealed her child away, keeping him hidden from the world where none could reach him. We don't dare utter his name, though, because if someone does, it's said he becomes stronger, and the binds upon him supposedly weaken… if he were to get out, Academia wouldn't be our biggest problem anymore," Dennis explained.

"That's terrifying… so wait… how do those marks Waking Witches have apply to that story?" Yuya glanced to the side.

"When Hecate had to imprison her own child, in some versions of the story, she wept to the point that she cried tears of blood and uttered a curse upon those who bear Waking Magic, that no more than two of us are ever born in so many generations, and that our magic would never be as powerful as her own, or that of her child. So, Waking Witches have the red teardrop mark on their bodies to remind us and others of what we're capable of and not to abuse the gifts we have," he stated as he sighed, and pulled the collar of his shirt aside turning his back to the others to show them the mark on his shoulder.

It was a bright, yet dark blood red color, in the shape of a perfect tear drop. Yuya's mark was rested just at the top of his right shoulder, and while the mark wasn't massive, it wasn't tiny either, roughly the size of a thumbprint, and looked as though it had been tattooed onto his skin, but just by looking at it, they knew it wasn't. Yuya sighed, tugging his shirt back up, glancing back to them before he turned back to face them, laying his arms upon his knees with his uncovered wrists visible.

" _Are those… what I think they are?"_ Shay thought as he looked at the scars on Yuya's wrists.

"Okay, so… what's an attribute?" Sky smiled.

"That's where I can come on! There are multiple different forms of attributes, but there are three common ones: Strain, Sigil, and Scarlet," he told them.

"And… those are?" Sky looked to Serena and then to Yuya and Dennis.

"A Strain is an attribute given to a witch who has part witch blood, and part creature blood. Shay's friend Yuto Kisaragi is a Shadow Witch – one who uses dark magic – but is also classed as a Strain Witch, because one of his parents, was a Phantasmal-Imp." Reiji raised an eyebrow.

"I believe I recall that, and what of the other two?" he questioned.

"Sigil Witches, are those who bear a mark that is part of their magic, similar to Yuya's birthmark. They make up a decent chunk of the population of witches in the world." Gongenzaka nodded.

"And what of the Scarlet attribute?" he probed.

"Witches who have either red in their hair, or their hair is part of the red color family." Yuya messed with a lock of his red hair.

"Yuya, Dennis, and Aura are scarlet witches, by the distinguishing attribute of having a shade of the red color family in their hair," Sky stated.

"I remember, that gnome mentioned that after we learned you were a witch." Yuya nodded at Gongenzaka's statement.

"Right, scarlet witches have an extra kick to their magic, and normally are associated with an element, commonly with their zodiac sign, but I'm an earth sign, and I associate with fire, so it's not always that way," he told them.

"Then aren't you overpowered?" Yuya shook his head.

"No, even the most powerful of witches have limitations. I'm only fourteen, and I'm still learning how to use my magic, so no, I'm not what you would call overpowered… am I strong? Yea, but most witches are in their own right… my magic might be rare and powerful… but it doesn't mean I'm all powerful or a God… I'm still human." Sky nodded.

"Bingo! No witch, no matter what kind of magic, is unstoppable or overpowered, we get tired, and can only exert massive amounts of magic for a short time… even Witches with Strains can't do that, though they can typically go a bit longer than most of us when using extremely powerful spells," he mentioned as Yuya sighed while Reiji began to delegate the next part of their day.

"I believe that's enough conversation on these subjects, let's begin practicing." Everyone got to their feet, and were given the pill bottles, being given the instructions once more before the mortals began to practice with their magic.

 **{Sakaki Household: 7:05pm}**

Yuya sunk low into the water as he got himself cleaned up after the long day. The magic training had gone better than they thought it would, and most of the mortals in their group had gotten the hang of basic spells quickly, which he was thankful for, considering how horrible it could have gone. Sighing, he shook his hair out, bangs sticking to his face and hanging into his eyes as he closed his eyes, letting the hot water and the herb mixture his mother had made him bathe in work on drawing out any pains and continue healing the injuries he'd received. The last few days had made him wonder whether or not things were going to be as easy as some of the others believed it would be.

They had never been out of the Pendulum Zone, and had no idea what would happen once they left it. Without question, the Fusion Dimension was hostile, but what about the Synchro Dimension? Was it dangerous for them to be heading into the place without truly knowing how they functioned as a society? Yuya huffed shaking his hair out once more as he felt of his right shoulder where the teardrop mark was. It was dangerous; no matter how they rolled the dice, they were heading into unknown territory and would have to face things they weren't prepared to. It was possible that they could end up losing people, or could even be forced to do things that went against what they believed was right or wrong.

"To hell if I know what I'm thinking about, though," he muttered to himself.

It was ten minutes later that he had gotten himself out and dried off, changing into a pair of loose fitting black cotton pants and a faded green t-shirt before he started drying his hair, knowing that his mother would be expecting him to help with dinner before they ate, and he would have to head to bed. The early mornings were getting to him, but he supposed that he would have to adapt to it in order to work with the others and bring Yuzu home safely. Yuya sighed, throwing the towel into the hamper before he started down the stairs, moving towards the kitchen where his aunt was already quick at working on something for dinner.

"Hey…" he paused in his speech, glancing to the side as Yoko looked to him.

"Oh, Yuya, there you are. Did that help get the soreness out?" she asked.

"Yea, thanks…"

Conversations with his aunt had been awkward before, especially once he'd found out Yoko wasn't his biological mother. However, after the whole ordeal with the Lancers had started, he felt a rift forming between them, almost as though there were things that she wasn't saying, just as there were things he wasn't telling her as well. In truth, he was determined to help Yuzu and the others, but he was scared to the point that at times he had to struggle to draw in his tremors. At night, he slept, but he had horrible nightmares, and he never spoke about them, unsure of what they meant, and deep down, not wanting to know what any of this mess meant, period.

"Yuya, is something wrong?" Yoko asked him.

"Um… I just…" the blonde-haired woman sighed, stopping what she was doing as she walked over to him, and placed her hands upon his face, tilting his head up as she stared into his eyes.

"It's okay to be scared… and it's okay to not be fine. Yuya, if it hurts, let it out, if you're afraid, then admit that you are… if you're angry, get it out of your system, and if you want to cry because your confused and lost, then do it. Don't bottle up your emotions, it only hurts more when you do," she told him as he glanced down, eyes burning with a threat of tears.

It felt as though so much was riding on him and the others succeeding. Finding the Pillars and allies, the Dimensions and Zones being fused back together, Academia being stopped, and most importantly, getting Yuzu and Ruri home safely. Yuya felt like Atlas at this point, carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, despite knowing that he wasn't going at this alone and that he would have trustworthy allies. None of that changed the fact that one mistake, one false move, could cost so many lives, or even worse, destroy their world.

The Lancers were the final line of defense against Academia's plans, and if they couldn't find the Pillars and get them to pull the Dimensions and Zones back together, any chances of them putting a chink in the plot of the Professor would fail. On the other hand, even if they did manage that, Yuya didn't doubt that the Professor would have more than one plan in case something went south, and knowing that did not make him feel any better. Looking down, Yuya clenched his hands into fists, tears falling from his eyes as his bangs shadowed his eyes, his frame shaking with quiet sobs as his aunt pulled him into an embrace.

"Yuya, it's okay to be scared… anyone within their right mind would be terrified of going into battle. But I believe in you and the Lancers… all of you are working so hard, and I know when you leave, those people won't stand a chance," she said.

"I'm… not strong… enough. I can't control my magic… I don't know how to properly use it… how can I help anyone… if I can't even help myself?" Yoko tightened her grip on him.

"No, you're very strong… and if you're unable to control it, let it flow through you. This magic is a part of who you are, it stems from your heart and soul… so find a way to stop fighting it and work with it," she told him as Yuya shivered in her grasp.

"If I do that… it'll possess me… take me over, and I could… hurt everyone… I've seen what I look like and what I do when I'm possessed by it… I'm a monster…" Yoko shook her head, crouching a bit as she put her hands on his shoulders.

"Listen to me, Yuya, you're anything but a monster. The power you have can be used for good or evil, but that's a choice you have to make… your heart and soul is so strong, and that's why this magic you have is so incredibly powerful, but it's also beautiful… just like your heart and soul are…" scarlet eyes glanced up to her, and Yoko smiled to him.

"But… I'm just…" Yoko placed a hand to his cheek.

"You're you. My little sister's beautiful child who has his parent's strength, will, and determination, and above all else, you have the ability to touch the hearts of others, even if they're hurting, and help them. Something like that can do so much in a place where a war is brewing… letting people be happy, bringing them joy, and being true to yourself, can do some incredible things," she stated as he glanced down.

"What if I can't do that?" Yoko looked to him.

"Yuya, have faith in yourself and your allies. I believe all of you can do what must be done in order to protect what you hold dearest to you," she said as the boy blinked, tears falling down his face as he did so.

"If I start to lose control… I could hurt them… don't you get it? If I'm not careful… I'll do more harm than good… then what will I do? How can I save Yuzu… if I'm like I am now? Everything… just feels… wrong… like I'm falling apart and this time she's not there to help me put myself back together." Yoko grasped his hands, gently turning his arms to where the scars on his wrists were in view.

"When that happened to you… Yuzu cried so much, even though we knew you were going to be fine. She cried to the point that she could barely breathe… but, the thing is, she said something similar to me that day. She asked me how she could do anything to help you when she was so weak as she was right then… Yuzu pleaded with me, asking how she could save you… if she wasn't strong," she stated, causing the boy's eyes to widen.

"Yuzu… said that?" Yoko nodded.

"You know what I told her? I said to her, Yuzu, what you have to do is just be there for him… let him know that you're always there, even when he can't see you. Because you're stronger than you think you are, and it's not the fall that defines us, but how we rise after it. The thought of losing you hurt her as much as it hurt you to think that you'd lost her… knowing that, Yuya, do you honestly think you're not strong enough? When all you have to do is reach out and you'll find each other," she told him, gently touching her fingers to the scars on his wrists.

" _Promise me that no matter what… we'll be there for each other, okay?"_

" _I promise… and I also promise that if you need me, I'll be there, and I'll protect you..."_

" _Me too, Yuya… I promise, too…"_

Yuya pulled his hands free from his aunt's and wiped his eyes, taking in shaky breaths as Yoko watched him. He'd made so many promises with Yuzu, to be there for her just as she was for him, to keep smiling for her sake, and to protect her when she needed him to. He was a witch, and he had powers that most people didn't; therefore, protecting her shouldn't be as difficult as he felt it was. All the promises he'd made to her, to the beautiful girl with a warm smile and a comforting embrace that he'd always cared for so deeply, and fallen in love with, were going to be kept; no matter how difficult things got or what he had to suffer through, he would see her again, and he would make sure to keep his promises to her, and let her know just how much she meant to him.

"Just remember to smile, okay?" scarlet met pine-green eyes and he wrapped his arms around her waist, and Yoko returned it, placing a hand atop his head.

"Okay…"

" _I don't care what it takes… I'm going to keep my promises to her, no matter what I have to endure."_

 **{…..}**

 _Before the day is done…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Notes:** Yuya experiencing emotional ups and downs, indecisiveness, and self-doubt is common for people who are suffering from depression, I should know, I'm one of them. However, it's clear to me that Yuya has an incredible support system, even if he isn't fully aware of it. Also, the chapters are going to start showing a few additional places and characters, but not much, don't worry. Let me know what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

There is a boatload of foreshadowing in this chapter.

The full story of Hecate is discussed in this chapter via fairy tale form.

Hecate is mentioned to be 7000 years old, so, Pompeii just so happens to be able to fall into that timeline, as it happened in 79 A.D, approximately 3800 years ago.

Red hair has been considered an identifying quality of witches for thousands of years. Accounts of magic and witches with red hair goes all the way back to the 1300s, and even further back then that. According to some historians, Druids would dye their hair red during some rituals.


	55. Chapter 55: Crossing Wires

Chapter 55: Crossing Wires

 _Yuzu walked down the corridors of the duel school, eyes scanning the area in search of Yuya. He had been acting strange the last few days, and his behavior today had bothered her the most. During school, he had been distracted, not really paying attention or taking notes on anything, and often staring blankly at the wall or out the window, and when they were in classes at the duel school, Yuya had never said a word, only staring towards the front of the class in a way that spooked her to a vast degree. It wasn't like him to act the way he was, and that gave her a good enough reason to want to look for him, due to him having vanished right after class ended._

 _The pink-haired girl looked into the spare rooms, checking everywhere she could think before sighing in defeat as she glanced towards the bathroom. It was possible that he was there and wasn't feeling well. Shaking her head, the girl walked to the door and heard water from the sink running from behind the door, at which point she decided she would open the door and call for him, if he answered she'd tell him she'd wait for him, and if he didn't she'd go in and ask again. Nodding, Yuzu opened the door, and looked to where Yuya was standing at the sink, his hands moving in a strangely tight manner as he grabbed several paper towels and bunched them up._

" _Yuya? What are you –"_

 _That was when she saw the blood. It was everywhere on the counters, dripping down to the floor. The second she saw it, her heart froze in her chest, and she rushed forward, startling him as she grabbed his hands, looking at the gashes on his wrists._

" _Y-Yuzu?" fear began to seep into her system as she looked at the cuts and all the blood before she looked around, seeing the cabinet to her right, which she rushed to, tracking blood as she went, and jerked it open, pulling out two towels before she returned to the boy, and wrapped both his wrists in them, holding them tightly_

" _Yuya, look at me! Listen to my voice," she said urgently as she pushed him back against the wall, her clothes becoming specked with blood as she sunk to the floor with him, holding his wrists tightly._

" _You're… here…" Yuzu stared at him, tears threatening to overcome her as she stared into his eyes. They were dark, his skin was paling, and she could tell by the cooling feel of his fingertips that he was losing too much blood._

" _Hold on, God… I can't make it stop," she said as she pushed the boy's wrists together, and pulled her arm around him, pressing their bodies together with his arms pinned between their chests as she grabbed her phone out of her pocket and pressed the number for her father and waited._

" _Can you… stay… please?" periwinkle eyes widened in fear as she heard her father pick up on the other side._

" _Dad! Please! Hurry! I'm in the bathroom with Yuya! He's…. oh, God, dad!" she heard him telling her that he and Gongenzaka were on their way and he hung up. She dropped the phone to the ground and clutched both his wrists wrapped in slowly darkening towels in her hands._

" _Yuzu…" the girl looked to him shaking her head._

" _Don't you dare give up! You're not leaving me, got it?" she stated, her body shaking with repressed tears._

" _S-Sorry…" she once more shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked into his own._

" _Yuzu! Yuya!" periwinkle eyes looked to the voices that called for them, and stared as they froze at the sight._

" _God! Yuya!"_

 _The next thing Yuzu knew, Gongenzaka had taken Yuya up into his arms while her father had called the hospital, telling them that they had a patient on the way that had suffered substantial blood loss. They had gotten into his car, lying in the back as Gongenzaka held onto the boy, his skin turning pale, broken out in an icy sweat as his breathing came out in faint, struggling pants. Yuzu grabbed his hand, holding onto his finger tips and feeling the coolness of them. When they had arrived in the hospital, it had been a whirlwind of events that scared her as she watched the people take Yuya away and in that moment, she buckled._

 _Yuzu hit the floor hard, crying as she looked at her bloodied hands, her body shaking to the point that she couldn't even breathe properly. It felt like someone was strangling her, causing her heart to race frantically against her ribs while she sobbed uncontrollably, her father going to her and pulling his arms around her as Gongenzaka stood silently nearby, not able to voice his own pained thoughts. The pink-haired girl had been approached by one of the nurses, offering to give her something to calm her down, but her father had refused, because he knew she didn't want it._

 _The girl finally had gotten herself to a chair, and not a moment later, Yoko had arrived, and she had thrown herself at the woman, sobbing even harder as they both found themselves on the floor, the blonde-haired woman cradling her as she cried, and Yoko didn't attempt to repress her own tears. They sat there for two hours, all of them in shock over what had happened as Yuzu looked to Yoko, seeing her with her hands clasped together, pressed to her lips with her eyes closed as she held a yellow beaded chain in her hands with some kind of gold-toned medallion. Yoko was praying, something Yuzu had never seen her do, and it surprised her, but didn't alleviate her tears, until at long last a doctor approached them with news that Yuya was stable and they had managed to suture the gashes on his wrists and were giving him a transfusion._

 _They were brought back and Yuya had looked to them, causing Yuzu to still. He was so pale, his eyes weak, and his lips colorless as she felt tears fall again and rushed into the room, startling the group as the girl came to him, pulling him gently into her arms as Yuya let her hug him, holding him close to her as though she was terrified that if she let go, he would disappear. The pink-haired girl sobbed, to the point that her throat felt raw and her face cold and stiff as she slumped down to the point that her face was buried in his chest, her body having curled up next to him in the bed, the doctor not having the heart to tell her not to do it as Yoko and the others spoke with the man. Yuzu had heard him explain that Yuya had tried to commit suicide, and had been fortunate that she had found him when she had, or he wouldn't have made it. The words only made her cry harder._

" _Yuzu…" she shook her head._

" _Don't you ever try to leave me again! Do you hear me? You're not allowed to not be here! Promise me, that you won't give up… that you'll stay with me… please…" she pleaded with him, sobbing into his chest as she did so. A heavily bandaged hand and wrist was laid atop her head, and Yuya let out a small breath._

" _Okay… I'll stay with you… I promise…" The thought of living in a world where he didn't exist, where he wasn't by her side, wasn't something she'd ever thought of, until that day, and now, it scared her to no end._

 **{Synchro Dimension: Hugo's Apartment: July 29** **th** **, 2014: 8:01am}**

Yuzu opened her eyes, blinking as she felt tears slide down her face while she sat up, wiping the tears away as Hugo looked to her, sighing as he sat down a cup in front of her, and she thanked him softly before taking in a small sip of what turned out to be hot chocolate. She rubbed her eyes, tears still falling as Hugo sat down quietly next to her, giving her time and space until she was ready to talk to him. It had been four days since she'd arrived in the Synchro Dimension, and they had stayed in this apartment, small but big enough for two people, to stay out of sight from security while they also thought of a plan to stop Academia.

"I'm sorry…" Hugo shook his head.

"Ever since you came here, you've been crying a lot… is something wrong?" he asked her.

"N-No, I just… was dreaming about something…" the other looked to her.

"Can I ask what it was?" he inquired.

"It was about Yuya… he… I'm not even sure I should be telling you this…" Hugo shook his head.

"Don't tell me if you're not okay with it… no one's forcing you, and it's clear that this is a painful topic," he said.

"Hmm… I want to… talk about it, though… it's just… more personal for Yuya than me…" Hugo nodded.

"Something told me it had to do with him. The two of you share a close bond, like Rin and I do… so, not being together leaves this void inside you that can't be fixed until the two of you are reunited," he stated.

"You're right… but… I wasn't really dreaming… I was remembering something that happened earlier this year… reliving it." Hugo looked to her.

"What was it?" Yuzu took a sip of her drink and then wiped her eyes again.

"The day that I nearly lost Yuya…" the other gave her a long look.

"Lost him? Was he in an accident?" Yuzu gave a weak laugh.

"That's what we call it… but that's not what it was. Two weeks before he turned fourteen, Yuya… tried to commit suicide… and I was the one who… found him. It's been haunting me ever since… there was just… so much blood and I couldn't stop the bleeding… if I hadn't called my dad and our friend Gongenzaka to come to the bathroom I was in right then with him… he would have died," she admitted.

Hugo remained silent for a moment, allowing the words to sink in as his mind thought of how horrible that situation must have been for her. Yuya was special to her, in a way that made life without him painful and caused her heart to grieve because that person who was so dear to her that with him not at her side, it was debilitating to the point that she suffered, and that was why she cried so much. Without question, he could tell Yuzu was a strong girl, much like Rin, but even the strongest of people had their weaknesses, and that didn't make them any less brave when they showed it. Sighing, the half-undine took a sip of his drink and then looked to the pink-haired girl.

"Then you shouldn't see that memory as a bad thing… because of you, the person you love the most, is alive! He's still here, in this world, because a person named Yuzu Hiiragi was there to save him, and if anything, that memory should serve as a reminder that the two of you are there when things hurt the most… and that if you reach out for him, you'll find him. The two of you are connected, by all your trials, and good moments… it proves that what you feel… isn't fake… it's real." Yuzu looked down.

"Thank you… you're pretty good at… making people feel better…" she told him.

"It's an Undine thing… all of us, whether we're half-blooded or not, are like that. But, Yuzu? If you think about it, I'm sure Yuya misses you just as much as you do him… so, don't cry… for his sake, be brave…" Yuzu's eyes widened.

" _Just smile… and trust me when I tell you that there's nothing for you to be scared of. You're brave and strong, so take a chance and just believe you can do it, alright?"_ Yuya's voice echoed in her mind, a flash of his brilliant smile and warm scarlet eyes that caused her tense body to relax.

"Your right… he wouldn't want me to be scared and sad… Yuya's always believed that I'm brave and strong, that I can do anything so long as I try… guess I shouldn't give up now, huh?" Hugo nodded.

"That's the spirit! Hey, I've got an idea!" Yuzu gave him a long look.

"The last idea you had to was for two people to storm Academia alone," she pointed out.

"Okay, I'll admit I wasn't thinking it full through! But this one we can do! I'll help you and Yuya find a way back to each other! He's gonna come looking for you, and when he does, we'll be able to find him!" Yuzu raised an eyebrow.

"How? Are you a hunting dog or something?" she asked.

"No, but you have a guardian's incandescence on you still! That means the two of you will be able to sense one another, once he comes here, you should get some kind of indicator that he's here, and we'll go out and search for him!" Yuzu smiled.

"I guess it couldn't hurt, huh?" Hugo nodded.

"Bingo! Now chin up, a pretty girl like you shouldn't cry all the time… oh, and by the way…" Yuzu raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Hugo pointed to the room down the hall.

"You can borrow Rin's clothes if you want so you can get a bath," he stated.

"Why?" he gave her a pointed look.

"If you wear the same clothes too many days in a row without them being washed and you bathing, you'll start to stink." Within seconds, Hugo was subjected to the hammer space fan slamming down upon his cranium.

 **{Leo Corp Tower: 10:03am}**

Yuya closed his eyes, holding his hands with his palms facing downwards a bit out to his sides, fingers stretched out but relaxed as he focused on the pulse of magic that ebbed from his heart. While he knew just two days more of trying to control his magic wouldn't do much, trying to get at least a bare-bones grasp upon his magic's pulse would be better than nothing. The problem with Waking Magic was that it was as wild as the forces of nature, and no one controlled Mother Nature; however, learning to work with her was very possible, and he applied that here, as he felt his magic glide across his skin, the prickle of his Waking Magic alerting his senses as he felt it jab at him to attempt possession, and he gave it just a bit of leeway, just as he had during his duel with Reiji, and took in a steady breath while the others focused on their training.

" _ **Good job, now just take it easy and focus on a basic elemental spell. How about one of your fire ones?"**_ Yuya nodded to Yuto's suggestion and took in a steady breath.

Opening his eyes, the fourteen-year-old slowly focused his magic into his right palm, and was greeted with distinct bright red flames, causing him to smile just a fraction as he let the flames dance across his skin, his magic keeping it from hurting him as he closed his hand, extinguishing the flames before he took in a steady breath, preparing to try another spell when a randomized one sailed in his direction, his magic growing scalding as he crossed his arms in front of him, and a shield formed, the spell activating upon its own accord, causing the others to be startled as he was tossed back a bit and landed in a crouch with a few deep breaths.

"Well, that was fun," he said as he shook his head, trying to get his senses back.

"You alright?" Yuya nodded, standing as he did so.

"I'll be okay… that spell kinda shocked me, though. Who did that?" he questioned.

"Sawatari…" scarlet met mauve, and the blonde-brunette tensed.

"Sorry, I kind of got excited," he said as Yuya shrugged.

"Eh, it happens. I've been practicing for eleven years now, and I still get excited about learning something new and lose my grip on it… most of us have that problem with new spells at times, even when we're well on into our late teens and early twenties sometimes. You guys aren't used to using magic, so don't worry about messing up the first few times," he said.

"Just make sure that it works when it counts." Sawatari nodded as he looked to his hands.

It was a strange feeling, the buzz that was coursing through his body after he'd taken that pill yesterday. By now, all the mortals had taken a second one, but the faint hum in his body just felt odd, and it made him wonder if this kind of energy flow was what the witches felt the entire time, or just when their magic was induced. Mauve eyes glanced towards Yuya, who was forming a small ball of light in his hand, which he tossed back and forth a few times before it vanished, and he maneuvered through a few different elemental base spells, Shay giving him a few pointers on an electrical-based spell.

"I gotta ask a question," he said.

"What is it?" Sylvio took in a deep breath.

"Um… when you guys use your magic, do you feel this kind of faint vibrating in your body? Or am I just weird?" he inquired. Shay hummed for a moment, thinking of the question.

"Witches who are inclined to electrical based attacks feel that, which is what I'm able to do… hey? Sakaki? Do those notes say anything about the capsules having that kind of side effect of maybe inclining someone to an element or something like that?" Yuya went over to a small table in the corner of the room and grabbed the papers, looking through them before nodding.

"There's a brief note on one of the pages saying that a mortal's personality, zodiac sign, or exposure to magical energies can cause them to be inclined to certain types of magic and… well shit… that explains it I guess, they've been exposed to my magic a whole bunch, even before they knew I was a witch," he stated.

"Obviously, that is the answer, then. I suspect all of us will have to see if we develop any skills that would incline us to certain magics." Reiji's statement was finished as he adjusted his glasses, and Yuya nodded.

"I guess… Shay? Can you take Sawatari? He's probably gonna be an electrical type," Yuya mentioned.

"W-What? Electrical type?! I am not a _Pikachu_!" Shay grabbed the half-Italian and dragged him off.

"Come on Pika-Pii, let's get started," he said as Sawatari groaned in defeat. Dennis laughed a bit at that while Yuya shook his head.

"Gongenzaka? Do you have anything showing up?" the giant of a teenager looked to Yuya and nodded.

"I believe the earth and I have formed a connection…" he stated.

" _ **This guy's so freakin' cryptic sometimes! Argh!"**_ Yuya repressed a laugh as he was given the mental image of Yuto rolling around on the ground beneath him within his mind in frustration.

" _Hang in there, Yuto…"_ he thought to him.

"Well… earth… I'm not that good at physical earth magic… Dennis? How about you?" Yuya asked.

"I'm fairly decent at it if you must know, what do you say, big guy? Wanna partner up?" Gongenzaka nodded.

"Whatever you have to teach, I will be glad to learn," he said before walking away with Dennis, leaving Riley and Reiji present.

"And you? Reiji?" the seventeen-year-old hummed.

"Wind seems to be a good friend of mine as of the last twenty-four hours, so I suspect Sky or Serena would be a good fit… Riley here is a bit jumbled; however," he stated. Yuya sighed and came over to the lavender-haired boy, crouching down to his eye level with a gentle smile.

"Hey, Riley? You wanna come with me and learn some spells? I can even help you find out what you're best at," he said as Riley stared at the boy.

Riley honestly didn't know what to make of Yuya Sakaki. Upon inspection, he noticed that Yuya looked different from most people, but instead of having a scary air to him, he felt gentle and inviting, giving him the sense that this person was warm and safe. Slowly, he nodded, and Yuya held out his hand, the boy taking it slowly in his own as Persian blue eyes looked him over, and then spotted the scar on Yuya's wrist, causing him to still. The boy tightened his grip on the boy's hand, pulling him forward as he looked at the baseball cap and hood that he had up on his head. Yuya was wearing his goggles today, and smiled as he looked to the boy, Reiji watching the interaction.

"Hey, I'm gonna guess that you're not really fond of people, huh?" he asked.

"N-No…" Yuya nodded.

"I figured… so, I'm going to let you in on a secret… I'm not either, most of the time," he said, somewhat surprising the people in the room who were listening.

"R-Really?" the boy smiled.

"Yea, people can be pretty mean, huh? You've been through some stuff like that, haven't you?" Riley nodded slowly.

"How… did you…" Yuya winked.

"Because I have, too… see these scars on my arms? This was something I did to myself because people hurt me, and I didn't want to hurt anymore… but… you want to know something?" he inquired as he took Riley's hand and placed it upon the scar on his left wrist.

"What?" Though nervous, Riley didn't pull away, and he kept his gaze on Yuya's rich scarlet eyes as the boy smiled to him.

"I regret it every day, because _I didn't think about the people I would be hurting._ See, Riley, everyone is someone's everything… for me, that's Yuzu, and knowing that, gives me strength to fight… do you have someone you really care about?" he asked. Riley nodded, glancing towards Reiji who gave him a small smile.

"You know, I'm gonna say it's your big brother. You really look up to him, don't you?" the boy smiled in a small manner.

"Mhmm…" Yuya returned his smile.

"See, what I'm trying to say is that everyone here is fighting for someone they love… and if we have that, the pain we feel can dissipate if we think of them… you love your big brother, I can see that… it comes from your heart, and that is where the magic of a witch lies, within our hearts and souls… so, do you want to learn some magic so you can help your big brother?" Yuya questioned as Riley slowly nodded and kept hold of Yuya's hand as the boy followed him to a corner of the room, Reiji, Serena, and Sky watching the two.

"He's something else, I'll admit that." Sky grinned.

"Yuya's great with kids… don't really know what it is, but he's got the kind of personality that makes them feel safe," he mentioned.

" _That's because the Pillars exemplify peace and shelter. They're supposed to protect us when times of crisis arise… that is why children flock to Yuya, because he is our Pillar, and though they may not know that, children have better instincts than most adults and know he's a point of refuge. No matter how horrible his experiences may become, or how battle-hardened he becomes… Yuya will always be that source of safety,"_ Reiji thought as he watched Riley smile a bit more as the scarlet-eyed boy showed him a few basic spells, starting with a wind spell, which Riley seemed to be taking to quickly.

"So, shall we begin?" asked Serena as she crackled her knuckles.

"Very well, Sky? I suspect you'll handle Tsukikage?" the blue-haired Dyren Witch nodded.

"Fine by me, come on Ninjago, we got work to do," Sky said as Tsukikage followed him.

"Please don't compare me to a Lego toy."

 **{Sakaki Household: 1:15pm}**

Yoko sat down a cup of coffee in front of Shuzo as he sighed, thanking her quietly as she took her own seat, watching the man before her in silence. She could see him grieving; even though he had kept a strong front before the children, she could also see that there was a great deal of pain in his eyes. Yoko understood how he felt, having lost his wife Sakura when Yuzu was only a toddler, and now, his daughter had been kidnapped, leaving him alone in his home, and she knew that pain as well. It had been three years since Yusho had left, fourteen years since they'd lost Yaya and Ira, and now, Yuya was about to leave her and head off to fight a war that she truly felt he had no business fighting. They were children, and they didn't need to be caught in the cross-hairs, but all the same, nothing could be done to change it now.

"Shuzo, I know why you came to me," Yoko stated.

"You do? I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. You're a witch, after all." she sighed.

"Listen, you know very well that if you ask for me to do a reading, it may not be something you like, are you still willing to do it? Even with that potential?" she inquired.

"I just wanna know if my daughter is safe… and… if Yuya can help her… what kind of future awaits these kids Reiji Akaba has collected…" Yoko sighed, nodding as she reached over to the end of the table where a box was located, and a moment later, she produced a thick deck of long, somewhat slender cards with green backing on them. She put the deck in front of him and nodded.

"Cut the deck, if you would," she said as Shuzo did as asked and shuffled it before placing it back on the table, at which point she laid out the first five cards in a four-point position like that of a compass before placing one in the center.

"I've never had this done before…" Yoko nodded.

"Yes, I know. Now, choose a card and I will flip it over," she explained as Shuzo pointed to the eastern card.

"When will Yuya be home?" Yoko shook her head.

"Not until six… this is the Magician, choose the next one, please" she stated as he pointed to the northern card.

"Is he okay?" Yoko nodded to him.

"This is the High Priestess, choose the next one," she stated.

"Alright…" Shuzo pointed to the western one and she flipped it over.

"The Hermit, next…" Shuzo indicated to the southern card and she flipped it.

"Death…" the man went white, and Yoko shook her head as she turned over the final card at the center, revealing it to be the devil card.

"T-The Devil?!" he asked as Yoko looked at the cards.

"The Magician represents courage, the High Priestess is awareness, the Hermit symbolizes understanding, Death is the representation of change, and the Devil is a representation of negativity, of destruction and darkness… so it's not a terrible reading, but not good either." Shuzo swallowed nervously.

"What does it mean, then?" he questioned as Yoko looked to the cards.

"Let's look at the Hermit first, it's a good card, always indicating meditation, consciousness, and understanding. It means we have to understand circumstances that may arise, instead of acting irrationally… then let's take a look at the High Priestess, this represents Yuzu, it's a card meaning inaction, going within, subconscious understanding, awareness, and compassion… meaning that we have to be aware of these circumstances, understanding them for what they are, and be compassionate in situations that would normally call for us not to be." Shuzo swallowed.

"So… the High Priestess represents… Yuzu?" he inquired as Yoko nodded.

"Right, now, Death is a representation of change, the passing of one thing and the beginning of something new. This means that in addition to understanding and awareness, we have to be willing to accept the changes that come, because they'll lead to new things." Shuzo looked to the next card.

"Awareness of a situation, understanding of the changes that will come? What about the other two?" he asked.

"The Magician represents Yuya. This card is symbolized by action, the power to manifest, willfulness, courage, power, and comfort. This is the courage to face those changes, it's a very good card." Shuzo took in a shaky breath at that.

"Yuya suits that card…" he stated as Yoko nodded.

"I know, that's why when it's drawn, I always know Yuya is going to be involved in this… the Devil card is a problem, however. It represents darkness and destruction… this means the situations can be disastrous if things aren't done carefully. Shuzo, this is a time where normally I tell people that ultimately the choices of whether this is a good or bad omen is up to them; however, in this situation, I'm going to draw a sixth card, and that will tell us an ending and whether or not it could be potentially bad or good," she told him.

"Okay, let's do it…" Yoko picked up the card and smiled as she looked at it.

"The Lovers, passion, choice, and uniting. It's face up as well, so that means there is great potential for things to have a good ending… so long as we choose to believe it will be so," she stated with a smile. Shuzo took in a deep breath, and nodded his head.

"Thank you, Yoko… I –" the door clicked open and the duo looked to see Yuya standing just at the door, looking at them in questioning as he took his shoes off, and started into the kitchen.

"Hi… um… should I leave?" Shuzo looked at the boy, having not seen him for a few days.

Yuya looked tired, dark circles were visible ever so slightly under his eyes, his skin a bit sallow, and his body still covered in gauze and bruises. Shuzo looked him over once more, noticing that he was missing his wrist warmers, and his clothes consisted of dark wash jeans, black sneakers, and a faded red t-shirt with his pendulum crystal hanging loosely around his neck and his goggles settled around his neck as well, resting just below his collar bone.

"No, I was just about to leave, but… Yuya?" Shuzo started, meeting the boy's tired scarlet eyes.

"Yes, sir?" the man bowed his head a bit to the boy.

"I'm sorry, for how I acted at the announcement of the Lancers… I wish I had been more rational about it. There's no excuse for me to expect you to be able to do everything just because you're a witch… you're the same age as Yuzu… so please, accept my apology?" he asked as Yuya smiled to him slowly.

"I'm going to bring Yuzu home, you can be certain of that. I'm not going to make her wait much longer… soon… I'm going to leave the Pendulum Zone, and once this is over, Yuzu and I will come home, and she'll be safe, I promise." Shuzo looked to the boy nodding as tears welled in his eyes and he reached forward, hugging the boy, who jolted in surprise.

"Bring her home, and you and all the other Lancers better make it back in once pieces as well, do you hear me? All of you better come home to us," he said as Yuya relaxed, nodding.

"We will, don't worry. You know me, I can't stand to break my promises to anyone…" Shuzo nodded, placing a hand atop the boy's head.

"Thank you, Yuya." With that, he walked out the door and Yoko came towards the boy, placing a hand on his head gently as he looked up to her.

"Keep your promises, and just smile, alright? Try your hardest no matter what happens, don't lose sight of who you are," she told him as he nodded.

"I will…"

 **{Academia: 1:15pm}**

A man adorned in a purple military robe hummed as he reviewed the footage taken from one of the Obelisk Force Soldier's duel disk. There had been a few that had returned stating that Sora Shuinin had turned traitor, having used both an Xyz Monster and a Synchro Monster to attack them as well as a new method known as Pendulum Summoning. The dark skinned, bald man with a mechanical gear-like object attached to his head sighed, watching the video of that match before he paused it, seeing another person alongside Sora Shuinin in the duel. Red-green haired with scarlet eyes, wearing a pendulum crystal and using Odd-Eyes Dragon. Narrowing his eyes, the Professor, or Leo Akaba, leaned forward in his seat, zooming in on the picture with a press of a button before he stilled the video.

"Ah! Professor! I see you've found something of interest on the recovered footage?" asked a man with a vicious grin.

"Indeed, I have… it would seem our most recent turncoat has allied himself with one of our targets…" the man looked at the image.

"What a beautiful creature… is that the boy that the Obelisk Force was supposed to retrieve alongside Lady Serena?" the Professor nodded.

"Yes, he's the one…" the man, known as the Doktor glanced to the side.

"I could send in our little puppet to retrieve him, it wouldn't be difficult… after all, he is a vital part of the plans we have, correct?" the Professor shook his head.

"No, there's no need at this point. People within that city and across Millennium may be on high alert and awaiting us… at this point, sending someone in would be far too high a risk… even though he is a Pillar of Millennium, and he's one of if not our most vital piece alongside those final two girls… alerting too many people with the other Pillars still present within our world is far too great of a risk, and if they stand, Academia will not succeed in our venture," he stated.

"Then we best be careful… all the same, though… that boy… may be more of a challenge than we're prepared for… I mean, you know what he is." Leo Akaba nodded slowly.

"Indeed, I do… and I also know that for now, all we can do is wait and see what happens."

 **{…..}**

 _And now all your love will be exorcised…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** And with that, we are down to four chapters before we reach the beginning of the Synchro Arc. These chapters are mostly filler, but there are a lot of little strings being connected before the real start of the battle against Academia begins, and it's in these moments that you need to pay attention, because those tiny details you didn't think much of may become essential later on. Anyways, tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

This is the first time that we've seen what actually happened in the events before Chapter 1 of this story.

Hugo, the Therapist.

Pikachu was referenced in this chapter.

Hugo is represented by the No.9 Hermit Tarot card, his behavior is best represented by it.

Yuzu, as stated, is represented by the No.2 card, The High Priestess.

Yoko and Yuya's closing lines, are massive foreshadowing and hints, remember them.


	56. Chapter 56: Oaths

Chapter 56: Oaths

 **{Leo Corp Tower: July 30** **th** **, 2014: 7:45am}**

The group was in a gun range that Reiji had set up to practice shooting a bit, most of them believing that with witches on their sides, a gun was impractical; however, the silver-haired seventeen-year-old has insisted, should the witches become too physically drained to fight with their magic, or if the need to shoot back should arise. Therefore, they had reported bright and early at the range, practicing a few rounds of target practice, which would later be a practice session in using the same targets to use as spell marking to make sure that the mortals and witches alike could actually hit a target with the spells they had in their arsenal.

Sawatari was next to Yuya in this situation, the two of them not doing horribly, but not great either, mostly because they had never handled a gun before. Shay did fine with the shots, hitting dead center most of the time, as did Serena and Sky, Dennis used his talents with carnival games to his advantage, and Tsukikage his training with knife throwing, while Gongenzaka was in a similar boat to Yuya and Sawatari, Reiji proving to be a decent shot, while Riley watched them, occasionally eyeing the ones having trouble, but mostly watching the ones who knew what they were doing. Yuya sighed, finding the weight of the gun strange in his grasp as he looked to the others who were either doing well or not.

" _ **You're too tense, relax your shoulders, take in a deep breath, keep both your eyes open, and calm your heart rate. The more anxious you are, the harder it is to hit your target, that's also applying to your magic marks,"**_ Yuto directed him as Yuya swallowed around the knot in his throat, finding it difficult.

He wasn't opposed to guns, he knew they had their purposes; however, he also had never used one before, as witches didn't really use them, and that made him nervous, almost to the point that he couldn't pull the trigger. Knowing that, though, Yuya could only find himself disgruntled as Yuto sighed and suddenly arms were on his own, redirecting his hold and straightening his posture, the scent of earth and cedar trees came to his attention, and a moment later, he realized Shay was behind him, helping him position his hold better, and effectively spooking him.

"Relax, you're too tense. Take a deep breath, and pull the trigger," he said as Yuya nodded and pulled the trigger, hitting the target dead center.

"Okay… that wasn't too bad…" Shay nodded.

"Just remember to relax, if you don't, you'll end up getting someone hurt. Also, remember something, Sakaki…" scarlet met tawny.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Never aim a gun at someone you aren't willing to kill. The same goes for our spells, never initiate one unless you intend to use it… conscience and morals be damned, if someone wants to hurt you, they will, and it'll be up to you on whether or not you want to fight for your life, or not… I'll back you up because Yuto trusts you, but I won't always be there to help keep you safe, neither will the others, so I wanna know something." Yuya swallowed nervously.

"Know what? I um…" Shay narrowed his gaze.

"Are you willing to claim someone else's life in defense of another's? Or even your own? What lengths are you willing to go to in order to see this war end? Will you be okay with being called a killer? _Being distrusted because you're viewed as a threat?_ Are you going to be able to stomach it, because if not, then you need to stay here, and that goes for everyone else here as well," he stated loud enough for everyone to hear, causing them all to turn the safety onto their guns and put them down, coming towards him and the scarlet-eyed boy.

"What's that supposed to mean?" sharp gold eyes looked to the others.

"I know what I'm fighting for, my home, my sister, my friends and family who are still alive and those who were taken from me. I'm fighting so that what happened in the Xyz Zone never spreads to the others, what are all of you fighting for? Are you willing to put everything on the line for this to succeed? I want to know before we go any further," Shay informed them. All of them thought on his questions, knowing that it was a serious one.

What were they fighting for? Because they thought it was right? Because they didn't have a choice? Academia was a problem, they all understood that; however, none of that mattered if they didn't have their own reasons for combating the militaristic faction. Most of them had never considered the question, but just because it was the right thing, or just so someone was doing something wasn't good enough. Shay looked them over, awaiting their answer, all deep in thought before he sighed, wondering if they could even give him an actual answer or not.

"For the honor of my clan, and our fallen comrades," Tsukikage answered swiftly, Shay looked to him.

"You're a warrior, so doing that makes sense…" Reiji fixed his glasses.

"My father started this mess, so my reasons are simple enough: I intend to finish it. I have an obligation to do something if my family is involved," he stated as Shay glanced to Dennis.

"And you?" the New Yorker laughed nervously.

"For my friends, I don't want to see them hurt, and I want people to be happy. None of that can happen if Academia is on the lose," he said as the Risulian Witch looked to Sky.

"What about you? Shuinin?" Sky glanced to the side.

"Academia put a Corruption Curse on me, they made me hunt down other witches and kill them. I want revenge, but I also want to keep the person who saved me safe," he explained as he glanced to Yuya, who looked down.

" _I don't want him to feel like he owes me his life just because I helped him…"_ Yuto shook his head.

" _ **You saved his life, and he feels as though he should help you… just as you feel obligated to help me and Shay save Ruri because we saved you."**_ Shay's sharp eyes affixed themselves to Sawatari.

"And you? Other than the fact that you just want some glory, isn't there a reason you want to fight?" Sylvio shook his head.

"No, it's not that… I get it, I've got an ego, I was raised that way. But I have loved ones that I don't want to see carded… my parents live here, I grew up here… so I've got to do something, this is my hometown, like most of you…" he told him.

" _In the end, we're all fighting for someone or something we want to protect, does it really matter?"_ Yuya thought.

" _ **Knowing a person's resolve to fight is what makes teammates stronger. Yuma taught us that when the invasion started…"**_ the boy glanced to the side at Yuto's statement.

"Gongenzaka?" the tallest of the group hummed.

"For honor, for family, for my friends, for my home… there are many reasons," he stated as Shay sighed, glancing to Serena.

"And you? What does the Princess of Academia have to make her want this?" he asked as the Kontis Witch clenched her hands.

"Joeri… my closest friend… I want to save him." Shay looked to them all, and then, his eyes locked onto Yuya.

"Can you give me an answer? Sakaki? Do you want to protect this Zone of our World? Your friends and family? What do you have that's driving you to choose to fight?" he inquired, tawny eyes boring holes into him as Yuya took in a deep breath.

"I… want to keep my promises to Yuzu… but I… also… want to protect all of you. We're going into war; at this point, we're not rivals, or anything else… we're brothers and sisters… _Nakama_ … and we're going to have to work together if we want this to work… so, I intend to keep my promises to Yuzu, no matter what happens… but I'm also going to do my best to protect the people who are going onto those front lines with me… I'm not very powerful or strong… but the best thing I can do is have everyone's back… so long as you'll have mine," Yuya answered, causing Shay's eyes to grow wide.

" _Yuma said almost the exact same thing to us when the invasion started… how… could he possibly…"_ the Risulian Witch banished the thought from his mind, choosing to focus on the matter at hand.

"Well said, I for one will have your back through thick and thin, that much I can assure you," Reiji answered.

"Good, and the rest of you?" the group shrugged, most smiling a bit.

"Hell, why not?! If you're willing to protect me, then I've gotta return the favor, don't I?" Sawatari replied as Yuya laughed.

"You better, or you'll have me to answer to!" Sky gave him a snarky look.

"Right, what we'll have to do in order to defeat Academia is do the best we can to work together, so right here and now, I propose we make a vow that if one of us needs it, we'll have their backs, they can count on us to be there for them," Dennis suggested as he held his hand out and the group nodded, Riley coming over to them as Yuya laid his hand atop the other's, Sky, Gongenzaka, and Sawatari following suit as Reiji, Riley, and finally Shay and Serena did as well.

"The Lancers will protect their own, no matter what." The group nodded, the sudden weight they had been feeling during all of their preparation fading almost instantly under that singular oath they had taken in that moment.

The day that followed that moment in the morning proved to be far more productive than it had started off as. The mortals ended up being capable of getting the targets in some area on the first try, and by the second to third attack, they hit the mark they were supposed to. Riley was learning a few small wind and basic healing spells, while Reiji seemed to be doing as well alongside the others. Yuto smiled as he watched the group work together, the mortals picking up magic and excelling within hours compared to earlier. The spirit had to admit it to himself, Yuya somehow knew how to say the right words that would touch the hearts of others, in a way that reminded him of Yuma greatly.

When he thought about the happy-go-lucky person with his silly grin and hyper personality, Yuto felt a slight ache seep into his chest. Yuma was a good friend of his who had a warm heart and was always doing what he could for others, even when his life was spiraling out of control. Yuma Tsukumo, through all of his trials, kept himself jovial and eager to explore new things: _he remained a dreamer._ Some people in the Resistance had called Yuma that several times, saying he was just a dreamer, and he had been fine with that; even now, Yuto was glad that he'd stayed just as he was to the end.

However, it made him wonder, what Yuya was exactly. He definitely was a dreamer, he'd shown that to him several times, especially when he'd faced him in a duel before Sky had been freed from the corruption curse. Yuya had said he wanted nothing more than for Witches and Mortals to exist peacefully, and for whatever stigmas were hanging around both parties to be cleared. His desire to bring peace made him many things, and while some would call him a fool, Yuto didn't see him as such.

" _A dreamer, a make believer, an optimist, true to his heart, willing… honorable… compassionate… those are so many things that make up who he is… in layman's terms… Yuya's a light in the darkness…"_ Yuto thought to himself.

 **{Sawatari Residence: 6:04pm}**

"I'm home!" Sylvio called as he came in the door, and looked to see his mother coming down the stairs to greet him.

She was a beautiful, elegant, slender woman with fair skin, blonde hair, and mauve eyes. Her name was Sofia, and even though she was in her mid-thirties, she still was as pretty as she'd been when his father had met her when they were teenagers during the summer. Sylvio had heard the story a thousand times and hadn't given it much thought, but recently, he had started to change his opinions on how he felt about hearing his parent's stories. The woman swept him into a tight embrace, just as she always did when he came home, and not a moment later, his father greeted him, giving him an equally tight hug that he returned.

"Come, dinner's ready, and we want to hear all about the day," Sofia stated as he nodded and followed them into the dining room where they sat down to begin dinner.

While they were aware of the Lancers, and that he was undergoing a brief training period, Sylvio had been exceptionally careful to tell them bare minimum details. It was common knowledge that his father wasn't that accepting of Yuya Sakaki – as he believed the scarlet-eyed boy was the person who'd attacked his son – and to double that, both his parents were devout Catholics, and as soon as he'd learned that half of the Lancers were indeed witches, he had gone to the local library and researched witches and the catholic church's history: it hadn't been pleasant. Hundreds of people slaughtered under the accusation of being witches, and while Sylvio didn't doubt that there had been real ones there, the mere thought turned his stomach. The blonde-brunette internally shook himself as he looked at the wonderful meal in front of him, and after their quick prayer, they began to eat.

"How did today go?" asked his father.

"Fine, we learned how to handle a few firearms just to be safe, but Reiji Akaba doesn't think we'll ever have to use them." Sofia sighed.

"I don't truly like you having to use a weapon, but I suppose being safe is better than being sorry," she stated.

"That's what he was thinking. It was neat, though, today… all of us learned what we're fighting for… it was really impressive… and you should have heard what Yuya said! He got us to agree to support each other in the battles coming up." Sofia smiled.

"He sounds like such a charming boy, oh! I know, Sylvio, invite him over for dinner, I'd love to meet him," she said as he stared while his father groaned.

"Sofia, do you not remember what that boy did to our son? He attacked him!" Sylvio took in a deep breath.

"No, he didn't! That was someone else, and it was a huge mistake. I met the friend of the guy who did that, and he explained what was happening… his name is Shay Obsidian, and those people who attacked everyone during the tournament kidnapped his little sister, the guy who attacked me is her boyfriend, and he's just desperate to find her and bring her home safely," he defended. His father sighed, glancing towards him as he took a bite of his chicken.

"There's something _off_ about Yuya Sakaki. I don't exactly know what it is, but if I met him, I doubt I'd like him… someone like that is no good," he said as Sofia frowned.

"Now, you don't even know him. Don't judge people based upon pretense, that's unfair." Sylvio took to eating in silence, his father grumbling a bit as he continued his meal.

"Why do you not like Yuya? Other than the fact that you think he attacked me?" he questioned, being careful to choose his words as his father hummed, sipping at his wine before looking to him.

"His hair, his eyes… I've only seen him on TV and I get the feeling that he's unnatural… bad news, if you ask me, and I don't like the fact that Akaba has him as one of these… Lancers… it's asking for trouble." Sylvio frowned a bit.

At first, he'd admittedly thought that Yuya was strange as well – and he still did, to a point – but as he got to know him, Sylvio began to realize Yuya Sakaki wasn't much different from the rest of them. Yes, he was a Witch, a powerful one that was still learning how to control his magic, and while he wasn't the strongest fighter in their group, he had talent. As a Duelist, Yuya was on point, and never ceased to amaze the viewers, having kept a strong disposition and a brilliant smile on his features no matter what. As he had uncovered more, though, Yuya taught him to appreciate himself and what he had because when he got down to the wire on it: Yuya didn't have some of the things he did, and wealth had nothing to do with it.

Undoubtedly, he had a loving home, but Yuya's biological parents had died before he had even gotten the chance to know them, and that had left him to be raised by his aunt and uncle, who cared for him as if he was their own, while Sylvio had been blessed to grow up with his parents with him all the way. Amidst all of this though, Yuya had to struggle with being bullied because he looked different, and then his uncle had disappeared, and he'd been teased as being the son of a coward. Sylvio had been in school with the kid since their elementary years, but he had never gotten to truly know him until now.

Had he bothered, he would have learned that Yuya was anything but the shy, timid, crybaby that he recalled from their earlier days. He was bold, willful, and loving, things that Sylvio had often thought was a weakness, but proved to be Yuya's strength. With a faint nod of his head, the blonde-brunette found himself deciding something at that exact moment.

"I'm going to invite Yuya over for dinner tomorrow night. Getting to know him I think will help you see that he's a good person," he stated, his father gawking while his mother smiled.

"That sounds lovely! I'm glad you decided to do it!" his mother, ever one of the kindest people he'd ever met, agreed to his plan, her tone underlying that her husband had better not dare to disagree on the matter.

"Fine, bring him over for dinner. We'll see what I think about him after that," he said as Sylvio smiled.

"Alright, then."

 **{Leo Corp Tower: July 31** **st** **, 2014: 4:30pm}**

Another day of training closed out, tomorrow, they had been given the blessing of rest before they would be departing for the Synchro Dimension. They had been told that a package would be awaiting them when they arrived home that evening, and as everyone was preparing to leave, Sylvio Sawatari found himself at a loss on how to approach Yuya. Normally, he'd just be blunt and say what he wanted, but in the case, he was having the Pendulum inventor over for dinner, meaning that he would have to be polite about this. Sighing, he swore under his breath and walked up to the boy, tapping him on the shoulder as he was met with scarlet eyes.

" _Shit! Why is it that I get myself tongue tied now? Maybe because I'm inviting a witch into a house full of Catholics? Maybe? Nah, can't be…"_ Sawatari thought as Yuya raised an eyebrow.

"Is everything okay, Sawatari? You look a little pale," he said.

"Nothing's wrong, I merely wanted to ask if you would like to join me at my house for dinner." The boy gave him a surprised expression.

"Me? Why? I was kinda under the impression that you weren't fond of me," Yuya stated as the blonde-brunette felt a portion of his soul wither.

" _I must look like a total jackass to him… and here I was thinking that we could become friends… how am I supposed to try and do that if he thinks I don't even remotely like him?"_ Sylvio thought in defeat.

"Not really, no. I just wanted to invite you over, as a… token of comradery, if you will," he explained as Yuya laughed a bit.

"Okay, I'll bite. Just let me call my aunt and we'll head over once we're finished here." Yuya grabbed his phone and went to call the woman while Sylvio gawked, shocked that he had agreed so readily.

The next hour went by in a slight blur, as it was their final day of training before they would be departing for their first destination. Everyone had practiced magic, combat, and with their new cards, leaving Reiji to only hope that they enjoyed their day off as he dismissed them, and everyone started waving goodbye, knowing that they wouldn't see each other more than likely for the next twenty-four hours while Sylvio directed Yuya to where they would need to go in order to walk to his house.

The two of them walked quietly, the sunset bathing a warm orange glow across the ground and themselves as they maintained a somewhat comfortable silence. The Abyss Actor Duelist would admit it, he had no idea how to start up a conversation with Yuya about him personally. It was always about the Lancers, the job they had to do, or wanting to duel him, but now, he was being given a chance to try and become a real friend to the other, and he didn't want to mess it up.

A heavy sigh left him, and he glanced to Yuya, who was looking up to the sky, seeming to take in the palette of colors above them, and in curiosity, Sawatari looked up as well, and was blown away by the fused purples, pinks, oranges, and blood reds. It was beautiful, and not something he really ever took in, which got him to think about something else. How did the world look through the eyes of someone like Yuya, a person who used magic and seemed to be in tune with nature? As the thought crossed him, Yuya reached up with his right hand, and ran a hand through his hair, causing the sunlight to catch the pale, long scar on his wrist. Mauve eyes opened wide at the sight of it, looking at how imperfect it was, how it seemed deep, but not extremely so, and where it was. Suddenly, he knew what he wanted to ask.

"What's with that scar?" he received a cautious look from Yuya.

"Um… they're… kind of personal…" the boy exposed both his wrists by turning his arms over, showing him the twin scars.

"Are those… what I think they are?" he inquired carefully. Yuya sighed, looking at the marks.

"Yea… just before my fourteenth birthday, I… tried to commit suicide… all of the bullying and teasing had just taken its toll on me… and I was in a lot of pain and didn't want to hurt anymore… so… I took a knife from the kitchen at home and kept it in my backpack all day… when I got to the Duel School, I waited until classes were over… and went into the bathroom… and slit my wrists…" Sylvio paled at the information.

"Then… how…" he couldn't ask the question, and Yuya seemed to know that.

"I looked at my reflection, as all this blood started slipping past my fingers… I saw my eyes growing dark and my face pale… in that moment… I thought about Yuzu and the others… and… how much pain I would be causing them… so I tried to stop the bleeding, but couldn't… I started to think that I was going to die, and then… Yuzu showed up and she managed to get the towels out of the cabinet and wrapped them around my wrists… if it wasn't for her… I wouldn't be here."

"When was your birthday?" he questioned as Yuya dropped his arms to his sides.

"May first…"

The information floored Sylvio to the point that he almost stopped dead in his tracks. Yuya had always seemed so strong and carefree, but now that he knew the truth, he realized he should have seen the signs. While the boy had a warmth to him, and was kind, known for being a beautiful and innocent person with a brilliant smile, Yuya was suffering behind it all, to the point that he felt like ending his life was the only option left to him.

The boy took in a deep breath and started to fall back into pace with the red-green-haired boy. His birthday was on May first, meaning that when he'd met him, it had only been a few weeks since Yuya had tried to do what he had, and yet he saw fit to still harass and bully him. It was a sharp punch to the gut, making him realize what a horrible person he had been up to this point when it came to Yuya Sakaki.

"Hey… Yuya?" he asked as the boy looked to him.

"What is it?" Sylvio took in a deep breath.

"I'm… sorry… for the things I said… for how I've treated you… I know I'm an arrogant ass, but that doesn't mean I should have said what I have or done what I did," he stated. Yuya gave him a long look, gauging whether or not the other was being truthful before he sighed.

"Yea, you're an ass… and you're very full of yourself… but you aren't a terrible person, you just have an ego the size of Texas, but hey, we've all got our flaws. Gods know I've got plenty of them… so… I forgive you, just keep your promise to have my back, and I'll have yours." Mauve eyes met scarlet ones as Yuya gave him a smile.

"I can totally do that! Just watch Neo Sawatari work his… er… magic," he said as Yuya laughed.

"That was a terrible pun."

 **{Sawatari Residence: 5:55pm}**

The two carried a somewhat easy conversation, Yuya explaining how he'd reprogrammed the Duel Disks, taking time to pinpoint the more finite details as Sylvio listened to him, eager to learn something new that could potentially be helpful. It was as they arrived, that he made one thing certain to Yuya: his parents were Catholics, and he needed to be careful, because he wasn't certain how they would take to having a witch in their house or hanging around their son. Yuya had shrugged, merely stating that he had seen some worse reactions than people yelling and shouting about a witch being around someone they knew. With that warning in mind, Sylvio opened the door, being greeted by his mother instantly.

"Welcome home, Sylvio, did you have a good day?" she asked as he nodded and hugged his mother as she did so with him.

"Yea, we got everything done, so tomorrow we get to relax and do our own preparations." She nodded, happy to hear it as she glanced to the boy dressed in dark green pants, a black t-shirt and sneakers with a choker pendulum crystal and goggles on his head.

"You must be Yuya Sakaki, my Sylvio has told me quite a bit about you… it's nice to finally meet you, dearie," she stated as she held her hand out and he took the indication.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Sawatari." Yuya took her hand barely touching his lips to the tops of her fingers as she giggled.

"What a gentleman, so many young men your age don't know about being proper to a lady," she told him as Sylvio gawked at the scene, but couldn't help but find himself laughing internally.

" _He must have had some serious etiquette classes as a witch…"_

"My husband is in the dining room waiting for us, this way, please." Yuya tugged off his goggles, putting them into the pocket of his pants, which caused his bangs to fall into his face a bit before he sighed, knowing that it would be rude of him to wear them at the table while he was a guest elsewhere.

"Thank you for having me over," he stated as Sofia smiled warmly.

"Don't mention it, you're one of my son's comrades, getting to know you is the least we can do."

Yuya followed Sylvio's mother into the dining room where he was greeted by the opulence of the large European style house. Sitting at the head of the table was none other than Mr. Sawatari, a bland expression upon his face as Yuya came to stand next to his son and his wife sent him a sharp smile, letting him know to behave himself as Yuya bowed a bit, thanking him for having him as Sofia took her seat and Sylvio followed, dinner already being on the table as Yuya sat down as well, looking at the vast options available.

" _ **Holy shit!"**_ Yuto thought to him and Yuya couldn't help but internally agree.

"I hope that you enjoy your dinner with us. We weren't certain what you may like, so we picked a few different items to choose from. Are you a vegetarian?" Mr. Sawatari asked as Yuya shook his head.

"No sir, I'm not…" he nodded, and Sofia started to make her plate, her husband following as Sylvio did the same and Yuya carefully did as his teammate did.

" _I feel way out of my league here… even with all my etiquette training…"_

" _ **If it makes you feel better… I don't know a damn thing about high society outside of my own bare-bones etiquette… I was just taught to mind my manners and be polite, not all this posh stuff like you…"**_ Yuya mentally prodded Yuto.

" _Don't know if that was a compliment, a dis, or you trying to be funny…"_ Sofia looked to him, and Yuya glanced her way as a small bowl of cream-like soup was settled next to him.

"Do you like shrimp? I made some chowder for tonight," she said. He nodded, carefully accepting it as he tried some, being mindful not to spill any, even though he was anxious.

"It's very good. Are you the head cook in the family?" Sofia smiled.

"I am, it's one of my hobbies," she told him.

"Then you and my aunt would get along really well… she's always trying new dishes." The woman raised an eyebrow.

"Aunt?" she inquired as Yuya nodded slowly.

"My parents passed away when I was a baby, the woman I live with now is my mother's older sister, so, by relation she's my aunt." The woman before him sent him a soft look.

"I'm so sorry to hear that. How dreadful… well, it seems you've been well taken care of, and you're clearly loved… in the end, I suppose it worked out just fine." Yuya smiled.

"They've treated me like I was their own child. I didn't even know until after my duel with Kachidoki," he admitted.

"Speaking of which, I witnessed that duel. Who knew you could be so brutal…" Mr. Sawatari's statement had Yuto hissing like an irate feline.

" _ **I wonder if he'd like to personally meet Dark Rebellion?"**_

" _Hush…"_

"Well, I had to do something to defend myself. Otherwise, he would have continued beating me up," he said.

"Indeed… well, all in the past now. So, you're in the custody of your aunt and uncle? Did your parents not have other relatives? Or was it an option that they requested?" Yuya thought for a moment.

"My father and uncle are also brothers, when my aunt and uncle met, their younger siblings, my parents were already dating, and my mother Yaya had convinced my aunt to go on a date with her boyfriend's older brother… next thing that happened was my parents got married, and then my aunt and uncle married shortly before I was born," he explained as Mr. Sawatari hummed.

"How fascinating… by the way, Sylvio, did I hear that you have tomorrow off to finish your own preparations before leaving?" Mr. Sawatari asked.

"Yes, Reiji Akaba gave us the time off to do our own thing. He said it was a good idea to rest and wind down, so we weren't so hyperactive or anxious when we left that we made an error." Sofia nodded.

"That's probably a wise idea. It seems all of you children are in capable hands," she stated.

"We are, between Reiji and the rest of us, we'll be okay."

The meal continued in a peaceful silence, Yuya making sure to take his time to eat, thinking carefully on the conversation and the fact that Sylvio's father clearly had a dislike of him. However, he had no intentions of someone not liking him ruin the effort Sylvio and his mother were clearly trying to make. He minded himself, Yuto grumbling on occasion about how he didn't like the pompous windbag sitting there, eating with a snide glint in his eyes, but Yuya only gave the spirit a few mental prods and convinced him to relax for the time being.

It was as they started finishing their meal and the food was cleared away, leaving room for dessert to be presented as a type of parfait of some kind that Yuya couldn't quite pinpoint that Mr. Sawatari seemed to have decided on his next question. They had continued eating for a few moments, Yuto tensing like a spring to tightly wound as he growled, warning the person to not make him angry and then the man decided to begin his conversation with Yuya.

"Yuya, do you have a religion?" he inquired.

"I-I… pardon me?" the man gave him a once over. The question had caught him off guard, having never truly been asked that question in a direct manner before.

"I was asking if you had a religion?" he asked again as Yuya felt his magic slide across his skin a bit.

"Well… in a way…" the man narrowed his eyes.

"My family are Catholics, we have been for a very long time. I was curious, merely because Sylvio never brought it to my attention," he said.

" _ **He has a death wish… I'm gonna feed him to Dark Rebellion!"**_ Yuya prodded Yuto again.

" _Shut up! Now isn't the time!"_

"You don't say? I actually didn't know that your family was Catholic until today, Sylvio told me about it on the way here." Sofia remained silent, and Mr. Sawatari sighed.

"Would you mind telling me what your religious practices are? I'm curious," he stated as Sylvio sent him a worried glance before Yuya took in a deep breath. He never did this, but for once, he wanted to see what people who most like would be unaccepting would do, even though he had a good idea.

"Well… I'm a witch."

It took a moment to sink in, and then the man and woman's eyes grew wide. Yuya felt his heart begin hammering against his ribs violently, his magic wanting to overtake him due to his sudden spike in anxiety, but he crammed it back down, waiting to see what the two adults would do as Sylvio tightened his hands into fists. Because of the Fly-By-Night capsules, he had the ability to now use magic, but he also knew that doing so could make matters worse for Yuya; therefore, he prepared himself to defend his comrade.

"A… _witch?!_ You're one of those devil worshipers?!" Mr. Sawatari snapped as Yuya shook his head.

"No, there's no devil in the craft. I'm a white witch, I don't use my magic for evil." The man narrowed his eyes.

"Poppycock! All witches are evil! Vile and repulsive!" Yuya flinched at the words.

"That's not true… I'm not like that… all the ones I know aren't…" the man glared.

"Sylvio, you are not allowed around this boy. See, I told you! He's nothing but trouble! Horrible and evil as they come! Those red eyes of yours should have given away that you're some sort of demon's whore spawn!" at that, Yuya could take no more. He stood, magic crackling visibly around his frame as he ground his teeth together.

"I am not evil, just like you; some witches are good, and some aren't! My entire family are witches! My magic is something I use to better myself and others… I am not a demon's spawn, I'm just me! A Waking Witch!" Yuya snarled, eyes gleaming with a trace of crimson as the magic around his body let out a few small shimmers.

"What in the devil is wrong with your eyes?!" the boy took in a deep breath.

"It's part of who I am! Yes, I'm a witch, but that doesn't mean I'm automatically evil! I'm just… a human being… if you cut me I bleed… if you hurt me, I feel that pain…" he said as the man glared.

"Human? Boy, you're the very definition of anything but that!" Yuya felt the words cut through him like a knife. He swallowed around the tightness in his throat, eyes threatening to burn.

"Thank you for the meal, have a nice evening."

With that he walked away, quick to move away from the others as he felt his magic coil around his body. He didn't stop it from numbing the ache in his chest, even as he ran as quickly as he could back home. That was how others really saw witches? If that was the case, then there would be no chance of witches coming out of hiding and co-existing alongside mortals, not when they only saw them as evil monsters. The sound of the little girl in the stadium during the duel between Shay and Sky echoed within his ears as he heard her crying that she was _scared of the witch._

Back at the Sawatari residence, Sylvio was taking in a few deep breaths, steadying himself as he felt anger boil in the depths of his body, the electrical buzz in his veins telling him to subconsciously use the magic he temporarily had, but he refused to. Right now, he had a point to make, and his comrade needed him, because he had been wrongly accused by the man whom Sylvio called his father, someone he had looked up to for his whole life as he took in a deep breath.

"How could you?" he asked.

"Excuse me? Son, he's got you hexed! That boy is evil, think about what they say about witches." Sylvio shook his head.

"Do you know him? I mean, _really know him?!_ Yuya's been through hell and high water to get where he is right now. But no, all you did was label him without knowing who he really is!" he snapped.

"Don't you dare take that tone with me! Go to your room, we'll take you to confession tomorrow, and everything will be sorted out and – "Sylvio shook his head.

"No! you're going to listen to me, dammit!" he roared, causing the man to jolt as he narrowed his gaze on him.

"Son…" he shook his head once more.

"Yuya… he's… so innocent, and kind of naïve… but his heart's in the right place… when someone he cares for is in danger, he'll put everything on the line to do it. Yuya's a good person, just because he doesn't believe the same things as we do… doesn't mean he's evil," he said.

"Witches are evil, there's no getting around it." Sylvio sighed.

"No, people are evil. By nature, we're wicked creatures… we can't help it… but even we have redeeming qualities. You know what Yuya's is? _His kindness and understanding of others._ He could care less what we believe, because these last few days, I've seen him treat both witches and mortals as equals… he doesn't think he's better or worse than us… he's just as human as we are," he told them, his father looking down.

"Are you… sure you can trust that boy?" Sylvio shrugged.

"I've been a complete ass to him for years, and the moment I asked, he forgave me. The least I can do for him, is be his friend."

 **{…..}**

 _And we will find your saints to be canonized…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Let me start off by saying that I'm a Christian, but I also take the time to try and understand other religious practices and beliefs, most of the things in this fanfiction are just my own imagination from seeing movies and books with magic in them, or from doing research on what people believed witches to be back when I was a teenager.

In this chapter, which is very Sylvio Sawatari-centric, I wanted to focus on how Yuya could be treated if someone who wasn't as laid back on religion knew he was a witch, as to better prepare him for what will come soon. I also wanted to give Sylvio a bit of room to grow in his own way, by him choosing to not disregard his own beliefs, but also be there for his friend and comrade. Well, tell me what you think, okay, guys? And no flames, please.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

The conversation with the group was originally in chapter 50, but I felt it was better suited for another chapter.

Sylvio is an Italian name meaning: Silver.

Sylvio Sawatari is represented by the _Knight in the Suit of Wands_ , which is known as a symbol of being an adventurous risk taker who follows their passions and heart. For the way he's going, it fits, huh?

All the Pillars are characterized by an extremely defining trait. Yuma's was the Dreamer.

Yuya's defining trait is how he can be a light in the darkest moments, being able to reach out to other's hearts through his actions and words.


	57. Chapter 57: Basics

Chapter 57: Basics

 **{Sakaki Household: August 1** **st** **, 2014: 10:45pm}**

Yoko chopped a few vegetables, her mind clouded with how things had been since last night. Yuya had come home, his face pale, breathing shallow as he shut the door behind him, head hung low to the point that his bangs shadowed his eyes, his motions slow. She had come to him and he had stepped forward, only stopping once he had met her and then, he rested his head against her chest, leaning into her as she put her arms around him. In that moment, he had told her what had happened, and that he had made a terrible mistake. The moment he'd started telling her the details, his legs caved out from under him, and she had gone with him, watching as he shook, crying as he fisted his hair with his hands.

" _I should have never said anything! I'm just an evil monster in the eyes of people… why am I like this? I hate it… I hate being a witch… I can… never doing anything to really help people… just cause more trouble and suffering…"_

Yuya didn't truly hate being a witch, she understood that, and was fine with him venting that pain in any way he wanted. He was young, and had a lot to learn still about how the world worked. People feared things they didn't understand, and unfortunately, witches weren't understood even in modern days. The blonde-haired woman sighed, blowing a few strands of her hair out of her eyes as she thought about how Yuya had gone to his room, gotten himself ready for bed, and gone to sleep.

She had hoped he would feel a bit better in the morning, but that hadn't been the case, as he had refused to eat breakfast, and she was sure he would refuse lunch as well. Yoko knew very well that it was a blend of different things that were making him feel this way, and at this point, she couldn't do anything about it. Between the Lancers leaving tomorrow, Yuzu missing, and the ordeal with Sawatari's parents, she was wondering if he would even be mentally prepared for the departure tomorrow. As her thoughts continued to run through the situation, she heard a knock at the door and frowned, unsure of who it could be as she washed her hands and opened it, seeing none other than Sylvio Sawatari present.

"Um… hello Mrs. Sakaki," he muttered, looking uncomfortable.

"What are you doing here?" Yoko questioned him, genuinely wondering what the boy was doing at her house.

"I… wanted to talk with Yuya…" the woman crossed her arms over her chest.

"He's not feeling so well. See that tends to happen when being called an evil monster is thrown in your face," she stated.

"Listen… I… I'm sorry… that's not what I wanted to happen. The only thing I was hoping for, was Yuya becoming… a friend…" Yoko sighed.

"Don't apologize to me, he's the one you need to be doing that to. Go upstairs, it's the room to the right once you get down the hall," she informed him as she let him in, and he removed his shoes, thanking her before he started up the stairs while Yoko went back to what she was doing in the kitchen.

After last night, Sawatari had made his peace with his father; however, the man once the day had started, ordered him to stay away from Yuya only because he feared that the boy was a bad influence. Sylvio had been quick to stop him in his tracks, telling him that he wasn't about to let what happened remain that way and cause a rift between him and one of his teammates. With his mind made up, Sylvio had gotten breakfast, and got himself ready before he went out the door, on a mission to speak with his teammate, and hopefully, find a way to apologize to the boy.

When Yuya had been called the things he had, Sylvio had felt such a terrible ache in his chest. The boy looked so incredibly hurt, his eyes shining with restrained tears, his body trembling just slightly, and though he did not stutter, his voice trembled with the effort it took not to cry. That was the first time he'd seen Yuya break like that, and it painted an entirely new picture. The blonde-brunette sighed as he stood just outside of Yuya's door, hearing the boy moving around a bit within it as he reached for the handle of the door.

Though anxious, Sylvio opened the door, and saw the boy curled up on his bed, looking out the window. He was dressed in a pair of black cotton pants, a dark red almost burgundy t-shirt, and was lacking his choker, goggles, and pendulum crystal, which surprised the other. He shut the door, and those scarlet eyes glanced his way, the boy curling on himself as he pulled his legs to his chest, wrapping his arms around them as he buried his face in them.

"Yuya…" the boy flinched.

"Why are you here?" Sylvio looked to him.

"I just wanted to – "the boy sent him a cold look from under his bangs.

"Wanted to what? Come gawk at the _Witch_ when they've hit the bottom?Did you wanna see what your fucking handy work looks like? Guess you get off on that kind of thing, huh?" the boy snarled as Sylvio stared at him in disbelief.

"No, I didn't…" Yuya rolled his eyes, tisking as he did so.

"Please… Sawatari, I'm not dumb… people like you always want to see things like me when we're reduced to this state… feeling helpless and _like a sin._ I guess you want to hear that a part of me doesn't want to live… that a part of me hates what I am… and another part of me… _wants you dead_ …" he muttered, causing Sylvio to gape.

" _He's like a completely different person…"_

The blonde-brunette took in a deep breath and marched forward, coming to stand in front of the boy as he snatched him by the shoulders, startling the boy as he stared into dull red eyes. Yuya looked helpless, he looked sick, and tired, and like he wanted to give into something that Sawatari knew he wouldn't come back from easily. Shaking his head, the half-Italian took in a deep breath and tightened his grip on the boy's upper arms.

"I didn't mean for that to happen. If I had known… that he would do that, I wouldn't have invited you… I would have suggested you and I go somewhere alone, and just talk." The boy looked down, bangs hanging in his face.

"Just talk? Why would you want to talk with something like me? Better yet…" Yuya pushed him back, standing to his feet.

"Yuya…" the boy held his arms out, showing the scars on his wrists.

"Why would you want to be around someone whose suicidal? Look at me, I'm a broken and vile monster… pathetic and worthless… I couldn't protect Yuzu, I can't help people see that my kind aren't all evil… and I can't even save myself… so why in the hell would you want anything to do with _the witch?"_

It was a brutal sight, something that made Sylvio want to look away, seeing the boy standing there, his bangs hanging in his eyes to the point that they weren't even seen, his face showing a fracture smile, as he held his arms forward, showing the scars there. That knowledge wouldn't leave him alone, even as he stood there, looking at this bruised and beaten person, his small frame looking incredibly fragile as he stood in front of him. for the first time in his life, Sylvio Sawatari, saw this boy as vulnerable, and realized that while he was able to put on a smile and appear strong: it was a farce.

In truth, Yuya was hanging on by a thread, to the point that if someone didn't reach for him he was going to fall, and that would be the end of it. What he needed, now more than anything though, was someone to catch him when he fell. Without thinking, Sylvio moved forward, pulling the smaller boy into a hug. Not knowing what he could do to really help him, but he was unwilling to just let it be. The boy jolted, startled by the action as someone who never bothered to try and understand him, wrapped his arms around his body as though he was scared that if he didn't he would fall apart.

"Don't say those things! Listen, I fucking suck at comforting people… honest to God I do… but the hell if I don't try!" he stated.

"Sawatari… what are you – "the other shook his head.

"Those things you said… they're not true. You're not a monster… you're not vile, and you didn't fail to protect Yuzu… I get it, you love her, don't you? So, because you weren't able to keep her from being taken away, you feel like you failed her, but she's not gonna think that, you know her better than I do… so think about it!" he told him as Yuya remained unmoving.

"You don't get it…" Sawatari nodded.

"Yea, I don't, you're right. I'm a dumbass mortal with an ego the size of Texas… I can only use magic because of a damn pill, but you? You were born with it… it's a part of who you are… and if you want to make people see that witches and mortals can exist together peacefully… then do it! Prove everyone wrong!" he said as Yuya sighed, reached forward to push him back, but the other didn't budge.

"Let go of me… please… just leave…" the other narrowed his gaze.

"Dammit! Yuya! Listen to me! You aren't worthless, you aren't pathetic! Your Yuya Sakaki! A fucking genius with Duel Monsters! I admit it, you're clever as hell, and you invented Pendulum Summoning, something none of us could do in a million years! You're a Waking Witch, a Lancer, and you're gonna help us save our world! So that you can find Yuzu and tell her that you love her! Right?" he snapped, looking at the boy as he gripped his upper arms again.

"Sawatari… I might have done those things… but do you even see me? I can't save myself… I'm a coward… I couldn't even kill myself, so how can I – "the other glared.

" _Don't think like this, please… you're stronger than this… come on…"_

"You're scared, aren't you? Of us failing… of you losing control of your magic… of never seeing Yuzu Hiiragi again… I get that! We're all terrified! But, Yuya… you're stronger than I think you realize… and every time I'm around you… I see it. How brightly you shine… so bright that it fucking hurts to look sometimes… so don't you dare just throw it away… you're someone I look up to!" Yuya looked to him, shock clear on his features.

"You… look up to me? Why?" Sawatari dropped his arms, glancing to the side, his face turning red in embarrassment.

"There's… something about your… spirit. You have such an amazing will and light to you… when I first dueled you… I got inspired to become an entertainer… and when we had our rematch, I remember what you told me…" Yuya looked to him in confusion.

"What I told you?" Sawatari nodded.

"That you hadn't felt this alive in months… that you wouldn't let it end easily. Your eyes, they had this look to them that at the time I thought was kind of creepy… because they were so bright, you looked kinda manic… but… now I realize that they were like that… because your eyes were full of life and your soul was on fire… it was encouraging… so… even though I hated that I lost… that day… I started wanting to become your friend." the boy looked down.

"Enemies to friends? In one duel? How?" Sawatari shrugged.

"Blame your magic… it's infectious or something… there's this… power you have that seems to be able to reach out and touch people through your actions and words… I don't know what it is, but it's pretty cool… and so what if you're a witch? I didn't have a problem when I found out, and I don't now," he pointed out as Yuya gave a half-hearted laugh.

"You're so weird… going this far just to knock some sense into me… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have let it get to me." The other shook his head.

"I'm weird? Well… I guess all of us are, huh?" Yuya shrugged a bit.

"Guess so…" Sawatari sighed.

"Don't apologize either, that's my job. I really didn't mean for that to happen, and if I had known that my dad would pull that shit, I literally would have just had us go somewhere and… I don't know… hang out?" Yuya glanced to the side, thinking for a moment.

"How about we give it another try then? There's still plenty of time left in the day… what do you say to some ice cream?" the boy inquired, a faint look of unsureness in his ruby eyes. Sawatari looked at the boy with a bland, and slightly disbelieving look.

" _Ugh! Puppy dog eyes! My greatest weakness!"_

"Fine, I'm in!" Yuya laughed, doubling over as he did so while Sawatari gave him a peeved look.

"Gods! That look on your face! Hahaha! That was hilarious!" the older teenager groaned.

"Great… now you have blackmail against me." The boy nodded, giving him a bright smile.

"Bet your ass I do! Just don't give me a reason to use it!" he stated as he laughed, continuing to smile.

" _There's the person I know. Damn, when did I become such a softy towards this kid?"_

 **{Ice Cream Parlor: 11:24am}**

Sky took in a deep breath as he sat at his table in the parlor, slowly munching on the sundae he'd gotten. Having the day off made him uncomfortable, only because he wasn't sure what to do with himself, or for that matter, the hours that he had left. Sky took another bite of his sundae, humming in defeat as he started to think about the Lancers, the training, and preparing to leave for the Synchro Dimension. Having seen the others work, Sky didn't doubt that they would be fine for the most part, but there was still the problem that most of them had never experienced battle, and while he wasn't certain what they would be facing in the Synchro Dimension, he did not doubt that hostility would be abundant there. The chartreuse eyed boy frowned, taking a fierce bite of his sundae as he decided to try and not dwell on it.

"You'll get a brain freeze…" Sky looked up at the source of the voice.

"Admit it, you'd find it funny… wouldn't you? Obsidian?" he asked as Shay sighed.

"What are you doing in here all by yourself?" the blue-haired boy shrugged.

"Enjoying some ice cream, why are you here?" he inquired while the other glanced to the side.

"I saw you in the window, and I thought… having a talk with you might be a good idea." Sky hummed.

"Have a seat and order something…"

Shay took his seat and looked at the kiosk at the table, recalling the ones that had been at Ruri's favorite café. Sighing, he looked through the options before choosing a float – the only sweet thing he could really stand – and waited for the order to be completed. The two remained in silence for a few minutes, and then a waitress gave Shay his order, he thanked her and looked to the blue-haired Fusionist before sighing as the boy took another bite, smiling a bit as he continued to eat the giant sundae, causing the tawny eyed Raidraptor Duelist to give him a questioning look.

"Are you gonna be able to eat all of that?" Sky nodded.

"Yup, I'm a Dyren Witch, remember? We can get a magical charge if we eat sugary things… so this is to give me some more energy." Shay sighed.

"Alright, listen… why are you really helping the Lancers?" he questioned. Sky tilted his head at the question.

"What do you mean by that? I've told you, I want revenge for what Academia did to me!" Shay rose an eyebrow.

"Then what about Sakaki?" the blue-haired boy looked down.

"I want to protect him too… more than anything. He saved my life," he muttered while Shay huffed at the statement.

"Uhuh, I get that you want to protect Sakaki, but I'm not foolish by any means. There are other reasons that you want to keep Sakaki safe, not just because he saved your skin…" Sky bit his lip, wondering how to best answer the other.

"What do you think that reason is though?" he inquired. Shay hummed, looking at the boy across from him, taking a sip of the root-beer float he had.

"Something tells me you're hiding a detail that Akaba aren't informing the rest of us about." Sky frowned.

"Listen, there's a reason I'm not telling you about what Reiji Akaba has told me. But…Yuya is… very… different and… special. He's… the main reason I'm a Lancer and will be going to the Synchro Dimension." Shay hummed.

"Thought so, I want to ask a question though," he stated as Sky gave him a questioning look.

"What is it?" Shay crossed his arms over his chest.

"Is Sakaki a Pillar?" the blue-haired boy's eyes went wide.

"W-Why would you ask that?" he inquired as Shay narrowed his gaze.

"Because, Sakaki is different… like you said. Every single time I'm around him, I have similar feelings that I got around Yuma, whom we now know was the primary Pillar of the Xyz Zone. So, answer my question, is Yuya Sakaki a Pillar?" Sky swallowed anxiously.

"Um…" Shay looked down, sighing.

"Fine, don't tell me. I'll wait to find out the truth later… however, I intend to learn the truth at some point."

Sky glanced to the side, knowing that for the time being, he would have to keep things quiet, at least, he supposed he needed to. While Reiji hadn't outright told Sky not to tell Shay or the others that Yuya was the Pillar of the Pendulum Zone, he had warned him to be careful about the boy finding out. Yuya didn't need to know the truth at this point, and that meant Sky would have to be careful when this subject matter came up. Taking in a deep breath, the blue-haired Dyren Witch glanced to Shay who was looking out the window, watching people walking around while Sky groaned, wanting to throw something at this point when he considered how important Shay Obsidian was to the success of the Lancers.

" _I'd have to get clearance from Reiji to let Shay know that Yuya is the Pillar of the Pendulum Zone. I guess it'll have wait… probably better if he doesn't know honestly…"_

"Why do you seem so bent out of shape? Hmm?" Sky looked to Shay, shrugging.

"I'm just bored I guess… think about it we've been working like crazy, and now we get a breath, and have to wait until tomorrow morning to go into battle…" Shay sighed, looking down at the float he had before glancing out the window.

"Will it be worth it?" he inquired.

"Worth it? What are you talking about?" Shay's tawny eyes glanced his way.

"You're originally from the Fusion Zone, so, the Pendulum Zone isn't your home… I know you want to help because Yuya saved your life, and also you want revenge. Interestingly enough, you seem to be keen on stopping Academia… but do you truthfully want to go to war with the place you've called home?" Sky narrowed his eyes.

"Obsidian, you're willing to battle through all of this bullshit, in order to keep the things that happened in the Xyz Zone from spreading through to the other Zones… you also want to find the Pillars and fuse the Zones and the Dimensions together. You want to save our world, and so do I…" Shay frowned.

"So, in the end, you want to save the entire world, instead of just one or two of the Zones. I guess that makes sense… if we lose another Pillar… if another Zone turns into a Dimension… we'll end up losing everything," he stated as Sky nodded slowly.

"That's why I'm willing to fight… for the sakes of everyone in our world. I wanna keep Millennium from vanishing… at any case… we're Lancers… and our jobs are to find the Pillars of our world, unite them, fuse the Dimensions and Zones together, and defeat Academia… but I want to know something…" the Risulian Witch looked to the other.

"What?" Sky shifted a bit.

"The Xyz Zone was completely swallowed by its Dimension… so… is it possible that the current state of your home… can't be fixed?" he inquired as Shay looked down, closing his eyes momentarily.

"Do you think its possible that if we found the Secondary Pillar of the Xyz Zone… if they were to join together with another Pillar… could things be fixed?" chartreus eyes glanced downward.

"To be honest, that's not something I can answer myself. Think about it? I'm just a former Academia Duelist… I'm not a Pillar, just a Dyren Witch and a Duelist who wants to help…" Shay hummed, leaning back in his seat a bit.

"I get it now. So, would you be interested in a duel?" Sky smirked just a bit.

"Are you sure? I can use Xyz, Synchros, and Pendulums now, so what if I can kick your ass?" he questioned as Shay shrugged.

"Guess we'll have to find out, so, are you game?" Sky smiled brightly.

"You're on…"

 **{Boardwalk: 12:40pm}**

Dennis took in a deep breath as he walked down the boardwalk, enjoying the peace and quiet alongside the ocean's wind. Serena was walking beside him, dressed in denim shorts, white converse sneakers, a blue-green t-shirt, her bracelet, and her hair tied up by a white ribbon. Dennis smiled as they continued walking, exploring the vendors present, and enjoying the breeze while the Kontis Witch took in the breeze and the sound of the ocean. Serena wasn't a feminine girl, never dressed up or wearing make-up, always wearing tomboyish attire, speaking bluntly and crudely at times without a care for what others would think. She ran a Moonlight deck, not because it was pretty, but because they suited her affixation with the moon and the pull it had on the ocean, which was associated with her magic.

"So, you wanted to talk with me?" Dennis asked as Serena sighed.

"What are you doing here? Did the Professor send you after me?" the other flinched.

"No… I was supposed to… bring Yuya to him," he admitted, causing the girl to stare at him in disbelief.

"You… were going to take Yuya to him? What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Dennis recoiled at her enraged look.

"Serena, listen I – "the girl narrowed her eyes.

"How could you?! Yuya views you as a friend and you have the fucking gall to betray him like that? Why would you do something so vile? Our kind is supposed to stand by one another! So why? Answer me, dammit!" she snapped, causing the orange-haired teenager to sigh in defeat.

"At first, I accepted the mission… thinking that maybe I could talk with you and convince you to come back to Academia… Joeri was worried about you before I left, so I decided to try and speak with you…" Serena felt her form tense.

"You… spoke with Joeri?" she inquired.

"I did, and he was okay… so, I took the assignment, not caring really about the issues that could arise. I thought that Yuya would be easy to get close to, and then I could just catch him off guard and whisk him away to Academia without much of a fuss…" Serena looked him over.

"Something changed though, didn't it?" she asked, crossing her arms, bracelet chinking as she did so.

"Yea… a lot changed… I actually met Yuya, and started to learn about him… and he made me feel so much guilt for taking that request from the Professor. I keep thinking that I shouldn't have tried to get involved, but when I met his eyes… there was this feeling deep inside my chest… like he'd reached into me and grabbed my heart just by looking at me… almost like he – "Serena looked down.

"Almost as if he was touching your soul… every time I've been around him I feel this overwhelming purity and peace… as though I'm in the presence of one of the true streghe bianche…" she muttered.

"A White Witch… I could see that… though, they've become pretty uncommon, huh? I mean, White Magic is so diverse that the Skill died out ages ago." Serena shook her head.

"I know, but he gives off the sensation that a pure hearted witch is said to… however… Yuya is pretty strange in general… not that his inheritance as a Waking Witch is a common ability. Guess this means we don't really get him…" Dennis sighed.

"No, we don't… but that's okay… the moment I started getting around him, Yuya started changing me… for some reason… I ended up feeling different, but what really gets me… was what I saw in the iceberg area…" Serena looked to him.

"What do you mean?" she probed as Dennis sighed.

" _I'm going to regret this…"_ Denim blue eyes looked to turquoise ones.

"Joeri came here, on an assignment to collect Yuzu Hiiragi. He arrived before me, and then he carded two people who stumbled upon us… at first, I'm not sure if Yuzu was taken by him… or something else happened." The girl's eyes widened significantly.

"H-He was sent to get… Yuzu? Why are you telling me this now?" she asked, fear lacing her tone.

"Because… Serena… the Professor or someone… put a Corruption Curse on Joeri."

Dennis watched the girl move towards the rail of the boardwalk, leaning against it as she looked down at the beach and the shore below. Her eyes were wide, frame shaking as she took in a few rattling breaths, thinking of what was happening as the information sunk into her. It felt like someone had thrusted a scalding knife into her heart, eyes burning with tears as she tried to restrain her emotions, knowing that her heart began to roar within her ears, her mind thinking of the situation happening. Before she could stop it, tears began to slip down her cheeks, her hand coming to cover her mouth as nausea overcame her, causing Serena to crouch while Dennis followed, placing an arm around her as he took in a deep breath, hoping to ease her tensions.

"Serena… I didn't want to tell you, because I was scared that you'd be hurt by this…" the girl dropped her hand from her mouth and clutched at her chest.

"I'm a Kontis Witch… my heart is a vast ocean… swelling with tears and fearful, but strong and boundless… so I know, by hearing your voice that it hurts… but thank you for… being honest…" tears continued to fall, and Dennis sighed, pulling the girl into his arms.

"You're a powerful woman, you know? Joeri always believed you were strong, and if you keep working… you'll be able to help Joeri return to normal," he stated. Serena wiped her tears, taking in a deep breath before looking to Dennis.

"Will you help me? Or are you going to betray us and return to Academia?" Dennis froze at her question.

What was he to do? The orange-haired teenager sighed, thinking of the entirety of the question, knowing what needed to be done despite the fact that he felt torn between staying faithful to the people who helped him through in life or keeping close with his friend who desperately needed his help to save someone she loved. His mind went to Serena and Joeri's normal behavior, their brought smiles, jovial laughter as they sat on a bench in the sun.

Dennis took in a deep breath, knowing that those two were vital to him, and then, there was Yuya Sakaki. The boy was a strange but fascinating creature, in the means that his eyes pierced through those whom he looked to, his emotions vast and reaching in a way that could touch the hearts and souls of others in a manner that he'd never witnessed before. Taking in a deep breath, Dennis looked to Serena, pulling her into a tight hug as the girl returned it.

"I'll do whatever I have to in order to help you and the others put an end to Academia and save Joeri. I promise," he replied as the girl nodded.

"You know that I'll hold you to it…" the boy looked to the ocean closing his eyes.

"I know you will…"

 **{Leo Corp Tower: 1:03pm}**

Reiji scanned through a few randomized lists and looked through the details for the departure tomorrow morning. He would be contacting his Lancers with an email before the day was done, informing them of the time they needed to arrive, and what they needed to be sure to have with them upon said arrival. Violet eyes continued to scan the information, approving final details as he used his newfound magic to stir the straw in a cup of coffee while Riley read a book sitting by the windows, watching the place below on occasion. As the two brothers continued about their business, the doors of the office opened, and dressed in a casual black dress with matching heels, was their mother, walking calmly into the room as she observed the details that were visible upon the screens.

"How are the finalizations going?" she inquired.

"Perfect. Our departure point will be here, in this very room tomorrow morning. My Lancers are ready at long last." Henrietta eyed Riley.

"Do they know about him?" she asked.

"No, I have had him at all these sessions, so I believe most of them caught on to the situation at hand. Particularly one of them…" the woman smiled a bit.

"Our dear and omnipotent Pillar, I'm assuming?" Henrietta mentioned as Reiji brought up the boy's stats, reviewing a few video feeds of the training sessions.

"Indeed, but calling him omnipotent may cause him to dislike you. He doesn't view himself in such a manner, nor are the Pillars such. In fact, they're just as human as you and I are… they only have greater power should they desire to tap into it." The magenta-haired woman narrowed her gaze a fraction as she looked at the video feed of Yuya showing Riley how to use a few basic spells.

"And yet, he has remained unaware of whom he truly is." Riley stilled, swallowing nervously.

"Riley? Are you hungry?" Reiji asked, turning to him.

"W-What? Oh… um… yes…" the teenager smiled.

"Go and ask the cook if he would make you something. You need to keep up your strength," he stated.

"Okay…" with that the boy took his book and teddy bear before rushing out the door, being escorted by one of the staff to the kitchens while Reiji sent his mother a glare.

"Do not bring that up around any of them, am I clear?" he inquired.

"Reiji, you cannot keep the truth of who and what Yuya Sakaki is from the others! Indeed, it is true that Shuinin is aware of whom that boy is, but he took on the request to be the boy's bodyguard! In addition, Obsidian should be made aware as well, he will be a fine asset to keeping our Pillar protected as you head behind enemy lines." The silver-haired D/D/D Duelist sighed.

"While I agree with you on several factors, the situation remains the same. Yuya is not aware of what his standing is within our world, and I do not desire to burden him with such details at this point. In addition, Shay Obsidian would find himself vexed if he learned that Yuto is now hosted within the body of another Pillar," he stated as Henrietta huffed.

"You mean, it would be cumbersome if he learned that the person he hardly knows and the person he's known his whole life are the very thing that's barely keeping the Xyz Dimension alive… and only because Yuto Kisaragi's heart and soul are still living within Yuya Sakaki. Unlike that of Yuma Tsukumo… whom we believe to have been captured at the last moment within… something…" Reiji glanced down, taking in a steady breath.

"A dark and dangerous type of magic that plagued one of our Zones not to long ago. It along with its two conduits were said to be locked away; however, it would appear my father has gotten his hands on such sinister forces… using it to his advantage… which begs the question…" he trailed off as Henrietta eyed him.

"And… what sort of question would that be?" Reiji looked to her.

"Does he truly intend to assassinate the Pillars… or does he intend to trap their souls using such magic… and use their bodies for something else…" pale blue eyes grew wide.

"Your insinuating that… Leonidas has done many vile things, but such magic is known to be absolutely forbidden! I know what he truly wants… and he's trying desperately to accomplish this goal… but he would not use that kind of magic…" Reiji shook his head.

"Being able to use the Pillars as he would with that kind of magic… could potentially be an asset to him. Once he reforms the world as one, he could revive them, and have them stabilize the whole of Millennium with their united power… but in order to do so, he has to capture their souls… not slay them." Henrietta looked down at the information.

"Then… Yuma Tsukumo may indeed be able to be revived… but not in such a simplistic manner… the boy was supposedly killed before his comrades, but none of them would have been able to stay long enough to confirm whether or not that magic was used." Reiji hummed, lacing his fingers under his chin.

"Indeed, the only person who may know is Yuto Kisaragi, whom, as we know, resides within Yuya's body at this point… giving the Xyz Dimension a bit of a safety net; however, we haven't the ability to commune with him, and I doubt Yuya will be eager to give up the ghost so to speak…" Henrietta nodded.

"That is something I can truly agree with you upon… so, what shall we do?" the other glanced to the files of the Lancers.

"Let the dice fall where they may. Our job right now, is to find the Secondary Pillar whom has been cast into the Synchro Dimension, and use their power alongside Yuya's own to fuse the Synchro Zone and Dimension back together. Just one Zone being restored would severally set back Academia's plans…" the woman crossed her arms over her chest.

"If the boy can harness the power he possesses deep within himself to even do such a thing…" Reiji smiled just a fraction.

"I will have faith in my Pillar, if nothing else."

 **{…..}**

 _And it's an even song, It's a melody, It's a battle cry, It's a symphony…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** These last three chapters are quite literally day in the life kinda things. Fleshing out a few lastminute details, working on character development, plot development, and expanding details for the next half of the story and later works, ya know, that kinda thing. I really wanted to focus on everyone a little bit at a time; however, there are more things to be done in the next chapter, and in chapter 59, we will begin the departure of our Lancers into the Synchro Dimension, and we'll be getting a look at everyone in those Lancer jackets. Anyways, tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

PS: If you wanna few pictures of the Lancers in their jackets, PM me with your email.

Trivia:

This is one of the first times we see Yuya truly break, and that's a harsh thing for someone whose kind of looked up to him to witness. However, Sawatari has proven to be a pretty good friend.

Sawatari's greatest weakness, is indeed puppy eyes.

Sky ordered one of those three-person sundaes, you know, the kind that sends you into a diabetic coma just because you looked at it to long? Yea, he finished it by himself too.

Shay is shown to like root beer floats here. Also, rematch next chapter!

This is where we start to see how Dennis's character will really develop out of the Academia Spy and into something much more.

Dennis's ending lines with Serena are foreshadowing.

Did you catch the Titanic reference?

Once again, Reiji Akaba knows way more than he apparently should… and clearly needs to start talking.

Also, Reiji made a pun! Gazooks its spooks I say!

I give answer points to anyone who knows what this horrible forbidden magic that steals souls could possibly be. Think about it, m'kay? If you get it right, PM and you can ask ONE QUESTION, that I will do my best to answer.


	58. Chapter 58: Sanctioned

Chapter 58: Sanctioned

 **{Gongenzaka Dojo: August 1** **st** **, 2014: 1:41pm}**

Noburou Gongenzaka sat in the middle of the Dojo, silence around him as he remained seated upon his knees, a sign of respect as he awaited the arrival of his father. Ever since he had retrieved him after the announcement of the Lancers, the senior Gongenzaka had been very stout with him, constantly challenging his determination and merits as a Duelist, not because he didn't find his son to be an exceptional one, but because he wanted to be certain that the young man would not waver in his decision. Therefore, the one-day successor of the Steadfast Dueling method, maintained his will, upholding the teachings of his dojo, in addition to strengthening his own resolve in order to keep himself from flinching at the might of his father, whom would continue to prod him until he made it clear that he would not change his mind.

"Noburou!" the teenager remained still as his father thundered into the dojo, stopping just before him.

"Good afternoon, father," he stated.

"Today, I requested that you come here… because I wish to speak with you." Noburou looked to him.

"You do?" the man nodded.

"These last few days, I have seen an unwavering resolve within your soul, and in witnessing this, I am certain that the path you have chosen, is the one you will not fail upon," he informed him, causing the giant of a teenager to relax a fraction.

"I am grateful!" he bowed once more, and the aging sensei smiled.

"You must do me an honor though, as a warrior of our world… as someone who seeks to defend our people with good merit and soul," he said as he held up a small golden pin.

"What is that?" his father smiled.

"It is the symbol of our family, and here, I request that you wear it as a badge of honor, as a sign that I the sensei of this dojo, of the Steadfast method, give you my blessing to enter into combat."

The giant of a teenager took the pin, adorning it upon the lapel of his jacket before he bowed to his father, only to hug him firmly as the man returned it. Letting his child – his only child at that – go into unknown territory, and endure who knew what kind of perils, wasn't an easy choice; however, Sensei Gongenzaka, knew that a time came for a bird to fly from the nest, and that was what each of these children were preparing to do. He would spend as much time as he could with his son, cherishing the little time they had before he left, and once he returned, he would celebrate the warrior returning alive and home, welcomed and loved by his friends and family, just as they had done centuries ago. The man looked into his son's dark eyes and nodded his head, letting Noburou know that the person before him, had all the faith in the universe in him, and he had no intention of letting him down.

"I will gladly do so, thank you, father." The man smiled once more.

"Also, please keep your friend safe. Yuya has suffered through great trauma and pain, and has survived it… but only by the support he's garnered from those around him. with Yuzu missing, he will turn to you and the others to keep him from crumbling… do not let him fall," he stated.

"Never would I dare to. Yuya is my dearest friend, and I have every intention of making sure that he and all of the Lancers return home safely. Once our world is safe, I shall return to this dojo, and here, I will settle my post and expand our methods… granting the knowledge I have gained to all who wish to learn it." The man laughed.

"That's my boy!"

 **{Maiami City Pier: August 1** **st** **, 2014, 2:10pm}**

"Are you ready? Fusion trash?" Sky rolled his eyes.

"Please, spare me the trash talk, let's just duel!" the two duel disks whirled to life, Shay and Sky facing off in a duel to give one another a bit of a challenge.

"Ladies first," Shay stated as Sky frowned.

"That was a low blow man… but fine, have it your way! I use my Scale One Edge Imp Cotton Eater and my Scale Nine Fluffal Fox to set the Pendulum Scales! With that, I can summon Monsters level two through eight all at once! Here we go! _Swing in Harmony Pendulum of Trials! Form a woven thread that pierces through all! Pendulum Summon!_ On my field appears my two Level four Fluffal Leos, and my Fluffal Horse! Your move!"

Shay eyed the field, having recently modified his deck to use it in a manner that he saw would be suit him. with everyone having gained Pendulum Monsters, he had naturally, went along with the plan; however, there were other things that he could do with his deck now that Reiji Akaba had given him the means to do so. Smirking, the Raidraptor Duelist drew a card, eyeing his hand for a moment before selecting what would be the best course of action.

"Two for two then! I use my Scale One Raidraptor – Jute Lanius and my Scale Seven Raidraptor – Macro Lanius to set the Pendulum Scales! As you may know, I can now summon out monsters between the levels of two and six. _Sway Pendulum of War! Clear the fields of battle in favor of victory!_ Descend unto the earth, Raidraptor – Micro Lanius, and Raidraptor – Harpoon Strix!" Shay announced as the two yellow pillars appeared upon the field, holding within them a blue and green set of birds while a moment later, Micro Lanius, a level three two hundred attack, and four hundred defense monster appeared with a flutter of its grayish-brown metal feathers and then Harpoon Strix came in, crashing with blues and reds onto the scene with one-thousand attack points, and twelve-hundred defense points.

"Whew! Double Pendulums?! Yuya would be proud… but did you only have four cards you could use?" Shay rose an eyebrow.

"Not quite, I'm saving the rest just in case," he stated.

"Then… are you going easy on me?" Shay laughed.

"Hardly, look at the cards carefully, m'kay? Willy Wonka reject?" he inquired as Sky eyed the cards on his screen and froze.

"Micro Lanius is…" Shay nodded.

"Bingo! I Tune my Level three Micro Lanius with my Level Four Harpoon Strix! For a level seven Synchro Summon! _Harbinger of wartime, flare forth your great wings graced with the souls and shed blood of countless fallen heroes! Synchro Summon!_ Command the Skies! Level Seven! Raidraptor – Fleet Falcon!" a mighty fortress of a mechanical bird appeared within the skies, stirring up the sand and pushing against the tide of the ocean as it let out a terrible screech, bright yellow lighting appearing upon it as it thrashed it's vast head, the sheer size of it causing Sky to gawk in amazement.

"Holy shit! That's freaking awesome!" Sky exclaimed as Shay stood, prepared for his next action.

"Next, I pay four hundred Life Points to special summon one level four monster from my deck. I summon Raidraptor – Fuzzy Lanius to my hand, and then I place one card face down and end my turn." Sky smiled.

"This is gonna be epic! Alright, I draw! I activate a new card of mine! Nightmare Fusion! This card allows me to cheat the system and Fusion Summon via banishing materials from the deck! I banish Fluffal Owl and Edge Imp Scissors to Fusion Summon Frightfur Tiger!" he stated as he took out the two cards, sending them to the graveyard alongside Nightmare Fusion, and then a moment later the purple, knarled tiger appeared upon the field.

"Fusions verses Synchros? Alright then." Sky shook his head.

"Nope! Next! I overlay my two Fluffal Leos in order to build the Overlay Network! _Oh, great winged creature of silken midnight, that which quotes nevermore, the unending toll of interest and stands guard at the door of the darkest hours. Carry a new nightmare upon your shadowed wings! Xyz Summon!_ The Rank Four! _Frightfur Raven!"_ the massive, red-thread stitched raven appeared next to Frightfur Tiger, startling Shay somewhat, as he hadn't quite expected Sky to double Special Summon.

"Shit…" Sky smirked.

"Oh yea, you're mine! I activate Frightfur Raven's special ability, I detach one overlay unit and decide to halve your life points!" he stated as Shay's thirty-six-hundred Life points dropped down to thirteen-hundred.

"Dammit! I activate effect of Macro Lanius! When this monster is in the Pendulum Zone and a Raidraptor monster is on my field, I can negate the effects of one Monster on my opponent's field!"

Shay looked at the two monsters, knowing that Sky hadn't used Frightfur Tiger's effect when it had been summoned; however, he also knew that Sky, as he had been a solid Fusionist for man years, knew how to make that card work in his favor, just like he intended to do with Frightfur Raven. At this point, he had to choose which one would end up being the bigger problem as the duel progressed. Negating the effects of Frightfur Raven would be a bonus, because it could destroy a monster by removing an overlay unit, which it only had one left, but as an traditionally Xyz only user, Shay knew not to underestimate that specific summoning mechanic, just as he knew not to underestimate someone who was primarily a Fusion user.

"I use this on Frightfur Tiger!" he announced, and Sky smiled.

"Just what I wanted! I activate Frightfur Raven's second effect! By detaching another overlay unit! I can destroy a monster on my opponent's field! Say goodbye to your Fleet Falcon!" the Monster imploded, and Shay hissed.

" _He wanted me to do that… dammit!"_

"I'm surprised you fell for a magic trick that even mortals can use! But, I guess you've become accustomed to Fusionists being able to beef up their monsters and bank entirely on them. However, Obsidian… I've done something different," he stated.

"And what is that?" Sky settled a stern look on him.

"I've adapted. Now, Frightfur Tiger! Attack Obsidian directly!" the Raidraptor Duelist glared.

"Not yet! I activate the effect of my Jute Lanius! By banishing a card from the graveyard, I can negate an attack this turn! And destroy the attacking monster!" Sky rose an eyebrow.

"Sorry, you've made a grave error…" Shay felt his heart freeze in his chest as Frightfur Tiger was destroyed and Sky looked him dead in the eye.

"W-Wha…"

"Frightfur Raven! Attack! _Midnight Caw!"_

Shay braced against the attack, and within seconds, the duel was over. The Xyz Duelist ground his teeth together, feeling strangely feeble as he stood there across from Sky who reshuffled his deck and put his Duel Disk away. He hadn't understood why he hadn't been able to combat Sky's two monsters and defeat him, just as he had with many other Fusionists. Huffing, the blue-haired Dyren Witch approached the Raidraptor Duelist, and he looked to him, seeming to be able to gage what he was thinking as Shay continued to grit his teeth.

"You know why you lost?" he asked, causing the Risulian Witch to glower up at him.

"No, I don't." Sky looked to the side.

"It's because you got hung up on my Fusion Monster. I get that what's happened is devastating and isn't going to be something you can let go of easily… but… all of us are going to fight using every single form of combat we know, physical, magical, and Dueling. We've gotta learn how to adapt… I'm not just a Fusionist anymore, I have Xyz, Synchro, Pendulum, and Link monsters!" he said.

"What are you trying to get at?!" Shay narrowed his eyes at Sky who sighed.

"You've gotta be willing to accept the diversity all of us have put into our decks. Think about us, as a group we're diverse… Duelists who are both mortals and witches… we're not all one kind of witch or mortal… we all have different feelings, reasons, backgrounds and skills that we bring to the table… that's what Yuya was trying to tell us on our first day." Tawny eyes widened.

" _We're on the same fucking side! We have a common enemy! And if we're gonna win this fight and stop them, we've gotta put our differences aside! I created Pendulum Summoning, I use Fusion and Xyz Monsters! They work in harmony alongside all my other Monsters!"_

"Work in… harmony?" he muttered as Sky nodded.

"Bingo! That's what witches are all about anyways… working together… in harmony with nature and the like." Shay sighed, reaching into his extra deck as he looked at a singular card, eyeing for a moment before he closed his eyes.

"Will it help me save Ruri and the Xyz Zone?" he asked, keeping his eyes shut as Sky looked him over.

"Well… I think so… and Yuya had a good point. We all learned how to use the other Summoning mechanics… Reiji even said he was going to give us one more card before we would be leaving. We'd have to learn it on the fly, but I fully believe that all of us are capable of making these mechanics work together… our world is segmented, but… what if the key to truly uniting Millennium… is to learn how to use these mechanics together? Bring it into one, something that everyone can use, spreading out and reaching to one another… what if that's how we need to put our world back together with?" Shay looked to him, showing him the card.

"Show me how to use it." Sky smirked, nodding to him as he activated his duel disk and Shay followed suit, the duo preparing to get their last leg of training in before the battle came.

 **{Ice Cream Parlor: 2:51pm}**

"Seriously? People ask that kind of crap?" Sawatari asked as Yuya laughed a bit, nodding.

"Yea, I've never actually heard it myself, but I've heard plenty of accounts."

The blonde-brunette laughed as well, disbelieving of the statement. The two of them had been sitting in the ice cream shop for around an hour now, having ordered a late lunch and taken their time to pick up a surprisingly easygoing conversation. At first, they had been slightly quiet around one another, but a few moments later, Sawatari had started eating his French fries by dipping them into his milkshake, causing Yuya to start laughing, making a random comment that he thought the texture combination was gross, and the two had started joking around as though they had been long time friends. It was easy, like taking in a breath, but it hadn't made Sawatari any less anxious as he had been scared to breach the topic of the culture of Yuya's practices; however, the boy had taken to it easily, as though he had anticipated it.

"Let me get this straight… people have actually come up to a witch, and asked if they would do a freaking _lotto ticket_ spell for them?" Yuya nodded, smiling as he messed with the straw in his drink.

"It's actually a pretty common request. The people who know about my aunt being a witch come to her for all kinds of spells… the worst one I ever saw was an obsessive love spell when I was ten… it's not a pleasant one," he admitted.

"What's the whole deal with that anyways?" Yuya thought for a moment.

"A picture of the person that they desire, casting a desire spell with the guidance of a witch. You take a bird and speak what you desire and pierce the heart of the bird with the needle, killing it and sealing your spell… pretty straight forward," he stated as Sawatari shivered.

"That's scary…" Yuya nodded.

"I can agree with you on that. We leave that kind of thing to Hawthorn Witches, they're the ones who work in love and matters of the heart," he explained.

"Then, your aunt does fortunes and things like that?" Yuya shrugged.

"More or less… but out of all the things I've learned, the worst I've dealt with, is reading about the resurrection spells in the back of our grimoire," he told the other.

"Grimoire?" Yuya pulled a small book out of the pocket of his pants, setting it on the table.

"The book is actually a lot bigger than this. But I have to shrink it down a bit when I take it places with me. On my spare time, I've been reading it to brush up on some of my magic," he informed him as Sawatari eyed the dark, but faded stitched leather.

"So, you guys can officially start teaching yourselves when you turn fourteen?" Yuya tilted his head back and forth a bit.

"In a way… when we turn fourteen, we're viewed as adults for the most part by the Witching Community. If we do something really bad though, we can be held accountable for it as opposed to our overseers." Sawatari looked the boy over.

"Um… Yuya? Do you guys have… like… rules or laws?" he inquired.

"We do… seven absolute ones… they were put in place after a trial four hundred years ago on a Priestess Witch named Ekibyo no Musume…" the half-Italian eyed him.

"And, what are those laws? Exactly?" he asked as Yuya took in a deep breath.

"The First is that Corruption Magic is forbidden, it's what was used on Sky, and the results are disgusting. You know Hollywood portrays us as vile, child-killing, blood bathing, flesh eating monsters, right?" Sawatari nodded.

"You mean… that's the result of the Corruption Magic?" he probed.

"Right… if the spell isn't removed, the Witch begins to suffer greatly, it changes their behavior, and appearance to the point they lose the right to be called witches… the whole Hansel and Gretel thing is one of the biggest cases of this… that's the kind of creature we call a Hag… or a Beldam… depending on what country your from. Regardless, it's horrific, and not something you want on you." The other felt a faint churning in his stomach.

"What's next?" Yuya thought for a second.

"The Second are that Necromatic Arts are forbidden, because they tamper with corpses and the spirits of the dead. It's also why Witches don't mess with Ouija boards, it's to great a risk that something sinister will get loose…" Sawatari nodded.

"What comes after those?" Yuya took a sip of his drink, sighing as he thought of the rules.

"The Third Law is that Witches will not ally themselves with Hunters. Sky was under a Corruption Curse, so he's not likely to be tried for that, but anyone who worked willingly with Academia in their hunting games may be another story," he stated.

"And after that one?" Yuya's scarlet eyes looked to Sawatari.

"Hunting other witches is forbidden. It's considered treason, and we don't take well to that… after that, a Covening is forbidden, and that's because it's very powerful, and could be lethal to the witches who cast it," he explained.

"Witches? So how many does it take?" Yuya hummed.

"Four, one to represent one of the four elements each. A fifth one is at times included, but not normally. There are exceptions to this one, but rarely does it end favorably… after that one, is the sixth law which states that Witches will not fuse magic and warfare technology… which is what Academia has done," he said.

"So, things look pretty bleak for the Academia Witches, huh?" Yuya nodded.

"Unfortunately, it's not something I have any jurisdiction over… I mean… none of us under the age of eighteen do. Not to mention that if someone breaks all seven of our laws… the Magus might be called in," he said calmly.

"You mean those Ancient Witches Dennis told us about." Yuya looked to Sawatari.

"Yep, but its only if they break all seven of our major laws. The last one is basic, and it states that Mortals are not to be pulled into confrontations between witches. Meaning that mortals are not supposed to be dragged into a battle in which both sides use magic… but… here we are." Sawatari swallowed nervously.

"Are you saying that if… you and the others do this, you'll be breaking one of the laws?" he asked.

"When the laws were created… there was a few failsafe's put in place in case of wartime or needing to do something that isn't allowed from that specific law list. They're tricky, but not impossible to get around, and that last one is the easiest because in modern times, witch and mortal populations are about even globally, so in the end, by getting aid from an elder, we can bypass that last law." The other sighed in relief.

"Oh good… I was starting to think you were gonna get in trouble," he said.

"It's still possible… the thing is, we don't know what we'll have to do on this journey… having to kill one of my own kind isn't off the table yet… most of us will just try to avoid it if we can though." Sawatari eyed the boy.

"You know… I don't mean to sound… weird… but your eyes are really interesting," he mentioned, causing Yuya to raise an eyebrow.

"That did sound kinda weird… what do you mean by that?" the other hummed.

"Something about them has always kind of freaked me out… but now that I'm getting a really good look at them… I'm seeing how intense and vibrant they are. Kind of like an open flame or a set of rubies. They're very strong and beautiful, honestly… and my mom said the same thing after she blessed my father out for an hour straight yesterday evening," he explained as Yuya felt a blush come to his cheeks despite his efforts to stop it.

Throughout his life, only a handful of people had ever complimented anything about his appearance. In his eyes, he was strange and didn't fit in anywhere, not even in a circus would his direct appearance suit well. His red-green hair, medium-pale skin, and sharp scarlet eyes had always been somewhat controversial when the topic was approached by the others his aunt knew; however, it only made him feel uncomfortable. Now, to hear someone other than Yuzu say that they liked the striking color of his eyes, made his body feel slightly sick, and his anxiety levels rise. Yuya glanced down, not wanting to make directly eye contact with Sawatari who watched his behavior.

"L-Look! I'm not trying to give you some kind of weird impression or whatever! I'm being serious! Your eyes are kind of what made me see things differently… when I started taking in the world in the way you saw it… I started appreciating everything around me so much more!" Yuya shifted a bit.

"How so?" Sawatari stammered.

"H-How? Well… the sunsets and sunrises? How the wind blows, how water runs, and how nature as a whole is? I stopped being caught up in all the modern things around me and… looked at myself… and at the world around me… nature, and people… and saw how stunning it all was," he answered as Yuya smiled just a bit.

"Then you're seeing things in the way most witches do. That means your magic will be pretty strong." Sawatari smiled.

"I'm glad you think so! Obsidian has been kicking my ass in magic training," he said.

"He's just wanting to make sure you're prepared… but, let's be honest… none of us can really do that. it's gonna be a game of chance." Sawatari nodded.

"I can agree with that… but seriously, don't take what I said the wrong way… the only thing I meant it as was a compliment… because you helped me see things differently." Yuya smiled.

"Good, being able to view things in new lights… it can be a pretty enriching experience… that's something I've come to learn growing-up like I have…" he stated.

Sawatari couldn't help but agree with him, because he knew without question, that it was the truth. The two of them were very different people, but there was no contest in Sylvio Sawatari admitting that he had learned something from this petite kid when it came to kindness, understanding, and vivaciousness. In addition to that, the half-Italian could admit openly that he had gained a great friend in this person, and hoped that once this ordeal was over, he and Yuya could continue their friendship, because he knew one more special thing that had come from his time spent around this boy: and that was how to have a compassionate heart. Something he had felt he was lacking for a long time, but now, had started to understand.

 **{Synchro Dimension: August 1** **st** **, 2014: 4:01pm}**

Yuzu sighed, stretching as she overlooked the desolate town of the commons from the roof of the place Hugo lived at. The blue-blonde-haired Unduline had gone somewhere to do something a bit ago, and had told her to wait for him on the roof. Whatever the boy was planning, she wasn't sure, but with Hugo, it seemed to always be interesting if nothing else.

Periwinkle eyes looked up at the sky, wondering if Yuya and the others were okay, and when or if she would see them again. It was a sobering thought, that the Synchro Dimension would become her home from now on, but if it came to that, she supposed she could make it work. Sighing, the girl put her hands over her face, having changed into a pair of pink shorts, white sandals, and a pale green shirt, her hair hanging down around her shoulders as she took in a few deep breaths.

"I miss you so much, I want to see you again so badly that it hurts… Yuya… please… come and find me… and take me back to our hometown… where we grew up near the ocean and were always welcome… the place where you and I exist without this war going on around us… I just want to go home…" a scuffle of footsteps came to her attention and she looked behind her to see Hugo standing there with a small smile.

"Want some ice cream?" he held out a cone of what looked like strawberry ice cream to her and she took it.

"Thanks…" he sat down beside her, taking a bite out of the mint chocolate chip ice cream he had.

"You know… I was told once when I was really little… that if someone makes a wish during this time of day, it's bound to come true," Hugo mentioned.

"A wish at this time of day? There aren't any stars out." The other shook his head.

"No, but this is the magic hour, the time where magical energy is at its strongest. Even mortals can invoke it if their desires are strong enough…" he stated, taking another bite of his ice cream as Yuzu looked to him.

"So, it's a desire spell…" Hugo nodded.

"Yea, but Desire Spells are wishes with the heart behind them. If the heart is deeply rooted into something, it can work its own magic… believe me, I think we witches know a thing or two about that… remember? Our magic stems from our hearts and souls… so… make a wish, think about it carefully because you only get one," he told her.

Yuzu looked up at the sky in its blend of pinks, purples, oranges, reds, and yellows and took in a deep breath, Hugo taking her ice cream cone from her as she closed her eyes, clasping her hands together as she thought long and hard on the wish she wanted granted more than anything. Yuzu wanted Yuya to come and find her, for the two of them to be reunited, and to find a way back to one another no matter what happened. As she thought hard on this desire, this single wish, the gem upon her bracelet glittered just a fraction, going unnoticed by her and Hugo as he remained silent until Yuzu relaxed her hands and opened her eyes, taking her ice cream back and starting to eat at it while the other smiled.

"Thank you… even if it doesn't come true… it made me feel a bit better," she admitted.

"You know… something tells me that wish of yours will come true." Periwinkle met tourmaline.

"How do you figure?" she inquired.

"Well, like I said… this is the magic hour… the time where magic is pretty strong… if you wanted it bad enough, I think it'll reach Yuya in nothing flat, and he'll know to come find you. Though, I also get the feeling that when he does come, he'll bring a whole fucking army after you." Yuzu laughed.

"Why would you think that?" Hugo smiled in a lax but knowing manner.

"Because, you stole his heart. For someone to steal the heart of a witch, it means they'll go through hell just to put their arms around you again, and that's something I know very, very well. Because… for Rin, I'd fight all the legions of the underworld and more… so… something tells me, Yuya Sakaki would do the same thing for someone he loves so dearly," he explained before returning to the ice cream in his hands.

"Hugo… you know what? You're pretty smart… and you give good advice… maybe you should become a therapist or something one day." Hugo laughed.

"Me? Na, they'd have me committed… I'm to high strung for that kind of thing. Besides, I'd rather help people who need me here than get paid by those rich assholes to hear them complain about their perfect lives," he stated.

"Then, what do you want to do?" the other thought.

"I want to be one of the best Duelists out there, and I want to help change this place and fix it. I don't know what it is… but deep down in the pit of my soul, I feel like the Synchro Zone isn't like this… and we're the darkness it cast off when that thing happened to the Xyz Zone… so, we've gotta fix the backwards ways people think and feel here in order to be welcomed back and rejoin with our Zone," he said.

"That's pretty ambitious… I don't suppose you'd like some help, would you?" tourmaline eyes widened with joy.

"Seriously? Yuzu! If you, Yuya and the others help… maybe we can save the Synchro Dimension! If that works, we can save Millennium, so hell yea I'll accept your help! And once Yuya arrives, we'll find a way to start!" Yuzu laughed.

"Alright, I'm in. once they come, we'll kick some ass and fix this place," she said as Hugo nodded.

"Now you're talkin'!"

 **{…}**

 _Seven Devils all around me, Seven Devils in my house…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Just a continuation of the last chapter. Chapter 59 will cover the night before and the day of departure for everyone, so be prepared for some farewells and last looks before Season II starts! Get ready everyone, things are about to get real! Well, tell me what you think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

This chapter was only about 20 pages.

I wanted to show a little bit of time with Gongenzaka and his father before the Lancers left, as I really love his dad, but we don't see enough of him in the anime.

Shay learned to start adapting in this chapter, and I think he and Sky have become closer friends because of this.

Yuya and Sawatari's conversation lists all seven of Cromwell's Laws that were first mentioned in _Chapter 33: Blurred Lines._

Yes, Sky does actually have a Link Monster. Whether or not you'll see any more than two Link Summons in this story is still on debate though.

The Magic Hour was inspired by the Funimation movie _Your Name._

The Desire Spell cast with a witch's aid by a mortal hand, is a reference to _Practical Magic._


	59. Chapter 59: Interlude

Chapter 59: Interlude

 **{Leo Corp Tower: August 1** **st** **, 2014: 7:00pm}**

Serena shuffled through her deck, preparing to put it within her duel disk before the departure tomorrow. She was tired, her heart feeling heavy in her chest as she sat on her bed, having had a shower and taken an early dinner with the intention of getting some rest before the day of their departure arrived; however, with how sorrowful she felt, it made her wonder if that was possible. Dennis was staying in the tower tonight as well, only three rooms down from her, having followed a similar idea of getting to bed early tonight much like Riley, Reiji, Shay, and Sky had decided to do. Shaking her head, Serena looked at the bracelet upon her wrist and took in a deep breath as she put her deck into the holster of the Duel Disk and set it on the bed-side table before taking off her bracelet to lay it next to it as she flipped off the lights and laid down, curling into her blankets as she did so.

" _Joeri… I'm so sorry…"_

It was a painful thing to hear, that the person she cared for so much, had been put under the influence of the very thing that they had both suspected Academia of doing. Tears welled in turquoise eyes, causing the girl to curl in on herself even more as she took in a shuttering breath, deciding to focus on if she had everything ready for her in the morning. On the dresser across from her bed, was a pair of clothes ready for the journey, as well as her Lancer jacket, something she had been slightly confused about when she'd first seen it.

It was a deep blood red half jacket with a standing collar, black buckles at the collar, sleeves, and hem. There were white bands at the tops of the buckles, and a black band with the Lancer symbol as a patch on the right side of her shoulder on the sleeve. The rest of her attire consisted of a high collar black-and-white-tank-top, black leggings, and a brown belt and while skirt with pockets while she had brown and red boots with white laces, and a red ribbon to tie her hair up with.

Something about seeing that red jacket though, had solidified that this was all real. The Lancers were going in behind enemy lines, and once they arrived in the Synchro Dimension, there was no telling what would happen. Serena sighed, closing her eyes as exhaustion started getting the better of her, allowing her to finally doze off into slumber while down the hall Shay was looking at the jacket that he'd pulled out of the package he'd been given.

It was a somewhat interesting thing, seeing an almost exact copy of his purple jacket; however, this one was the same dark red and black trimmed style as Sky's half-jacket that he wore, save for the fact that the cuffs of his sleeves were whitish gray. Huffing, the Risulian Duelist laid the jacket out, seeing the patch on the right arm that was the Lancer's logo with a black band that went clean around the arm near the shoulder. He kicked off his boots, being sure to make sure everything was ready for him to get to in the morning as he flipped the lights off and laid down on the bed, tired after the long day, but having to much to go through.

"Ruri… I don't understand it… Yuya said that Yuto left but…" tawny eyes narrowed.

While he had elected not to say anything on the matter, Shay was well aware that Yuto was nearby, but not as expected. It happened to often for him to ignore it or pass it off as a trick of the mind, when Yuya would grow angry, or shout, if he listened, he could hear Yuto's voice within the other's as well, and several times he'd seen an apparition form just beside the scarlet-eyed boy that greatly favored his friend, leaving him to believe that Yuto had some how died and become attached to this boy. Without question, he knew that his friend wasn't attempting to possess the other boy, as it was against his ethics as both a Shadow Witch, and a Phantasmal-Imp, but it did make him wonder how the two had ended up in their predicament.

"I… know it's against our rules, Ruri… but somehow, if this is genuine… I'll find a way to bring him back… I swear it."

At that moment, Shay huffed, closing his eyes and deciding to head to sleep. The Risulian Witch wanted to head to get some rest, unwilling to head into the middle of a battle when he hadn't even been able to gather up his strength. With a sigh, Shay let sleep claim him. In the room next door, Sky was putting his things together for the next day, just as all the others were, his mind going through the lesson he'd given Shay today as he held up his Lancer jacket. It had been altered a bit compared to the other red and black trimmed jacket he'd worn until this point.

His jacket was the same cut, length, and style; however, the collar of the jacket had been given a white strip around it, and a black band with the Lancer symbol on the right sleeve. He sighed, flopping back against his bed as he thought of the situation at hand. Sky had grown up within the walls of Academia's castle, his training having been grueling and withstanding it hadn't been what he would call easy. Nonetheless, he had survived it, and continued working towards being one of the bests of his class.

Now though, he had thrown it all away, and that had been because he'd learned the truth about Academia. Chartreus eyes looked at the ceiling above him, knowing that the reason he had chosen to do what he had, was because of Yuya's actions that he had taken to save his life. However, it had also been the truths that Reiji Akaba had given that made him want to help. While he wasn't from the Pendulum Zone, Sky felt that it was an obligation of his to help Yuya and to find the other Pillars of Millennium. As Sky remained upon his bed, he heard a knock on his door and sighed before getting up and opening it to see Dennis standing there.

"Hey, can we talk for a minute?"

 **{Sawatari Household: 7:45pm}**

"Alright, that should do it," he said to himself.

Just as many others were doing this night, Sawatari was finishing his preparing for the next day, his mind contemplating how the day had gone. The moment they'd gotten a bit more comfortable with one another, it had turned into a great time that had made Sylvio feel at ease around Yuya. To a degree, he had expected the conversation to become an uncomfortable and hard to discuss event, but even when he brought up wanting to know more about the culture of witches, Yuya had handled it gracefully, explaining the things he wanted to know, and showing him so much more to both the side of the world he lived in, and Yuya himself. A small smile came to Sylvio's features, and he sighed as he laid the red vest with black trim and white shoulder lapels with golden buttons alongside a black band upon his right shoulder with the Lancer logo.

"Sylvio?" a knock came to his door just before it opened, causing him to look towards his mother.

"Yes mother?" he asked as she smiled.

"Dinner's ready." He nodded.

"Okay, I'll be down in a minute…" Sofia looked her son over, eyeing the blood red and black vest before she sighed.

"Are you going to be okay?" she inquired as Sylvio huffed a bit.

"Yea, I think I'll be fine. A bit anxious, only because of all the work we've been dealing with, and now that it's over… it feels a bit weird…" Sofia smiled, knowing what he meant.

"I understand, but think about all of the effort you've put in. The group your with will manage to succeed… and you're a strong Duelist, I have faith in you," she stated as Sylvio nodded.

"Besides, I have some great friends… and all of us are brilliant Duelists with incredible skills… and we all have our reasons to keep fighting and have decided to have one another's backs… we're gonna work together and accomplish our mission." Sofia reached forward, running a hand through her son's hair as she pulled him into a tight embrace.

"No matter how long it takes, I want you to promise me, that you and the others will return home to us all. We'll pray for your safe return," she stated as Sylvio returned the hug.

"Okay, I promise…"

Sylvio followed his mother downstairs a moment later, taking his seat silently as he looked at the plate, anxiety filling him as he took in a steady breath and started to eat the last dinner he would be having with his parents for who knew how long. As sobering as it was, he knew it was important to take his time with his parents, being careful not to miss a single second as he tried to endure the silence, taking in the occasional clinks of cups and silverware on plates as his father glanced his way and his mother sighed, eating peacefully while Sylvio remained as quiet as he needed to, unsure of what was truly causing this heaviness in the room.

A huff left his father, and Sofia sent him a sharp glare, causing Sylvio to continue eating, being quiet as he watched the discomfort between his parents as he swallowed a bite of his food, listening to the clock ticking in the corner of the room, making everything feel overly clamorous when it shouldn't have been. Another sigh left Sylvio as he kept eating, wanting to finish quickly so he could leave before anything else happened. His father sat down his fork, glaring as Sofia shot him a long look and Sylvio braced himself for what was coming next.

"Sylvio, are you ready for tomorrow?" he asked.

"Hmm? Oh, yes…" the man sighed.

"Listen, I'm not fond of this idea of you being around all of these… witches…" he started as Sylvio sighed.

"Dad, can't you just try and believe me when I tell you that Yuya and the others aren't bad people." Mr. Sawatari sighed.

"Son, my greatest concern is that you'll find out that some of these people aren't what they seem to be, and you'll be swayed… if not at the very least hurt," he explained as Sylvio sighed.

"I won't be swayed, so don't worry about that… but I have to do something to help. Dad, I'm a Lancer, and as such, I have a responsibility to protect our world… so… I've gotta do this, and those _witches_ are my friends… my comrades, and I'm going to help them, and together, we're going to fight and defeat our enemies." A small smile came to his mother's features, and he waited as his father took in a deep breath, seeming to finally relent.

"Just… be careful. I don't want you getting to caught up with those kinds of people," he said as Sylvio smiled.

"Dad… they're not how you think, just trust me to know what to do, okay?" the man looked him over and then sighed.

"Alright, but you better be sure to tell us goodbye before you leave tomorrow morning!" the boy nodded.

"I promise, I'll be sure to say goodbye."

Once dinner was over, Sylvio had gotten himself cleaned up and ready for bed, taking only a short moment to think about the things that would come with the dawn as he looked on his bed side table and took in a deep breath, grabbing the rosary from it as he held it in his palm, looking at it next to the small burst-like mark on his skin as he smiled, seeing the two things that made up parts of his life together as he nodded, and placed the rosary down, saying a quick prayer as he finished his nightly routine and got into bed, switching off the bedside light and looked towards the window where the moonlight and street lights comingled in blue-silver and orange, like water and fire as he closed his eyes, hoping that tomorrow would prove to be the start of putting an end to Academia.

 **{Sakaki Household: 8:40pm}**

Yoko sighed as she headed up the staircase towards her nephew's room. The last twenty-four hours had been a mix of strange circumstances; however, it had all worked out for the better, giving her some peace of mind. The blonde-haired woman glanced to the side where a recently added picture hung of Yaya and Ira in the hallway, causing her to smile a bit as she knocked on Yuya's door before slightly opening it to see the boy finishing with drying his hair, having just gotten out of the shower and changed into his night clothes. Dinner had been fixed and was waiting on them downstairs, and the boy had taken the time to get himself ready for tomorrow morning, being thankful that he could take a few moments to himself before anything chaotic started.

"Yuya?" she called as the boy glanced her way, scarlet eyes meeting her from underneath damp bangs and the white towel laid over his head to soak up the excess water.

"I'm guessing dinner's ready, huh?" Yoko nodded, eyeing the clothes that were laid out on the dresser.

"Everything ready for tomorrow?" Yuya pulled the towel down to his shoulders, standing in front of her in a pair of black cotton pants and a gray t-shirt as he thought for a moment.

"Yea, I just wanted to do one thing though…" the boy walked up to her and held out the family grimoire to her, startling Yoko somewhat.

"Yuya?" she questioned as he smiled.

"I'm not taking it with me. There's to great a chance of it being destroyed, and I don't want to risk that… so... can you hold onto it for me until I get back? I promise I'll keep studying it when I return." Yoko met the boy's warm scarlet eyes and felt tears well in her own green ones.

"Of course, I will…" she said as she took the worn leather book from the boy's small hands.

"You know, I was debating for a while on whether or not I would take it with me, but the more I considered it, the easier it was for me to realize doing that would be a bad idea. See, we don't know what the Synchro Dimension is like… how they view Witches, if they even know about them or anything at all… it's unfamiliar, and potentially hostile territory, so I want to keep what I am on the lower scale if possible." Yoko nodded.

"I understand, but… are you… taking Yuto's pendulum crystal with you?" she questioned as she looked at the darker version of Yuya's own crystal, the two pendants lying next to one another on the dresser.

"Yuto said that it could be blessed to help me out, and since he's attached to me, it might help him to protect me should the situation call for it. So, just to be safe, I'll take it with me…" Yoko smiled and walked over, picking up the black and violet pendulum, watching it swing to and fro on it's tether.

"I'll place an unbreakable charm, and a returning charm on it so the chain won't break, and so it'll return to you should it go missing, it'll return to your hands within just a moment. That way it's not lost," she stated as she cupped her hands around the crystal, closing her eyes as the item shined with the greenish-gold that was her magic while Yuya watched.

"Thank you, I'm sure Yuto will appreciate it… he said his mother gave him that." Yoko nodded as she sat the crystal back down and went towards the boy.

"It's no problem, now, come on. Time for dinner," she said as she walked away and Yuya sighed, smiling as he followed her.

Dinner was an easy affair, light and filled with conversation about the following day's events. It felt like he was merely going on a trip, something that he had been given the option to do when he was thirteen, in order to further his training, but had turned it down in favor of being closer to home. However, Yuya knew that even though, it may have felt like it was merely a trip away from home for a short while, there was no guarantee that any of them would return to the Pendulum Zone. True, he had made promises, and swore that he and the others would be back safely, but they all knew somewhere in the backs of their minds, that this could be a one-way trip.

That single notion, put a tight knot in his stomach, making him feel sickly even though he was fine. None of them had discussed it, he'd noticed the hesitation in everyone's tone to some extent, that they had things they didn't want to say, but knew then needed to. It may not have been that they were all going to state they had no doubts that the risks were high, yet Yuya didn't doubt that each and everyone of them felt the need to admit it. The scarlet eyed boy thought on these factors even as he helped his aunt clean up, and brushed his teeth before he double checked everything he would need for the journey ahead as his last task before he started to head to bed.

What would happen once they left the Pendulum Zone? Would they be met with complacency from the Synchro Dimension? People willing to listen and help them stop Academia? Or, would it be the direct opposite? A place of hostility and chaos, something that would have them fighting as both Witches and Duelists from the second they stepped onto the ground. It was a series of questions, that Yuya knew, none of them had an answer to, and thus, he considered that things were only going to be left to interpretation and caution as they entered the battlefield, and would have to merely proceed from there. Flopping down onto his bed, Yuya let out a heavy sigh, causing Yuto to appear at his side, the Shadow Witch's spirit looking as concerned as he felt.

"You're worried, about not coming back, aren't you?" Yuto asked.

"I think all of us are to some degree. Even our parents know that there's a risk of it happening… but, I guess it's all to little to late to get cold feet now, huh?" the other nodded glumly.

"At this point? Yea, it is. But, I think it'll be okay, even if its really bad… things will turn out alright in the end," he mentioned, causing Yuya to glance his way.

"How do you figure?" Yuto hummed a bit in thought.

"It's just a gut instinct I have. Remember, one of the greatest things a Witch has, is their instincts," he stated as Yuya nodded.

"I remember…" the silver-eyed spirit eyed him momentarily.

"How is your magic doing?" Yuya raised a hand in front of his face, eyeing the lines upon it and the scar on his wrist.

"It's stable… for now. Honestly, it's kind of terrifying how docile it's been lately… but I'm not counting on it staying that way," he informed Yuto of this calmly, and the other nodded.

"Waking Magic is a force of nature, it can't be controlled, only bargained with. You have to find the middle ground where both it and you have equality, or… a balance." The red-green-haired boy groaned, lying his arm over his eyes.

"How can I do that when it seems to jump at the chance to possess me every time?" he asked as Yuto glanced to the side.

"My mom used to tell me something all the time when I was growing up. it was part of the lessons I learned from her." The boy sighed.

"What did she tell you?" he questioned, seeming to be doubtful of the information as Yuto smiled.

"A Witch can only function properly as a healer and protector when they truly understand how fragile humans are. A Witch must always seek to understand rather than be understood… to walk a path of the wise is to sacrifice every sense of entitlement." Yuya glanced in his direction, moving his arm a bit.

"Your mom taught you that?" he inquired as the other nodded.

"She's a Gaia Witch, remember? There were two things she always told me to remember, that saying, and, in order to grasp your magic fully, you have to focus on who you are…" Yuya sat up at this.

"Who I am? But… I don't really know the answer to that… I mean… I'm only fourteen, does anyone know who they are at our ages?" Yuto chuckled a bit.

"She meant to understand the wavelengths of your soul and heart," he stated.

"Then… how can I do that?" the black-and-lilac haired spirit looked the boy over.

"I was taught to do this exercise where you close your eyes, and sink deep, deep within the core of yourself. Try to understand not just who you are, but who you have the potential to become. And that a Witch doesn't believe in magic, a Witch becomes part of the magic, for it lives within them," he explained as Yuya glanced to the side.

"The core of myself?" Yuto smiled.

"You'll get it eventually. Everyone has to find a way to fully harness their magic in their own ways… I remember that for Shay it was going away from home for a year to train in Katmandu with a Sorcerer Supreme woman who trained Witches and the like in ancient combative magics. When he got back, he was a total badass, and he met this really interesting person who was there to heal his hands, a doctor of some kind," he mentioned as Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"Sounds like the premise of a comic book." The other laughed.

"Guess so, huh? Ruri had it pretty rough when she was thirteen. She had to find a teacher, and since she's an Avian Witch, it wasn't easy… ultimately, she went to a girl named Rio Kastle, who comes from a family full of Avian Witches, and underwent training from her. Rio was super tough on her though, and she put Ruri through the ringer… in the end though, they became really close, and have been really good friends since then," Yuto mentioned as Yuya smiled.

"Someday, I'd really like to meet your friends in the Xyz Zone. They sound pretty amazing." The other nodded.

"They are, the person I think you'll like the most is Kaito Tenjou, he's another Duelist from one of our branches, but he's a phenomenal Duelist and really nice, but kinda tough," he admitted as Yuya laughed a little.

"I was wondering, about Yuma, if I can ask about him that is…" Yuto looked to him.

"Why wouldn't you be able to? I don't mind talking about him." Yuya nodded at the statement.

"Was… Yuma a Witch?" he asked in slight hesitation. Yuto looked down at the question, sighing.

"He came from a mixed family. His mother was a Celestial Witch, beautiful, powerful, and kind… his father was mortal… his sister, Akari inherited magic from her mother's side of the family; however, from what I understand… Yuma didn't." Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"I've never heard of that. Is that common with children who are half-mortal and half-witch?" he inquired as Yuto nodded.

"More than it should be, and the more children someone with that marital status has, the likelihood of them inheriting magic dwindles… it's not impossible, but it does decrease and depends on the families. Yuma was special though… he may not have had magic… but he had this incredible ability to get people to keep dreaming… even after the invasion began, he never stopped being that way." Yuya looked down.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked…" Yuto shook his head.

"No, it's fine. Yuma was my friend, and I inherited the belief that so long as we continue to speak of those we love, and pass on their memory… they never truly leave us," he stated as Yuya smiled.

"That's… pretty neat." The boy glanced at the clock, reading ten at night.

"I think you better get to bed. We've got a busy morning ahead of us," Yuto told him as Yuya nodded and flipped off the lights before curling up under his covers, starting to drift off.

"Hey… Yuto?" the spirit glanced to him.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Thank you, for talking with me… it helped me sort out my thoughts… and I'm glad… that you told me about your comrades in the Resistance… I hope that they're okay… and that I'll get the chance to meet them soon." Yuto stared at him, surprised before he smiled.

"No problem, now get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow," he said as he vanished, returning to Yuya's body as the boy smiled and closed his eyes, finally drifting off to sleep.

 **{Leo Corp Tower: August 2** **nd** **, 2014: 4:20am)**

Reiji Akaba stood in front of the window of his office, dressed and prepared for departure. His attire consisting of his typical simple attire with his long red scarf in addition to a small belt with a black pouch which was hidden under his shirt that contained his bottles of Fly-By-Night capsules. In addition to his attire though, was a suit-like vest with a blood red color, black trim and white bar-like lines at the bottom of it. Lined with golden buttons, at the front in threes, it was finished off with a black band over his heart with a gold and red diamond shape patch that bore the Lancer symbol upon it. He adjusted his glasses, standing with his hands behind his back as he waited, his Lancers would arrive just as the sun was starting to rise, and they would leave the Pendulum Zone behind, and head into the depths of an unknown land.

"Reiji?" violet eyes looked to Henrietta as she approached her son, wearing a simple dark red dress, black heels, and a black suit jacket with red trim, and silver buttons that bore a red band on the right upper arm with the Lancer symbol upon it.

"Are the home base Lancers prepared?" he asked.

"Yes, Hikage, Aura, and several new additions to the home base are reporting in this morning just as your group will be arriving. Here's a list of our members." Henrietta handed her son the roster which he took with a thank you, eyeing the names and pictures.

"Twenty-two enlisters. So, I take it our Blackcoats are going to be seeing our red coats today," he explained as Henrietta nodded.

"I have them in the main entrance, so they will encounter the others; however, its mostly for morale. After the field group departs, I'll begin their briefing and training, those who have assigned up as home-based Lancers, will be prepared to do battle." Reiji looked through the list again.

"Hopefully, our Blackcoats won't need to face battle. The entire plan is to snip the virus at the source once we gather additional allies from the Synchro and Xyz Dimensions…" he mentioned as he handed the list back to her.

"Then let's hope it works. Have the Blackcoats undergo daily training, if something goes array we need them at the ready. Have one of the Witches conduct the magic training, and mass produce the Fly-By-Night capsules to have on standby. Even though my team is more than capable, we cannot leave anything to chance," Reiji stated as Henrietta smiled.

"Alright, as the one in charge of the Blackcoat segment of the Lancers, it's my job to make sure they receive proper training. Also, what about the Pendulum cards and the others?" Reiji looked to her.

"Extra Deck and Pendulum cards can only be distributed once they've completed the rest of their training. Magic and physical combat come first, after that, they will be given the proper cards… by the way… on the matter of our search…" Henrietta looked to the tablet she had with her.

"There, hasn't been any specialized energy readings like what we've picked up with Yuya Sakaki… until yesterday afternoon that is," she stated, causing the silver-haired teenager to turn to her fully.

Reiji, after learning that there were multiple Pillars, had begun watching Yuya closely, monitoring his energy spikes during every duel since the discovering of how things worked with their world. Sure enough, and to his slight surprise, Yuya gave off a specific kind of energy when he dueled, something that to a degree, could be felt or seen by anyone, but could be fully detected by specialized machines that could pick up the energy frequencies. This, had led to him expanding the signal of the fourteen radars he had upon randomized buildings in Maiami that had been originally designed to detect the energy readings of Solid Vision and Duel Disks for data collection, and equipping a specialized one to several Duel Disks of his field agents who were currently gathering details for him, and finally, it would seem, that something had turned up.

"Which Zone?" Henrietta looked at the information.

"The Link Zone… it happened at six-twenty-five in the evening, and with the assistances of a hacker in our group, we were able to pick out the person who was emitting the energy," she stated.

"Who was it?"

Henrietta pulled up the information, causing Reiji to eye the details, looking through the images that had been collected. To be certain that the Zone-Dimension transportation would work smoothly, Reiji had copied the program Yuya had created and applied it to a small number of his covert information gatherers' Duel Disks alongside his activation card, sending him and others to the different Zones in hopes of tracking the Pillars; however, it seemed as though none of the other Zones were going to divulge their Pillar's identity to them, and then, there was this person who had just magically appeared. Violet eyes narrowed a bit as he scrutinized the picture of the person that had given off the energy readings.

"They were within Link Vrains when the signal picked them up, and we had Takeda confirm it for us," she explained as Reiji took in a steady breath.

"Good, keep tabs on him. If anyone from Academia shows up, card them immediately. We don't need them escaping and blabbing about our plans of operation… if Academia discovers we're trying to locate the Pillars, they may attempt another mass execution, and we won't be able to stop them." Henrietta nodded, taking back her tablet before typing up the quick order and sending it out.

"They've been informed. The Link Zone's Pillar will be put under constant surveillance," she explained.

"Good… then for now everything is prepared. However, I do have one more question that wasn't in the information." The magenta haired woman rose an eyebrow.

"And what's that?" she asked.

"What's his name?" Henrietta thought for a moment.

"His name is…"

 **{….}**

 _See they were there when I woke up this morning…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Am I evil? Maybe, did I leave you on not one, but two cliff hangers? Why yes, yes, I did. Honestly though, this entire chapter was very difficult to write, because this was the evening before the departure date. I tried to give most of the group a little bit of time; however, in the next chapter, we have everyone leaving, and we'll get the introduction of a few of our Blackcoat Lancers. So, be prepared for farewells and the start of the Synchro Dimension Arc.

Also, I feel it's important to warn you that the Synchro Dimension – Season II of the story – is where the M Rating really comes in as it will tackle some fairly uncomfortable and mature themes in addition to it just being generally dark and violent, as even in the anime – which was toned down a bit – this arc was riddled with very dark elements.

Anyways, tell me what you guys think, and I'll be looking for your reviews! Help me get this story up to 100 Reviews guys!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94

Trivia:

Serena's attire is practically the same, I gave her leggings for her attire though, because she will be in combat and she is wearing a skirt.

Shay in the anime seemed to be highly aware that Yuto was somehow attached to Yuya.

Sky was in deep thought of reasoning, but also choices and plans for how things will go from here.

Dennis's conversation with Sky plays a major part in the story, but you'll see what it is later.

Sawatari really seems to have grown as a character, and here, is also where he's learned to accept the duality that now exists in his world and gains some of his father's trust.

Yoko doing the things she did in this chapter play important roles later.

There was a reference to a Marvel movie, can you guess which one?

Rio Kastle, Shark's sister from _Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL_ trained Ruri, and you'll see more about that later.

It also would appear that the Link Zone's Pillar has been discovered! Brace yourselves, trouble is coming.


	60. Chapter 60: Departure

Chapter 60: Departure

 **{Sawatari Household: August 2** **nd** **, 2014: 5:50am}**

Sylvio Sawatari stood in front of the mirror in his room, having gotten up and eaten a quick breakfast at four that morning before he made his bed, and cleaned himself up. At current, he was finishing with getting dressed, making sure that he had everything he needed before he departed to the Leo Corp Tower, where he was supposed to meet the other Lancers at seven-fifteen on the dot.

The blonde-brunette took in a steady breath as he looked to his reflection, seeing his attire consisting of black sneakers, dark gray pants, a faded bluish toned shirt that zipped up in the front, and the red and black trimmed vest that was his Lancer uniform. He looked on his right side where a black band that held the red-gold-sapphire diamond of the Lancer symbol was sown into the area over his heart.

"Okay… here we go," he said to himself as he tugged on the short emerald chip necklace he always wore and then slid his rosary over his head, tucking it into his shirt so it would be safe before he closed his eyes, taking in one more deep breath as he nodded to himself, opening his eyes before grabbing his Duel Disk off his desk before pocketing it as he walked out of his door and down the stairwell where he was greeted by his parents.

They stared at him momentarily, taking in his attire, having never seen the Lancer vest that he'd received the other day. The cotton material felt comfortable, but almost heavy as he stood there being looked at by his parents in questioning, as though seeing the blood red vest with its black trim, white lapels and gold buttons made the reality of the situation fall upon them in a singular sweep. His mother came to him, embracing him tightly as his father stood back, seeming as though he was conflicted despite the fact that things had been settled the night before.

"Sylvio, do you have everything?" Sofia asked.

"I do, don't worry." She nodded, kissing his head as she hugged him once more before moving back as Sylvio stood before his father.

"Well, um… I wish you the best son. Do what's right, and think with your heart and mind before you do anything," he advised as the Abyss Actor Duelist smiled.

"Thank you, and I'll try my best to do as you suggest. Pray for us to be successful, and that all of us come home safely." Sylvio looked to the two of them, and went to open the door.

It was in that moment though, that he paused, the door open and the sun barely peaking out from the darkness of the night, and his impulsiveness overtook him on a notion from his heart. Sylvio turned around, forgetting about the door and what laid beyond it for just a moment longer as he came to both his parents and wrapped his arms around them, holding them both as close as he could. The notion had crossed him constantly as training had gone on and he'd witnessed the resolve and inner trails of the others in their group: they may not return from this. At the end, when all was said and done, many of them could end up being left behind in the wake of the battles that would come. Therefore, he wanted to take this moment, just this single breath, to let his parents know how he truly felt.

"Sylvio? Is something the matter?" his father asked.

"No, I just… want to thank you, both of you… for being here for me, supporting me, teaching me, and loving me no matter what. I've never told either of you how grateful I am for all that you've done for me, so I wanted to tell you before I left: _thank you, for everything, and I love you both so much._ " Sofia felt tears well up in her pretty blue-gray eyes as she returned her son's embrace and soon after, his father did the same, the family holding onto one another a moment longer, knowing that it wouldn't last forever.

"You're welcome, and we love you too. We're so proud of you, for being so brave, and willing to do what you're about to… but most of all, we're proud of you being you. We'll pray for everyone until you return home safely, we promise," his mother stated as Sylvio nodded.

"That's all I can ask…" with that he slowly slipped away from them, and gave them one more farewell before walking out the door, letting it close behind him as he walked out of their yard and down the street towards the Leo Corp Tower.

"Our boy will be fine, you'll see Sofia," Mr. Sawatari stated.

"I know, all we can do for now, is pray for the safety of those children." the man nodded.

"Indeed… I think I'll get a hold of the families of the other children and speak with them. If our children are so willing to get along for a common goal, I think the adults should do the same," he mentioned.

"Even the Sakaki family?" the man took in a deep breath.

"Yes, I think it's time I… tried to have an open mind about others."

 **{Gongenzaka Dojo: 6:02am}**

The crispness of the bleakly early morning greeted Noburou Gongenzaka as he stood at the gates of the dojo, looking down upon the stairs and the streets of the city below him. He had awoken that morning, preparing himself for the day ahead as he dressed and followed a steady routine, reciting the things he'd learned in his years training under his father's guidance. Now, he stood on the cusp of leaving Maiami, and the Pendulum Zone for the first time in his life, and with his departure, he would be heading into a new chapter in his life.

He watched nature in its silence for a moment longer, arms crossed as the early morning dew clung to the sharp red jacket he wore that was similar to his school uniform, saving that it was entire blood colored with black trim and white lines at the top vest-section of it while it bore golden buttons, a black band at the right arm with the Lancer symbol, and he adorned his white battle sash in addition to his white pants and traditional sandals. He felt the weight of his Duel Disk in his pocket, in addition to the belt with a singular pouch which possessed two bottles of Fly-By-Night capsules. The teenager hummed, taking in a deep breath as he heard footsteps come down behind him and he turned to see his father standing beside him, looking out just past the gate of the dojo.

"Once you step out, there is no turning back." Gongenzaka nodded.

"I understand, and I am willing to make that sacrifice," he stated.

"Good, I will pray to our ancestors for your safety and the success of this mission. Carry the power, and might of the ancient warriors, my son." The teenager nodded, looking at the man.

"I will! And as soon as I return, I promise to teach what I have learned to those here," he told him as his father smiled.

"Then I will await it, and the return of you and the other children who chose to become warriors for the light. Be steady and firm, unmoving like the mountain, calm like the strong like the ocean, gentle like the wind, and raging as the fire… trust your comrades, and believe in your own abilities, and in the end, nothing will stop you. Now go forth, show those who seek to harm the innocent, the might of your spirit!" Gongenzaka turned, bowing formally to his father.

"I will. Farewell, father," he stated as he stood straight and began walking down the stairs.

All the training and effort they'd put into preparing for this day, felt as though it had gone by far to fast, his mind thinking of all he had learned and witnessed in such a short time that went back to even before the Lancers had been made known. The existence of Witches, his longtime best friend being one – and quite a powerful one to boot – how magic and the culture of that part of the world worked, and eventually, the battle that ensued with Academia, with seeing Yuya lose control of himself in such a manner that he had feared the boy was lost to his own insanity only for him to pull himself out of it after what felt like hours of struggling with him.

The battles against Academia proved troubling, but not impossible, something he was grateful for as he marched down the final length of the stairs and onto the side walk, heading towards his destination with purpose and pride, his mind thinking of the victory and heartache that had presented itself after the truth had been revealed to them from Reiji Akaba, having to watch his childhood friend be beaten, only for the silver-haired teenager to swear a strange allegiance to Yuya that made him concerned in a manner he couldn't quite pinpoint. It was after the announcement of the Lancers came, that he saw Yuya truly break though.

Gongenzaka looked down as he recalled the sight of Yuya's body having sunk to the floor, his entire form trembling with the effort it was taking to even keep himself half-way propped up on his own bones. Seeing the scars, the boy had inflicted upon himself, and hearing his soul shattering words, struck a painful chord within the Superheavy Samurai Duelist, making his resolve even greater, when it came to proving, his will to become a Lancer, and enduring the training both in combat, magic, and Dueling. While it had indeed been for the sakes of his home, the honor of his family, and his loved ones, he also had done it for the sake of his friend, who he had seen fall apart at the seams, and then rebound in a manner that seemed unhealthy.

" _That boy is broken, almost to the point that he is beyond full repair. Noburou, he will learn to bend instead of breaking, but he will first have to fully shatter in order to rebuild himself into a capable warrior."_

The words of his father on the night after the Lancer's announcement rang in his ears as he headed further into town, the sky lighting up more as he continued further down the street, unsure of what his father exactly meant by such a statement. After having seen Yuya sink to the bottom of what he felt anyone could, he wasn't certain there was much more the scarlet-eyed boy could take before he completely caved in, and gave up. However, in the entire time he'd known Yuya Sakaki, Gongenzaka had learned that the boy was notoriously stubborn, and had a strong will and a stout spirit that refused to truly surrender. Knowing this, the giant of a teenager, believed that if Yuya were to shatter at some point in this war, he would indeed rebuild himself, and prove everyone who dared to doubt him, that he was anything but weak.

 **{Sakaki Household: 6:30am}**

"Yuya? Hey! Wake up!" Yuto called as he nudged the boy who sat up and stretched, looking at the clock.

"I guess I better start getting ready…" the spirit nodded.

"Right, don't forget to double check everything before you leave," the Shadow Witch stated as he disappeared and Yuya sighed.

Sleep had been a strange ordeal for him last night. While he had gotten at least eight or more hours, he still felt unnaturally exhausted, and that mainly stemmed from his bizarre and somewhat terrifying dreams. Sighing, Yuya rushed to the bathroom, cleaning himself up a bit and making sure to wash his face to wake himself up more before he returned to his room and began to get himself dressed as quickly as he could. The scarlet eyed boy tugged on his clothes, being swift in making sure to have his crystal on in addition to his choker and goggles before he looked to the jacket that laid on the dresser.

Yuya picked it up, slipping it on and tugging at the sleeves as he put his arms through them, before nodding to himself as he grabbed Yuto's pendulum crystal, hooking into the belt loop of his pants and tucking it into his pocket for safety as he grabbed his duel disk and slipped it into his leg pocket before he rushed out the door, using the fireman's pole to slip down quickly into the downstairs where his aunt awaited him. The blonde-haired woman had been quick to fix the boy something to eat, knowing he would need it, and Yuya thanked her as he scarfed down what had been made as swiftly as he could. It was when he saw his aunt's tense form, that he slowed down and took in a steady breath.

"Thank you, for making me something to eat…" Yoko smiled.

"It's no problem, I didn't want you going to war on an empty stomach," she said with a strained laugh.

"Mom… I mean…" the woman shook her head, turning to face him for the first time as he stood up and she stared at the boy before her.

Without question, Yuya looked different, his demeanor giving off a changed vibe than it had earlier in this year, and as she watched him, Yoko saw her sister and her husband in the boy more than ever before. Yuya stood there, dressed in his usual dark green pants, and wearing his brown belt, but that was where his normal attire stopped. He wore a black t-shirt, his sneakers were black soled with red as the rest of the color save for the very top near the tongue of them, which was black, his pendulum crystal, choker, and goggles making her relax just a fraction as she looked at the lack of his wrist warmers, and finally the blood red jacket he wore.

It fell to just past his hips, trimmed in black with gold buttons at the shoulders which were red as well, lined in the same charcoal black, while the sleeve cuffs were black with a single strip of white on each one, and finishing off the jacket, was a hood, outlined with the same black as the rest of the jacket. On him, the dark, and sharp color seemed well suited, but so ill-fitting at the same time with it being accompanied by the black shirt he wore. Yuya seemed older, and world-wearier than he had before, and in witnessing this, Yoko couldn't help the tears that fell down her face, causing the boy to rush to her, worry on his features.

"Mom?" Yoko looked into the boy's scarlet eyes, and reached forward, wrapping him in her arms tightly.

"I don't want you to go, not like this," she admitted as Yuya glanced down, bangs falling into his eyes as he reached towards her, coiling his own arms around her waist as he returned her embrace.

"I know… in all honestly, I'm just as terrified as you are. But, I know the risks, and we both know that you can't keep me safe forever…" Yoko flinched.

In her arms, Yuya had always been safe, protected from the world and all of its dangers. She had clung to him, desperate to keep the only thing left of her little sister within her reach for however long she could; however, deep down, Yoko had known the day would come when Yuya would leave, but she hadn't expected it to be for this. It terrified her to no end, that once he walked out that door, he would never return, and the last piece of her sister would be lost to her forever.

She wasn't ready to face that possibility, she didn't want to lose Yuya when she'd already lost Yaya, Ira, and Yusho. The blonde woman pulled his small frame closer to her, hugging him as firmly as she could while Yuya let her do so, not saying a word as he was practically crushed against her as she cried, raking her fingers through his messy silk-soft hair, taking in his scent of oranges and cinnamon, the warmth he had that was so much like his mother's, and the beat of his heart that reminded her of the sound of Yaya's own.

Yoko didn't have the strength to let him leave her without the assurance that he'd return to her when she'd already lost so much. She didn't have the strength to let him go, but Yuya, was a different story, and as she held him, it began to sink in as he kept his arms around her, holding her while she did the same to him. He was so small, and seemed to be so frail and to kind hearted for this sort of ordeal, but within him, she felt the same kindling fire that his mother once possessed, the will and unwavering determination to protect those he loved, no matter what he personally had to suffer through that came from his father, and the compassion and understanding of both. She loosened her grip on him, and Yuya hugged her back, smiling just a fraction.

"I promised I'd come home and bring Yuzu back… so I will, you know I never break my promises… so… just have faith in me, okay?" he whispered these words to her, sounding almost like a sweet poison that she convinced herself to take in order to numb the pain of him departing.

"Okay, when you find her… both of you come home, alright?" Yuya nodded, tightening his grasp on her one more time as Yoko returned the firm embrace, placing her hand against the back of his head as she smiled, tears falling as she held onto him just a moment longer.

"Everything will be okay, Yuzu and I will be home before you know it," he stated, moving back from her as he looked into her eyes, Yoko staring into those sharp, but warm scarlet orbs before she nodded, restraining a sense of shock that threatened to show on her face as she cupped his cheek.

"I know you will, now go and show those foolish Academia fanatics that they messed with the wrong people." Yuya sent her his megawatt smile and Yoko returned it as he told her goodbye and walked out that door with a final look to her just before it shut behind him. The moment it shut, she covered her face, sinking to the floor as Florence, and Niknak peered into the kitchen, having chosen not to say a word as they approached, but silently console the woman as she cried the most she had in fourteen years.

"Lady Yoko… you didn't tell him, did you?" inquired Florence, causing Yoko to shake her head.

"No… how could I? Look at what's happened… how close he's been to completely breaking to the point that he would barely be able to piece himself back together… I couldn't tell him the truth…" Niknak took in a steady breath.

"It'll come as a nasty shock if someone or something sets him off," he admitted.

"What can we do though? If we try to go after him, it'll be too much, and that's counting that we make it to the Leo Corp Tower in time." Yoko shook her head.

"There's nothing more to be done, it's in fates hands at this point… I gave him something as a parting gift that'll help him if he needs it, but as for the actual truth… we can't help him…" she stated.

"I see… then… I suppose we have no choice but to hope for the best. Still, I do wish you would have sat him down and told him the truth…" Florence looked to Niknak.

"Then I suspect we'll have to rely upon Etoile to keep his vow, and… for him to relay the information to Master Yuya when the time arrives," he explained while Yoko wiped her eyes.

"At this point… I regret not telling him so much when I should have done it sooner, but I wonder how that would have affected him at this point… knowing the truth about what his parents were."

 **{Leo Corp Tower: 7:15am}**

The group of Lancers, adorned in their red jackets and carrying their Duel Disks and capsule bottles hidden in their pockets or pouches on a belt beneath their shirts stood at the front doors of the tower, awaiting their last member's arrival, which turned out, was Yuya. Shay had his arms crossed, wearing blood red and black trimmed version of his purple jacket, the white cuffs showing prominently as he kept his arms folded over his chest, an irritated look on his face while Serena stood nearby, wearing her red and brown boots with white laces, black leggings, a white short skirt, a black and white collared tank top, and a three-quarter sleeve half-jacket with the coloring of the Lancer jackets. Sky stretched, looking at the clock nearby on the jumbotron across the street as he pulled a sucker out of his jacket and put it in his mouth, giving himself something to do as he stood there in his red half-jacket, black shirt, gray pants, and brown and red boots.

Dennis was near Sawatari, adorned in a red and black lined version of his normal orange jacket, this one having a white line with a gold button at the bottom of it on the pocket over his heart. Gongenzaka stood next to Tsukikage who was wearing his normal clothing, save that his gloves now had blood red lines on them, like the front of his shirt, and his scarf was blood colored with white and black trim at the ends of it. Upon his shirt, on the right side, sat the Lancer's symbol, which was something that the group had taken notice of quickly. Everyone's Lancer symbol was on a black band design on the right-side of their bodies, which made them raise an eyebrow – as even Sawatari's vest had it on that side – but it was quickly dismissed, at least until Yuya arrived.

"Sorry guys," he stated, taking in a few deep breaths as Sawatari eyed Yuya's jacket.

"Your patch is on the left arm instead of the right…" scarlet eyes looked to him.

"Hmm? Oh! Yea, I guess there was a mix-up or something," he admitted while Shay huffed.

"Whatever, you're late. Try to keep up with the rest of us, okay? We've gotta go in and meet Akaba at the top. Let's go…."

The group followed Shay in, and were immediately met with a few staring faces. The people present, were in black jackets, all half-cut just at the ribs, lined in red with silver buttons, and red bands with the Lancer symbol on the right upper arms. It was slightly confusing, but the group said nothing as they walked through the people, who let them pass, all staring, some looking excited, nervous, or curious as the Lancers made their way to the elevators. As they made it to the end of the hallway, Yuya was tapped on the shoulder and turned around, seeing a familiar pair of faces staring at him. He recognized them instantly, even if they were dressed in the uniform jackets, and were wearing different clothes.

"Julia Crystal and Toudou Yaiba?" he asked.

"Yes! Don't sound so shocked Sakaki!" the scarlet-eyed boy gave them a sheepish look.

"So, you guys joined the Lancers?" the others watched the interaction, taking a moment to see what the two wanted with Yuya.

"We did it because Hokuto was carded… and I overheard that Yuzu was kidnapped… I'm… sorry to hear that… and we're going to be praying for you to find her, and for all of you to come home safely," Julia stated as the Odd-Eyes Duelist stared at her in amazement.

"Thank you… for being brave enough to say that. I know you're a very proud person, so admitting your feelings isn't easy… so I appreciate everyone's words of encouragement, and their thoughts." Julia smiled and Yaiba soon followed.

"Just go kick those bastard's asses, and as for you! Don't you embarrass me! Got it Gongenzaka?!" the giant teenager nodded.

"I shall not let you down," he stated as Yuya looked to the others.

"Alright, its time…" the elevator opened, and the group entered, Yuya catching Aura standing nearby, wearing the same black jacket with a smile on her face as she waved to him briefly and he smiled, letting her know that he saw her as the doors closed and the elevator went up.

The group of seven waited until they reached their floor and exited the elevator, everyone spreading out amidst the office as they awaited Reiji's arrival. Yuya put his hands into his pockets, watching everyone who seemed either slightly tired or anxious as they waited in silence; however, as he placed his right hand into his pocket, he felt a piece of paper and something that felt like a chord brush up against his fingers. Curious, he pulled it out and looked at the folded paper, and the braided hemp chord that had three small charms on it that seemed to be a broom, witches hat, and a red feather. Yuya rose an eyebrow, and unfolded the piece of paper, looking it over as he felt his mouth open just a fraction before he shook himself out a bit and looked at the paper again.

 _Dear Yuya,_

 _I know that you going out into this battle is going to be a difficult experience for you; therefore, I've prepared this bracelet for you. It's not a great deal of help, but I believe you will find the charms helpful when the occasion calls for it. It's braided hemp and unicorn hair that I got from the Witch's Peddler, and I got the charms from them as well. Now, let me explain what the three charms are exactly and how they'll be able to assist you._

 _The broom charm, is your broom so that you can use it to fly if you need to. Next, is the witch's hat, which is yours, but it's been charmed to instead of turning into a hat if you focus on it, to give you a bit of a restraint on your magic should needs be, but it's not a permanent effect, and if overtaxed, it will turn silver instead of black and lose its ability. Lastly, is the red feather, this is a weaponized charm, it can take a few transformations, but the max is seven uses, at that point it will become black and no longer be useable._

 _In addition, the red feather, is a hint to our family secret, at the very least, our immediate family. I know you won't truly have time to solve this, but should things become bad, and you need help, the feather will change, and help will come. Be careful about using the hat and the feather, because once their magic is taxed, they're not going to be of any use to you. Wear it on either wrist, but do not take it off, I've placed the same charms on it as I did Yuto's pendulum crystal, so it'll be safe._

 _I love you, and I will pray that when you return home, things can finally start to return to normal. Remain strong, and remember, magic comes from what is inside you, not an outside force. It is apart of you, and you cannot weave together a spell that you don't believe in._

 _Love,_

 _Aunt Yoko._

 _P.S: Your mother had this old mantra she would say to help keep her calm and focused when she got nervous with her magic._

" _As above, so below, as within, so without, as the universe, so the soul."_

Yuya smiled, looking to the hemp bracelet before he tugged at it, pulling it onto his right wrist before adjusting it as he folded up the paper and tucked it into his pocket before he sighed, hearing Yuto making a brief mentioning of how it was kind of her to lend him a helping hand if needs be. Yuya was quick to agree with him, and just as he did, Reiji descended the staircase nearby, looking towards everyone as Riley came to hide behind him, instantly drawing attention to himself when they noticed that he was wearing a blood red, black trimmed, and white lined version of his normal hoodie, and it indeed had the telltale black band on the right arm, and the Lancer's symbol on it. Yuya felt his eyes grow wide at the sight, everything falling into place in an instant.

"Your bringing Riley with us…" the words left him before he could stop them, and he instantly clammed up when Reiji locked his sharp eyes on him.

"Correct, I am. Riley is a capable Duelist, and has had the same kind of training that we have, including magic training that he's adapted to well enough to defend himself in both it and Dueling," he stated.

"We're not going to have a good time… we're heading behind enemy lines, and we have no idea what the Synchro Dimension is like!" Reiji glanced to Shay as he spoke and nodded.

"True, but with Riley, we enter the Synchro Dimension ten strong, instead of nine," he explained.

"And what if we were to have something happen? Say we're split up, or something else happens, then what?" Reiji fixed his glasses.

"Our Duel Disks have homing devices, and everyone has their crystals with them, which also emit an energy that the Duel Disks can pick up on, thus, we will always be able to find one another in some form or fashion," he stated as Yuya took in a steady breath.

" _Sometimes I want to strangle him..."_ he thought as Yuto shifted within his mind.

" _ **At this point, I'm honestly wondering if Dark Rebellion's hungry."**_

"Are you sure it's a good idea to bring a child into this kind of situation?" Reiji looked to the others.

"He'll be fine, at current, I wish to go over everything with the group and I have two final gifts to give each of you," he informed them as they seemed to relent to the fact that Riley would be coming with them, and looked to the silver-haired teenager.

"Let's hear it then." Reiji nodded at Yuya's statement.

"Very well, as you know, our obligation is to gain allies, in addition, we are to locate the Pillars who reside within the Synchro Dimension, Xyz Dimension, and if possible, the Fusion Dimension. By doing so, we can fuse them back together, or convert them into Zones with the help of another Pillar. We must make finding the Pillars our top priority, so not to let Academia get them first… in addition, the Duel Disks have been equipped with a special sensor on it that will pick up a Pillars energy should they start Dueling or, if possible, use magic," he stated, startling the group.

"Back up a second… _magic?!_ As in, the Pillars are…" Reiji looked to Sawatari.

"Witches? Most likely, on August first, one of my men whom I used as a test subject to assure that the program Yuya created and our teleportation devices that we borrowed from an Xyz Zone Duel Disk will work, picked up the energy reading on his Duel Disk – which was equipped with the same sensor as yours – that identified the Pillar of one of the Zones," he informed them.

"So, you have Yuto's Duel Disk… and here's my next two questions… how are you certain that the Pillars are Witches? Because, Yuma wasn't one! And also…" Shay stalked towards Reiji, a glare on his features.

" _ **Shay… please, just stay clam…"**_ Yuya flinched, feeling the urge to blurt out the words, but instead he bit into his bottom lip hard, almost drawing blood as he resisted the desire to say anything.

"Yes?" Shay locked eyes with Reiji.

"How do we know for a fact that we'll have two Pillars to fix the Dimension-Zone split? You stated it takes two of them to do that… but from where I'm standing, you'd only have one, unless you've found a way to speak with the Synchro Zone, found the Primary Pillar, and they've agreed to fuse the two halves back together… or… you know the identity of the Pillar of the Pendulum Zone, it wouldn't work!" he snapped, causing Dennis to let out a surprised yelp while Sky shot the Raidraptor Duelist a startled expression, which didn't go unnoticed by the others.

" _Don't bring up Yuya, for the love of Odin! Don't bring him up! He can't know right now!"_ Sky thought.

"I am aware that Yuma Tsukumo was a _half-witch._ How else could he possibly speak with the spirit of the Astral World, correct?" Shay stepped back.

"That… how did you know about Astral?" he inquired as Reiji adjusted his glasses.

"Investigations, it turns out information about Yuma and his spiritual partner, Astral, were very easy to locate. However, our main question, is that you want to know about the Pillars? Very well, once we have found a means to secure assistance in the Synchro Dimension, I will divulge what I currently know about the Pillars of Millennium." Yuya gave him a cold look.

"And you won't lie. You'll tell us everything you know, identities, names, all of it..." he stated, causing the others to give him a long look, believing without question, that Reiji would deny the reveal of such vital information; however, what happened next, dumbfounded all of them.

"If that is what you wish, very well. After all, I did state that I would be honest to you, did I not? Yuya?" the scarlet-eyed boy gave him a once over.

"You did, so I expect you to keep it," he told him bluntly.

"And I intend to… but we've wasted enough time, it's time for us to depart the Pendulum Zone, and enter the Synchro Dimension."

Reiji went over to his desk and picked up a set of cards, handing a spell-looking card to each of them, and then, a deep royal blue card was handed to each of them save for Sky, causing them to gape at the sight of it. The moment they saw the color and the arrows around the image of the monster, with it lacking defense points, they knew what it was, causing each of them to almost recoil at the mere fact that the card had been given to them.

"L-Link monsters?!" exclaimed Sawatari.

"Yes, I believe they'll become a helpful asset to your decks. Please place them into the extra deck now." The group followed the order, before putting their Duel Disks on their arms as Reiji held up the spell card.

"I'm guessing this is the teleportation activation key?" Sky inquired.

"Indeed, now, shall we begin. The coordinates have been set for the Synchro Dimension, please be careful, no matter what your safety matters should something go array. Now, place the card into the disk and we shall depart." The group did as told, the Duel Disks lighting up and a moment later, they were all whisked away in a flourish of blue lights, startling them as they felt a jerk behind their navel and suddenly the ground flew out from under their feet, letting them all know that this was going to be one hell of an arrival.

 **{….}**

 _I'll be dead before the day is done…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Ladies and Gentlemen! We have officially started Season Two! The Lancers are off to the Synchro Dimension, and it seems like in this season a lot of questions will be answered. I hope everyone is enjoying the return for the second half of this story, and that you will, please honor me with a review! Tell me what you think of this, and I shall await your feedback!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

This chapter was written between 3:34am – 7:10am.

Everything in this chapter has symbolism.

Sawatari taking his rosary with him: understanding of the two sides of his life.

Gongenzaka standing at the gate of the dojo: stepping forward into another chapter in the journey.

Yuya consoling his aunt when she normally does so with him, showing maturity and willingness to step up where others cannot.

The clothing Yuya is wearing has symbolism as well, his black shirt is a sign of his willingness to step into the line of darkness, and potentially head into it.

Yuya doesn't wear his wrist guards: showing that he's willing to accept his mistakes and attempt to move past it. No longer hiding it and trying to pretend it didn't happen.

the patch being on Yuya's left arm instead of his right will be explained later.

The red feather is a reference to a Phoenix, a symbol of rebirth.

It is 99% likely that all of the Pillars will be able to use a form of magic.

Astral, in the Japanese version of ZEXAL is voiced by Miyu Irino, who is known for voicing: _Sora from Kingdom Hearts, Syaoran Li from Tsubasa Chronicles, and Yuuichiro Hyakuya from Seraph of the End._

Yes, Link Monsters will be making an appearance! *Cheers*


	61. Chapter 61: The Man Claimed as King

Chapter 61: The Man Claimed as King

 **{Synchro Dimension Marketplace: August 2** **nd** **, 2014: 8:02am}**

"Yuzu!" the pink-haired girl looked towards the blue-blonde haired boy as he ran up to her, arms laden with different grocery items.

"Hey, I'm guessing you got the other half of the list taken care of?" she asked as he nodded.

"Yea, took me a minute, but I managed to get it." The girl nodded, looking towards the item in his arms in large paper bags.

"Okay good, is that everything?" she asked him, reaching into the bag she was holding to look at it.

"Pretty sure…" the two checked the list, confirming that they'd managed to get everything they'd needed.

"Alright, I guess we should head back home then," she stated as Hugo nodded and the two-started walking towards the apartment, allowing themselves to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the marketplace while they continued walking, Yuzu taking in the different people, laughing and talking as each of them shopped and explored.

Ever since her arrival in the Synchro Dimension, Yuzu had been on quite the adventure. Between learning more and more about how this place worked, what the upper class were like, how despite its grimness, it was still beautiful, and ultimately, how different it was from her home. She had experienced new things, and had been shown how to look at herself a bit differently as well with Hugo's help. The boy was spastic, hyper, and somewhat childish, but also observant, honest, and kind hearted in several strange ways that made Yuzu think of how Yuya could be at times, but above all else, Hugo spoke a great deal, about hope, and how it was a far more powerful magic than anything he'd ever seen.

"Hey… um, Hugo?" she asked.

"Yea?" the pink-haired girl hummed.

"I remember a while back you mentioned that people here don't have a lot, but they appreciate what they do have… is that because they have that kind of magic you talk about?" Hugo smiled.

"You know, it's kind of strange, but in a lot of ways, they have that and so much more. The magic users I've met here in the slums are kinder and have a greater sense of purpose when compared to the magic users of the Tops… it's hard to explain," he admitted as Yuzu smiled.

"No, it's not, I think I get it. Yuya told me that a Witch's magic stems from their hearts and souls, so… I guess that applies to all magic users… and the reason why the ones here are stronger and more compassionate is because their souls and hearts have true substance. They've felt pain, suffered through a lot of trials and appreciate the things they have because they've worked hard for it." Hugo glanced her way.

"That's true… there's this guy I met named Crow Hogan, he takes care of a bunch of children who lost their families, and he's the leader of a Dueling gang… they're called the Black Feathers and they're a mix of mortals and magic users," he stated, causing Yuzu to give him a questioning look.

"So, he's kind of a Robin Hood character?" the other grinned.

"Pretty much. They've helped Rin and me out of some tight spots a couple times… no matter what, they hold the safety of the innocent above all else, and while we've had to steal and have been in danger since we were small because we're Witches with a deck full of Monsters we can summon into existence if given the chance… the Black Feathers have been keeping all of us safe…" Yuzu smiled, looking forward.

"I'd like to meet them at some point, they sound really nice," she mentioned.

"We'll see if I can introduce you to them, and maybe… wait a minute!" Yuzu looked back to him.

"Something wrong?" she inquired.

"No! I just had a fucking brilliant idea! What if we got the Black Feathers to help fight Academia? They're like a group of eight or more super strong Duelists and magic users! They'd be a freaking huge help!" Yuzu took in the idea, and slowly she smiled.

"Actually… that's not a bad idea. If we talk to them and show them proof about the Pillars, maybe we can actually convince them to help us stop them. It won't be easy though… Hugo? Do you still have those documents you took?" she asked.

"Yea, come on, let's get back and – "a sudden holographic screen appeared nearby, causing several people to cheer, startling Yuzu and Hugo turned to see what was going on.

"What's happening?" she questioned as Hugo looked around them and then towards the screen.

"It's the announcement of the year, the one everyone's been waiting for." Melissa Claire appeared upon the screen, causing Yuzu to stare at the sight.

" **Howdy everyone! Ya'll know what time it is? It's time for the annual Friendship Cup!"** Everyone began cheering loudly, Yuzu finding the noise almost abnormally loud.

"Friendship Cup?" Hugo nodded.

"It's a yearly competition where both Tops and Commons get to compete. The winner of the rows gets the chance to challenge the Duel King," he explained.

" **Summer is nearly at its end! And now, the Friendship Cup's registration is open for anyone ages fourteen and up! For any of you lucky dogs who wanna challenge our Duel King, sign up and try your skills!"** people chattered, Yuzu thinking over the situation.

" _If this is anything like the Arc League Championships… then I get the feeling that if Yuya and the others come, they'll be recruiting allies. I don't know what the whole thing is about, but I doubt Reiji Akaba would let Academia slip by like it was nothing… and, if I was him, I would join the local tournament to display strength, but also to select new comrades…"_ she thought.

" **For the Tops, all of you should head to your local Duel Association building to gather and submit your application. For the Commons, please go to the Lathen Station to collect your applications and have them turned in before August twenty-seventh at six in the evening. See ya'll at the starin' line!"** with that, the screen vanished, people chattering in masses as Yuzu, and Hugo stood amidst it all.

"Hugo…" the boy glanced her way, looking into her periwinkle eyes.

"I read ya loud and clear. Part of me thinks that if Yuya shows up they'll need more allies to fight those people too… so whatta ya say about going out there to kick some ass?" Yuzu nodded.

"Sounds like a plan to me," she answered.

 **{Sector Security HQ: 8:35am}**

A blonde-haired man with sharp dull blue eyes sat upon a throne-like chair in front of a series of screens, a chessboard beside him. He was adorned in white pants, black boots, a purple and gold lined jacket, and had white gloves on, his face shown to have sharp features and a slightly prominent nose while he wore a knowing and pleased smile upon his face. This man, was the head of Sector Security, Jean Michelle-Roger, an unusual man with many talents and great intelligence who ran the police force with an iron fist. A sigh left him as he heard an alert come up on the screen to his left, and he looked to the side, pressing a button for the video feed to come up.

"Yes? What is it?" he inquired as his anxious assistant appeared on the monitor.

"I have eye witness accounts that the boy and girl from the other day are in the marketplace of the commons…" the man showed the picture on another monitor, causing Roger to hum.

"Well, it would seem they've come out of hiding. Our troublesome little mice… hmm…" he mentioned, his voice remaining calm, and humored.

"Should we capture them?" Roger thought for a moment.

"No, let's play this game a little longer… the Friendship Cup is going to be starting soon… if we upset the Commons, they may think it fit to rebel, and we don't need that as of current. Besides, they're quite an interesting duo," he informed him.

"If I may, make a suggestion, sir… would having them enter the Friendship Cup be a means of properly assessing their abilities as Duelists?" Roger smiled to his assistant.

"Yes, I believe that would be most entertaining… the pretty little flower never Dueled the other day, so we are unsure on whether or not she is one, let alone a magic user of some kind… an ambush would not be wise as we are unsure of her, and the boy is clearly a Duelist and a Witch, though we are also unsure of him as well," he said simply.

"Very well sir, should we continue observation then?" Roger smiled.

"Yes, that will do. However, if the opportunity arrives to test their skills, placing them in a bind won't be to terrible of a plan either. If we do so, we can asses the capabilities these two have and whether or not they're a threat," he informed the other man who nodded.

"We'll be sure that they're out of densely public areas and can be corralled easily so that property and civilian casualties are minimal." Roger glanced his way.

"Also, make sure that the Commons don't see it, if they do, things could become troublesome… that is all," he said dismissively.

"Yes sir." With that the other man left the monitor and Roger looked to the pictures of the two people.

He had searched quickly for facial matches on the two, and had found that the name of the boy was Hugo Matsumoto, and he had been stated as being a troublemaker, but hadn't displayed any signs of being a Cast. Naturally, there were only so many opportunities that arose to where they could capture a Cast who was deemed a threat without causing an uproar, which Roger strived to avoid for the sake of his city. Neo City was a paradise, and worked well enough as it was; however, he also knew that the Commons made up ninety-nine percent of their population, leaving the Tops as one-percent of it, and meaning they were vastly outnumbered, which made an uprising a dangerous threat.

Therefore, it was his task to nullify the potential threats, but to also be cautious of how he did it. Naturally though, the Commons knew that those amongst their ranks who were magic users often were captured, stripped of their magic, marked, and released back into society, no longer allowed to use their abilities, but the thing that was the biggest concern for the security services of Neo City, wasn't just the Commons who happened to be Casts, but those who had learned how to Duel.

Those people could do massive damage and were a major problem; however, just arresting randomized people due to mere suspicion, often caused rebellious behavior, and thus, Roger had begun monitoring the Duelists in the Commons areas, being careful to observe them for any indicators of magical use and how strong it was, because the stronger the magic, the higher the risk, and the greater the need there was for it to be nullified.

"That girl though, she isn't a citizen of Neo City. Facially, she favors the girl Rin Mashima, who was her closest match, but still, there's no doubt that this girl and Miss Mashima, aren't the same person," Roger thought aloud, frowning just a fraction before a small smirk came to his features as he toppled a pawn chess piece.

"And so, the games begin…"

 **{Council Towers: 9:20am}**

Bored orchid colored eyes looked over the pristine white city as people went about their daily business. This person, who observed the populous below, was blonde-haired with two pieces that fell to his shoulders, and was adorned in black pants, boots, a white and purple shirt, a plain black choker, a-shaped earrings, and a long necklace with an ornate symbol within it. He huffed, shaking his head as promotional billboards were scattered all across the city for the Friendship Cup, finding himself impossibly uninterested in the upcoming event. This man, was none other than Jack Atlas, the current Duel King, who in the most recent years, had started contemplating how to best abdicate his throne.

"What an annoyance, as far as I'm concerned none of these plebeians have the skill to combat me in any of the trials of this… so called _Friendship Cup_ ," he mentioned to himself.

"And yet you'll still do it without question…" Jack glanced over his shoulder to a person who had entered the room.

"Well, well… it seems the esteemed member of the Black Feathers has graced me with his presence. What do I owe the honor?" he inquired as an orange-haired young man who was smaller in stature stood nearby.

His face was marked with several yellow designs that fell from under his eyes, and one that went across his forehead in an M shape. He stood with his arms folded, wearing arm warmers and black leather straps across his biceps and a headband with a piercing in it to hold his hair back while he wore bolt earrings, an orange-yellow tank top with a brown vest, blue jeans with knee pads and army boots. Jack sighed, rolling his eyes as he looked at the other and turned to face him while the other gave him an equally unimpressed expression.

"I could ask the same for the aloof King, choosing to speak with me." Jack laughed.

"What are you doing here Crow? If your spotted you'll get your wings clipped," he stated.

"You, and I both know that you're an arrogant, two-faced, bastard, but even you wouldn't take me away from those kids… they wouldn't survive without me and the others." Jack folded his arms across his chest.

"Perhaps, but what do you want?" he questioned.

"Stopping by for a visit… and to tell you that the rift is getting bigger…" Jack narrowed his eyes.

"I'm getting sick of your fantasy bullshit. Neo City is the only place out there! There aren't parallel versions of our world where you and I remained friends and know this black-gold haired, dark blue-eyed kid who alongside others and ourselves, helped save the world from an ancient darkness that threatened us once before only for far more sinister and dangerous things to show up now!" Jack stated.

"Would you listen to me?! I'm tellin' ya, something isn't right here! Plus, you even mentioned once that you didn't feel like Scarlight Dragon was right, as if something was off about it or it didn't belong!" the blonde-haired man slammed his fist into the wall, causing Crow to narrow his fossil colored eyes.

"It was a damn dream that you started having and decided to use your magic to sneak in here and give me updates of supposed rifts that are forming in our world because something about ours and this _other plane of existence_ is beginning to suffer!" he snapped as the Black Wing Duelist sighed.

"What would it take for me to convince you?" Jack narrowed his own gaze.

"Nothing, because it's a dream that's consumed your mind! Crow, you and I have history, and I respect you as a Duelist, but you know the laws here. You are a Common, and atop all of it, you're a Cast and the leader of the notorious Black Feathers…." Crow sent him a hard look.

"What are you saying?" Jack walked towards a phone on a table.

"That I've put up with you using your magic to break in here and have a few chats with me from time to time, but I've had enough. These theories of yours are tiring, and I'm done listening to your insane babbling… so I suggest you leave before I call security and you're carted off to the facility," he stated pointedly as Crow stared at him in disbelief.

"Your serious?" Jack leveled him with a glare.

"As a heart attack. So, I suggest you depart before I follow through with my threat," he said as Crow sighed, pulling a crystal out of his pocket.

"And here I thought you would be willing to keep an open mind. Guess that part of you was stripped when you became the lap dog of the tops…" the crystal began to glow as Crow gave it a squeeze to signify that he was preparing to leave.

"You thought wrong…" the light of the crystal began to shine brighter, and Crow looked down.

"Sorry I troubled you with the safety of thousands… I guess the King can't be concerned with that though." The orange-haired Duelist began to dissolve, the crystal teleporting him away as Jack sent him a long glance.

"Don't return here, otherwise I'll have no choice but to enact my threat, and I don't want to deprive those kids of their nanny," he stated as Crow turned, vanishing from his view while Jack kept his stern look at the place where he once had stood.

It had started roughly six months ago, when Crow had ended up having a strange dream that to him, felt more like memories long since forgotten. He had come to Jack, explaining the strange dream, and while the Burning Soul Duelist didn't quite believe him, he listened in slight interest, hoping to subtract some of his boredom; however, after that first time, the dreams continued, becoming more vivid and detailed with information that seemed to be at the peak of insanity. Crow insisted that the world they lived in wasn't the real one, but only a replica or potentially a fractured piece of their true home, and their memories were being tampered with by the rift, which had started to grow bigger, and for some reason had forced him to start remembering their supposed other lives.

Jack ground his teeth together and finally snapped, shouting as he kicked a table over in anger, clenching his fists at his sides while he tried to shake the memory from his mind, but couldn't manage it. He had never told Crow, but he too, recalled that other life, and the black-gold haired, blue-eyed teenager that he'd felt as though he'd known his entire life. But he wasn't sure how it happened, or if it was true or influenced by Crow's dreams; nonetheless, it made him feel insane, and sick to his stomach because the memory-like dreams brought him into a reality that was terrifying beyond all belief.

He recalled the battle with people who were doing horrible things, a fight within the sky against a madman who desired to allow the destruction of their world at the hands of a tar-covered looking monster, and six Dragons that seemed to help them defeat their enemies. Jack remembered the twins and their friend, an annoying, but fun old man and a former pro duelist with a tough disposition, but a kind heart, a girl with special powers, who had a tendency to go off the deep end, but was extremely close to the black-gold haired teenager, and the orphanage and the kindly Hispanic woman who raised them.

True, there were holes, and he couldn't remember anyone's names, but he felt as though these dreams were real, just like Crow did, and that something was wrong; however, there was no proof except for a series of disjointed memories that he had spent far to long trying to piece together. Shaking his head, Jack slipped down the wall and sat on the floor, his mind thinking over the ordeals that he had supposedly endured alongside his comrades.

"What a bunch of poppycock, it's just mass hysteria or something… none of them or the things I saw in those dreams happened… that's the end of it. Plain and simple."

 **{Pendulum Zone: Sakaki Household, 11:25am}**

Yoko had busied herself after Yuya had left, cleaning the house top to bottom, having bewitched brooms and mops to do so while she did several things by hand while Florence and Niknak set to tending to the garden. That had been her morning, only stopping when she felt the faint pulse of Yuya's magic vanish without a trace, letting her know that he was no longer within this portion of their world. She clutched the locket around her throat, sending out a prayer to every deity she knew that the Lancer's mission would be successful, and that Yuya would return to her safely.

After that, she had busied herself even more, cleaning the kitchen till it seemed to sparkle, and then organizing her potion supplies, normal cook books, spell books, and other items until the house was completely spotless, and soon the animals were fed, and she began preparing lunch. However, as she had started to do so, several knocks came to the door, and she paused, wiping her hands on a dish towel before going to the door and opening it to see Shuzo, and several others present. A handful of unfamiliar faces were present, but amidst them, she saw Henrietta Akaba standing there, dressed in a dark red dress, black heels, and a black blazar with red trim, silver buttons, and a red band on the right upper arm with the Lancer symbol upon it.

"Um… Shuzo? What's going on?" she asked.

"I was contacted by Mr. and Mrs. Sawatari, and asked if I could meet them at Leo Corp Tower, at which point, I ran into Chairwoman Akaba, and the Sawatari's stated they wanted the four of us, and you to sit down and have a conversation, if you were willing." Yoko took in a deep breath.

"Of course, come in, will you?" she offered, stepping aside and opening the door while everyone removed their shoes, and she shut the door.

"What a lovely home, its so clean and neat." Yoko smiled to Mrs. Sawatari.

"Thank you, though I suspect it's nothing compared to your home," she admitted.

"I do live in quite a luxurious place, but I have always found smaller family homes to be very charming. I grew up in southern Italy, so every summer, my family would go to a smaller home near the ocean. It endeared me to the simpler things in life." The blonde-haired women smiled to one another.

"Well, come into the kitchen and have a seat, I'll make some coffee for everyone," Yoko said as she led them into the kitchen where the four other adults took a seat, and Yoko took in a steady breath, steadying her nerves.

The situation made her anxious, something she hadn't felt in years. As a fully matured witch, Yoko had long since accepted that people would take differently to her being a person who could use magic, and her own practices and beliefs; however, that wasn't what truly made her nervous, it had less to do with the matter of abrupt guests, but more of whom had come. Shuzo, she was more than happy to have as company, and she understood his concern for her being here alone – even Nico Smiley had called her and talked briefly with her this morning, stating that he would be praying for the Lancers safety and success, and that she and Yuya were in his thoughts – but Yoko couldn't help but be equally discomforted, and suspicious of the reasons behind Henrietta Akaba, and the Sawatari's being here.

The beep of the coffee machine went off, and Yoko snapped her fingers, startling the four others as five mugs sat themselves down upon the table and swiftly were followed by a sugar cup, cream, and a plate of recently baked muffins before the coffee came flying by, filling the five cups up to the correct level before returning to the holster. Yoko walked over, and took her seat, looking at the shocked expressions upon Henrietta, and the Sawatari's faces with a small portion of internal glee.

"So, what is it that you wanted to talk about?" she inquired as the other three recovered from their shock while Shuzo fixed his coffee and took a muffin from the tray, giving the other three time to start doing so for themselves.

"Not a great deal of things, just… hoping to acquire some understanding." Yoko rose an eyebrow.

"Understanding? I'm not sure I follow," she stated.

"Well, um… if I may start. Mrs. Sakaki…" Yoko looked to the other blonde woman.

"Yoko is fine, I'm not a formal person," she said.

"Very well, please feel free to also do the same with me. My name is Sofia, and this is my husband Jirou." Yoko smiled.

"Alright then, Sofia, please go ahead with what you were saying." The woman nodded.

"There was a severe misunderstanding the other day with your… nephew… and my husband. Our son felt obligated to apologize for us, and I am under the impression that Sylvio repaired things with Yuya; however, I feel that… my husband and I owe you an apology," Sofia admitted.

"Oh, I see… you mean about the situation over dinner that night…" Yoko glanced down at her mug and Jirou huffed.

"It came as quite the shock, and in our beliefs, Witches are not to be trusted. They're viewed as evil and untrustworthy… when the boy stated what he was, it set off the instinct to become defensive," he said bluntly as Yoko sent him a sharp glance.

"I don't wish to impede upon your sincerity; however, I feel that you need to know what he felt when you had the ordacity to call him a _monster._ " Henrietta remained silent, listening to the conversation as she carefully picked away at the strawberry muffin she had taken.

"Now, see here, we're trying to be apologetic, no need to get that tone with us," Jirou exclaimed as Yoko sent him a sharp glare and Sofia placed a hand upon her husband's shoulder.

"Jirou, let's hear what she has to say. It's impolite to hear out both sides of the story." Yoko nodded.

" _Her husband is a cad, but Sofia herself seems fairly nice,"_ she thought.

"I – very well, my apologies," Jirou said as Yoko took in a steady breath.

"I'm unsure of whether you know this entirely, but I suspect you do since you called Yuya my nephew; however, my little sister is his biological mother, and she and her husband passed away shortly after Yuya was born. Yusho, my husband and I raised him as our own… but because he was all we had left of them… we sheltered him greatly, never doing magic around him unless necessary." Henrietta looked to Yoko.

"Then, Yusho Sakaki is also a Witch… I suspected as much. But, if I may ask, why were you so insistent to not display magical arts in front of Yuya?" she probed.

"Because, we wanted him to grow up without the implications that he needed magic to do things every day. Besides, witches don't show magic until their around five or so… but… Yuya was a different story. We tried to do things in normal manners, but when Yuya was three years old, he accidentally cast a spell and brought one of his stuffed animals to life." Jirou and Sofia gaped at the information.

"How? Do Witches have such power?" Jirou inquired.

"At times, but we have very little if no power over life and death, and that's because it's taboo and extremely immoral. The type of magic any Witch first displays, is known as Creation Magic, and it comes and goes in little bursts, but Yuya, even at that age, proved to have incredibly powerful magic." Shuzo thought for just a moment.

"Then… how did none of us know for so long?" he asked.

"Because, I created a potion that helped suppress his magic to a degree; however, it only worked until he turned fourteen, at which point I knew I was going to have to tell him the truth about how strong his magic is… but I failed to do so, which resulted in the ordeal during the Arc League Championships, and his Duel with Isao Kachidoki." Sofia looked down.

"I see, and… he made a mentioning that until then, he wasn't aware that you and your husband weren't his biological parents," she stated as Yoko nodded, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Correct, my sister, Yaya, asked that I raise him as my own and wait until he was fourteen to tell him that I was his aunt and explain to him what happened to his parents. We did this because we wanted him to be happy and live a normal life for as long as he could before things would start changing. So, I made a potion that would subdue his magic, giving it to him in drinks so that he wouldn't know, and Yusho and I acted as though we were his mother and father… but after his magic did that, I knew I'd made a mistake in not telling him sooner." Henrietta hummed.

"Yes, that was quite a horrific sight. If I'm not mistaken, Yuya has a very rare type of magic… something that less than one percent of your global population has?" she queried. Yoko gave her a suspicious look, but decided not to probe into the matter.

"Yuya has Waking Magic, and that was the cause of his actions that day. When the person with it is threatened in the manner Yuya was, Waking Magic possesses the host, and protects their lives. It's a powerful and primordial magic, but with training, it's possible to become capable of controlling it. Yuya has been doing things on his own to teach himself how to handle it, and has succeeded thus far…" Jirou gave Yoko a concerned look.

"And you feel assured that he won't lose control like that again?" Yoko smiled.

"That boy has all the stubbornness and will that his mother did, so I have faith that he can handle himself," she answered.

"But, if I can ask… Yuya didn't know about it until only about two and a half weeks ago, correct? So, how can he control it?" Yoko looked to Sofia.

"He's resilient. You see, Yuya has a fighting spirit, unlike anything I've ever seen… it's even more willing and vibrant than his mother's was. I know he can handle these things, no matter how far it pushes him, because Yuya stared death in the eye and walked away twice," she stated, startling the others.

"Twice? What do you mean?" the blonde-haired woman took in a steady breath.

"Just before Yuya turned fourteen on May first of this year, he tried to commit suicide, mostly because of all the harassment he got from people over the last three years… it had just built up and he couldn't take it anymore. However, something got him to change his mind, and he fought to survive, and did," Yoko told them.

"And, the other time?" the woman gave her cup of coffee a bitter smile.

"Yaya, she was a fairly healthy person… but did struggle with anemia on occasion. When she became pregnant with Yuya, she had some ups and downs… but… she suffered complications during the pregnancy that should have killed them both. They had to induce my sister when she was seven months along, and the labor was extremely hard, her heart rate dropped several times, and she lost a lot of blood, but… the two of them miraculously pulled through, though the odds were definitely against them…" Sofia bit her lip, thinking about the information.

"So, they barely pulled through… but I get the distinct feeling that there's more to the story." Yoko nodded slowly, looking as though she was on the brink of tears.

"Yoko, what's wrong?" Shuzo asked as he placed a hand upon her own in concern.

"I'm sorry, I just… have a hard time talking about them sometimes. But, your right Sofia, there's more to the story… and I never told Yuya about this… mostly because I was terrified that he wouldn't take it well." Henrietta eyed her.

"And, what was that?" she received a scolding look from Sofia, but it went ignored as Yoko tightened her grip upon her mug.

"There are seven rules that Witches on normal circumstances cannot break, only doing so if the situation would ever call for it, and even then, must be done with carefulness otherwise things could go horribly wrong. The most enforced of these rules, is about a form of magic that is banned to be used," Yoko stated.

"Banned magic? So, even your people have laws?" Jirou's question was given a swift nod from the green-eyed woman.

"We do, and the form of magic I'm discussing, is known as Corruption Magic," she said.

"Corruption Magic? That sounds dreadful." Yoko took in a steady breath.

"That's because it is. The magic user who casts it or has it cast upon them, slowly loses their humanity… gaining a thirst for carnage, the affected person if they are a person who uses or possesses magic, begins to change into a monster. Their skin turns ashen or potentially even greenish hued, teeth jagged, vile and insane they will kill the innocent, bathing in their blood and using their bodies for black magic, becoming drawn to the darkness… ultimately, the person is completely corrupted, becoming a monster we typically call a Hag… that is our generic appearance in most media and where the old tales stem from," Yoko explained, wanting to give some information to the others and hoping to prepare herself for the next part of this story.

"How awful! I can understand why such a form of magic would be banned, it's atrocious!" Sofia exclaimed shaking her head as Yoko nodded.

"To Witches, it can ultimately be lethal after it erodes them to that state, and to mortals, they just start dying slow, painful deaths." Henrietta gave Yoko a long look.

"I see, that's understandable… but how does this connect to Yuya?" she inquired as the woman took in a deep breath.

"It connects to him… because he's been afflicted by it before, when he was still in his mother's womb, and she did what needed to be done in order to spare his life… and took the entirety of it upon herself." The table grew strangely quiet, Jirou staring in horror alongside his wife, Henrietta appearing just as shocked as they and Shuzo were.

"So, you mean to say that…" Yoko felt her eyes burn, closing them briefly as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Yaya… died because of the curse's toll on her body. Not because of her sickness, but because she pulled the curse from her child… and instead of taking her sanity… it took her life."

 **{…..}**

 _Seven Devils all around you, Seven Devils in your house…._

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** How about that information in the end? We finally know the truth, Yaya didn't die from an illness, she died from a corruption curse, and you'll learn how that came to be later. Now, in this chapter, I wanted to focus on setting up the premise for the Friendship Cup, for the slimy git that is Roger, and the entire ordeal with how this whole Zone-Dimension thing will work if Jack and Crow, plus others make their appearances in the Dimensional counterparts. You'll see how it all pans out later, promise, just sit back and enjoy the ride! Tell me what you guys think, and help me get this story up to 100 reviews.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

This is the first time Hugo kind of explains why he thinks the people in the slums are stronger than those who literally think and live above them.

Evil Plans of an, militaristic megalomaniac + Zone-Dimension hopping + Biggest tournament in this alternative version of said Zone = turmoil, chaos, and peril.

This is Roger's first appearance, and he's already a conniving jackass.

Jack Atlas, the King! Has made his first appearance. He's also enduring a bit of denial it seems. Hmm, something seems off here.

Crow's teleportation crystal is a smaller, more durable version of the ones seen in _Sword Art Online._

Yoko's willingness to discuss this with the other adults shows trust in them, knowing that they're willing to try and understand one another.

Yuya's pre-exposure to the Corruption Curse will play a part in the story, it's not just there for filler content, I swear.

Robin Hood was mentioned in this chapter.

One of my worst let-downs in the Synchro Arc of the Arc-V anime, was that we didn't get to see the return of Red Dragon Archfiend and Blackwing Dragon. So, I had to and will bring it up a few times to also point out a detail in the plot, be prepared.


	62. Chapter 62: Along Came a Blackbird

Chapter 62: Along Came A Blackbird

 **{Synchro Dimension: August 2** **nd** **, 2014: 9:50am}**

A series of lights flashed within an alleyway, spitting out four figures who tumbled to the ground roughly, hissing as they got their bearings and slowly started to rise up to at the very least their knees. After a spinning ride through a portal, a few instances of vertigo, and some minor bruises from the land, the Lancers had arrived in the Synchro Dimension, or what they assumed was their destination. Rubbing a sore spot on his head, Yuya looked around, struggling to his feet as his legs wobbled, not liking the vertigo that was clinging to him still while nearby him, Serena, Sawatari, and Riley were doing much the same.

"Are we there yet?" Sawatari asked in a drunken tone, trying to dispel the dizziness as he shakily stood while Riley looked around anxiously, moving closely to Yuya who glanced to him while Serena shook off the wooziness quicker than the rest of them.

"Where are the others?" the quartet of Duelists looked around, a sense of dread filling them.

" _ **I was afraid of this. All of us have been split up…"**_ Yuto's statement caused Yuya to swallow nervously.

"We… got split up, didn't we?" asked Serena.

"I think so…" Sawatari threw his arms into the air.

"What the hell?! How the fuck are we supposed to find everyone? This place is massive!" he exclaimed as Riley flinched away from him, moving towards Yuya as the boy looked to him.

"Hey, would you calm down? It's not the time nor the place to lose your head!" Sylvio sighed.

"Fine, so we're in the Synchro Dimension, now what?" Yuya glanced around.

"There are a few options available to us, but knowing where to start is the main issue," he said as Serena looked around them.

"You might wanna look up first." She pointed above them, and the three boys turned their gaze upwards, seeing a towering white city above them.

"Is that… a city?" Yuya questioned.

" _ **I think we have bigger problems…"**_ the scarlet eyed boy looked to where Yuto had briefly pointed to, startling him as he saw police cars arriving.

The four of them moved, unsure of what to do as they found themselves blocked off to some degree, having only moved just out of the mouth of the alleyway before the officers arrived. The teenagers and one child stiffened, unsure if they were in an area that they weren't supposed to be in or not as a burly man and several slimmer men got out, Duel Disks at the ready. Yuya felt a curl of his magic on his skin, his senses telling him that they were in danger, feeling the waves of negative energy just as Sawatari, Riley, and Serena were. Something about the officers felt off, and the stern smirks upon some of their faces told them that loud and clear.

"This is Security! We have you completely surrounded! I suggest you comply peacefully!" stated the burly man as Sawatari gave him a peeved look.

"What is he talkin' about? There are three of them." Serena glanced around the area.

"Check again… we're surrounded…" the others drew closer to her as she did the same, seeing the other officers moving closer while within the car, an officer began speaking on his head set, holding up a holographic projector to view the two photos present. With the window down, Yuya could faintly make out that the man was stating that they'd found the two culprits, but that they'd changed their clothes and had two additional people with them.

" _Two culprits… but their clothing was changed… Yuto? You thinking what I am?"_ he thought towards the spirit who mentally nodded to him.

" _ **Yea, I'll take a wild guess and say that's Yuzu and… more than likely Hugo."**_ Yuya bit the inside of his cheek, knowing that he was going to have a long conversation with the Unduline when he got the chance. In the midst of the sudden arrival of people, Riley began to panic, and started to step back, only for him to run away a moment later, causing Yuya, Sawatari, and Serena to turn, concerned as Yuya started rushing after the boy, only for the child to run into a barrier made from what seemed to be solid vision, and fall to the ground with a pained yelp. Yuya came to him, sliding down to one knee as he looked at the child, checking him for any injuries as he looked at the barriers that started going up around them, blocking every corner.

"Shit," Yuya muttered, Riley giving off a terrified whimper as a few officers started towards them, Duel Disks active.

"Why are they activating Solid Vision on the streets?" Riley stared around in terror as Serena glowered towards the officers.

"What do you want?!" she snapped.

"You and that boy over there with the kid are to be arrested for trespassing on Tops territory on July twenty-fifty." Yuya looked towards them, allowing the body cams to get a good shot of his face as he settled a glower upon the group of officers.

"We just arrived here, you've got us mixed up with someone else," he stated.

"I doubt it boy. Now, either you come with us peacefully, or we do this the hard way!" Yuya grabbed Riley's hand and stood, coming back to Serena and Sawatari, his mind working through the situation.

"We don't know who you're looking for, but it ain't any of us! just leave us be!" Sawatari stated.

"Silence! You are to be taken in for questioning, if you resist it will be added to your crimes." Serena tisked.

"They're not gonna listen to words!" she stated, activating her Duel Disk.

"Wait! It's not gonna help the situation if we get hostile!" Riley stared nervously at the sight as Sawatari activated his own Duel Disk.

"Alright then, if you dumbasses wanna duel, then bring it on!" he said as Yuya gawked at the situation unfolding.

"Seriously?! Guys! This is gonna get us in major trouble!" the officers smirked and Yuya settled them with a nervous look.

" _ **You're gonna have to fight them… if you want to escape, you'll have to get inventive… I doubt these guys will just obey protocol… so you better be nimble and quick,"**_ Yuto stated.

"I know…" Yuya said before he took in a deep breath, activating his Duel Disk as Riley began to shiver, fearful of what was going to happen as Sawatari set the Action Field known as Cross Over on, causing a faint purple hue to appear around them as blue and pink outlined blocks appeared around them and Action Cards were disburst.

The realization of how horrible this battle was going to be became apparent within moments, one of the officers defeated Sawatari in a singular move, sending him flying, kicking up dirt and wind as the red jackets the group wore fluttered about wildly, Riley's hood being thrown off his head just as Yuya crouched to cover him from the debris as one of the officer's cuffed Sawatari, and Serena growled, bearing her teeth angrily as the blonde-brunette was slammed into the pavement on his front, the boy giving a pained gasp as a knee was shoved into his back. Yuya took in the sight, the sensation of his magic sliding across his skin turning icy instead of warm as he tensed, knowing that the situation was about to become far worse.

"One in custody now, take out the girl next," stated the head officer.

"Right sir…" Serena smirked.

"I don't think so! Do you think you can stop us with _your mediocre skills?_ Spare me, my teammates and I have more skill in a single finger than your entire squadron," she said sharply.

"Got quite a mouth on you, don't you girl?" Yuya stood to his feet, Riley gripping his jacket sleeve as he looked to him, terror evident in his eyes.

"Maybe I do, but whatever you think you can do about it won't work," she said.

"Serena…" she glanced to Yuya, purple hair and red ribbon whipping around as she did so.

"Don't worry about it, this was bound to happen. Just focus on protecting yourself and Riley, I'll do what I can to back you," she told him as Yuya took in a deep breath.

" _ **Get ready to take your turn… right now's not the time to be a pacifist."**_ Yuya drew out five cards, knowing that Yuto was right, despite him not wanting to cause an uproar in this dimension when they hadn't come to cause problems. As he prepared to do this though, Yuya felt Riley tug on his jacket and looked at the boy, seeing fear in his gaze.

"W-Where is… my brother? W-Where is he? I'm… scared…" he asked nervously, causing Yuya to reach out to him, placing a gentle hand upon his head.

"It's alright. Don't worry about any of this, okay Riley? I'm here with you, and I'm going to take care of you." Persian blue eyes stared into scarlet ones as the chief officer looked him and Riley over.

"I'll leave that boy to you. Take him down quickly, the head of security has questions for him and the girl," the man said as one of his underlings nodded, stepping forward.

" _Guess it's show time…"_

"Give up, and come with us quietly. Otherwise things will begin to get nasty," the underling stated as Yuya turned in a flourish, red jacket flaring a bit as he smirked, deciding to use his magic to give him an athletic boost in this situation which caused his eyes to shine brighter than normal.

Without a moment of hesitation, he grabbed Riley's wrist and crouched, pulling the boy onto his back as he jumped high into the air and landed upon one of the platforms in a feline manner while Riley gripped onto his shoulders tightly so not to fall. The officer seemed to get his idea and used the platforms to reach a roof, blocking him off and taunting him that he wouldn't let him escape as Yuya tisked, feeling a sharp graze from his canines as he did so before taking in a slight breath, glancing to Riley who gave him a terrified look.

Scarlet eyes looked towards the officer, his body easing into the magic that embraced him lovingly, the Waking magic not attempting to possess him as he accepted the flow of it and harnessed it while making sure not to get himself riled up. it was a trick he'd learned quickly over their training days, that if he maintained his collective thoughts and didn't become too emotional, he would manage not to be possessed, but during the entire usage of his magic as it was now, he was still walking a fine line.

"Lower your disk kid," the officer said as Yuya glanced to Riley and winked.

"Oh, why would I do that? I thought you wanted a duel?" Yuya smirked, shocking Sawatari and Serena as he bowed just a fraction.

"Are you trying to entertain our enemies?! Seriously?!" the scarlet eyed boy merely stood straight, a smile remaining slightly on his features.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, watch closely, as the miraculous Phantom begins his show! First, we'll have a little disappearing act!"

Yuya moved in a flourish, his red jacket being removed from him and rotated like a cloak, spooking the officers as he and Riley vanished without a trace amidst the blood red fabric as it to disappeared, causing them to look around in alarm as Yuya crouched next to Riley on the roof across from the officer, his jacket still clenched in his hand as he made sure the boy was safe before dawning the Lancer blazar once more tugging his hood up as the ten year old watched him begin his act, moving forward just a fraction as he took a bow, shocking the officers as they found him to have appeared from nothing. Serena stared in surprise, much like Sawatari did while the officers eyed the boy adorned in a blood red jacket, trimmed in black with his hood up, effectively shadowing his eyes as they shined in the dimness cast over them.

"He's a Cast!" the officer attempting to duel him alerted the others who looked at the teenagers and then to the boy standing in front of Riley, shielding him.

"No, my dear audience, I am a Witch, a special one, with very unique skills, for I am well versed in both dueling and magic. Now, for this act, would my assistant please take the first move?" Yuya announced as Sawatari gawked at him.

"Is he insane?! What is he doing at a time like this?" the officer glanced to him.

"Casts like him think they can act cute and get off with a slap on the wrists… it doesn't matter how they act or look, a Cast is still a Cast, and they still gotta be dealt with," he stated bluntly as Sawatari narrowed his gaze out of the corner of his eye.

"Yea well, good luck defeating him." mauve eyes watched as the officer glowered at the boy.

"Instead, I think you should take the first move, you little pest," he said as Yuya smirked.

"Very well! Now, for a little fun and color! I Summon Performapal Hip Hippo from my hand!" the pink hat-top wearing hippo appeared, Yuya jumping atop it as he smirked, coiling back a bit to pull Riley upon on the Duel Monster behind him, smiling as he looked to the boy and his terrified expression.

"I-I…" Yuya gave him a serious, but calm look.

"It's okay, don't be afraid! Trust in me!" he assured him as Riley swallowed nervously and gripped the back of Yuya's jacket.

"What kind of carnival reject is that thing?" Yuya shrugged.

"We rejects' work well together. Now, my dear hippo here seems to be a bit anxious around all the new faces, so, I'll just give him a supporting cast, and a little magic to help!"

Riley watched as Hip Hippo made a happy noise and Yuya activated the Hippo Carnival Spell Card, allowing three Hippo tokens to appear on the field, dancing and singing, confusing the ever loving hell out of the officer he was dueling as Yuya coiled a spell around his hand, looking towards Riley who gave him a nervous look as he smiled and held the hand that had the spell towards him, nodding as the boy swallowed around the lump in his throat, and then grasped the hand offered to him, the spell transferring over to Riley as Yuya smiled as he focused on the officer as the magic which was a pale silvery-blue turned into a ribbon-like object.

"It'll help you stay strong, tie it around your wrist," Yuya said as Riley looked to him before he slowly nodded, doing as advised and a moment later, the boy felt himself starting to calm down.

" _A meditation spell? But how would he…"_ Serena saw Yuya shifted his left hand a bit, showing the same silver-blue ribbon was tied around his own wrist, answering her question as he smiled to the officer.

"I end my turn." the officer narrowed his eyes.

"Alright you fucking Cast, time for me to put you in your place!"

 **{Security HQ: 10:39am}**

The day had been rather peaceful, no disturbances of any kind, and Roger had been able to watch the monitors in silence; however, that ended when he got a notification from one of his officers that they were currently in a confrontation with the two culprits from the twenty-fifth of July, and his interest had been piqued. Pulling up the monitor, Roger watched as the officers started dueling the group of four, the information being stated that the had allies with them, and that they were resisting arrest. Humming in curiosity, Roger looked at the four youths, seeing that their clothing had a consistent trait: a blood red jacket. He frowned, noticing a diamond shaped patch on the right sides of the group, but upon the boy with his hood up, it was on his left upper arm's sleeve, making the Security direct believe he may have been the one in charge.

Roger watched a moment longer, seeing the purple haired girl take out two of the officers with a skill that was almost unmatched as she Fusion Summoned, and then in another turn, used a spell card effect to get two monsters out, and performed an Xyz summon, resulting in a female monster with a lion-like mane appearing while her body consisted of tiger-like stripes.

The man smiled, interested in the new summoning systems, but not a moment later, his attention was drawn away from the sight as the boy with the hood blocked an attack and the force of the wind pushed his hood off, revealing red-green hair and scarlet eyes that shined as he held his hands up, forming a shield from an unexpected assault in hopes of keeping him and the child with him safe. Dull blue eyes widened, the pale man smirking as he leaned forward, looking at the boy.

"What a fascinating creature… Kauffman? Any information on the boy? The one with scarlet eyes," he inquired as he pressed a button in front of him, the officer watching and recording the ordeal responding.

" **He's a Cast, but we're not sure about what else…"** Roger nodded, watching as two spires of starlight appeared, the boy activating a summoning as the trails of stardust reigned down from above in a web drawn by a pendulum crystal as a series of monsters appeared, once more a jovial expression appearing upon the man's features.

"Splendid… I can tell your not ordinary Cast… hmm… Kauffman… bring me the red eyed boy, place the others in our holding cells here," he stated.

" **Yes sir!"**

Roger watched the Duel continue, growing bleaker by the moment for the teenagers who fought valiantly; however, the moment where it seemed the officers would win, and his request would be fulfilled, storm clouds billowed into the area, rain starting to form as a black-bird monster swooped in, attacking one of the officers viciously and not a second later, a series of D-Wheels ripped through the area, grabbing the teenagers in a swift and practiced motion, causing Roger to narrow his gaze as he looked at the scene of the storm invading the area, lightning and thunder roaring and clashing above while a trail of black feathers that appeared as the monster took into the skies, the group of four having been swept away as the officers found themselves unable to follow. Roger smiled, just a fraction as he looked at the scene, and then stilled it, reversing the video to return to the scarlet eyed boy.

"Hmm… I guess a game of cat and mouse only makes it more satisfying, when you finally ensnare the mouse…"

 **{Unknown Area: 11:15am}**

Yuya was confused, he admitted it, albeit only in retrospect as he held on tightly to the person who had pulled him onto their bike at the last minute, saving him and the other's skins in a flourish of skills that even he wasn't sure he'd be able to pull off even if he tried. They were now riding down the back alleys, turning and twisting this way and that as the group of bike riding saviors took them further and further away from the officers. It was a strange thing, to be saved by a storm, a giant warrior black bird, and a group of people riding motorcycles, but he supposed the situation could have been worse. He and the others remained silent, his mind focusing on what to do once they arrived at their destination.

The first order of business, would be to determine whether or not these people were a potential threat or not, followed by their intentions, and reasons for helping them. While Yuya wanted to believe they were just good Samaritans, wanting to help out when they saw others in danger, he also wasn't that naïve to where he'd believe that he wasn't going to be faced with horrible dangers in a place that he had no clue about.

The group finally turned a corner, some fifteen minutes later, pulling into an area with high walls and chain-link fences where a cement and tin roofed house stood, graffiti and chalk drawings on the walls in randomized areas the four motorcycles stopped, and the Lancers dismounted quickly, grouping together, unsure of what would happen as the person who'd grabbed Yuya got off the bike, kicking the stand as he removed his helmet and looked towards them, revealing wild orange hair and fossil gray eyes. He glanced towards the other three riders, nodding to them with a dismissive wave and a thankful expression as they nodded and drove off, the orange-haired person finally turning to face them, showing off yellow facial marks as he smiled.

"Well, seems everyone made it in one piece, that's good," he said as he started towards them.

"H-Huh?!" the orange-haired person got a bit closer to the group, and then turned his gaze directly to Yuya.

"You're pretty cool, protecting that kid like you did," he stated as Yuya felt himself jolt a bit.

"O-Oh, um… t-thanks…" the other smiled.

"Don't mention it. I figured when I saw you guarding the kid that you had to be a good guy, so I knew you four could use some help from the Black Feathers," he informed them as Yuya blinked.

"Um… right, thanks…" the other rose an eyebrow, looking the four of them over before he smiled again, giving Yuya a knowing look.

"I saw your little disappearing trick with your jacket. It's a spirit spell, right? Volume twenty-four, page seventy-nine of the Spiritus Codex, you use it by triggering it with a word and can expand an object to vanish and reappear," he mentioned, causing Yuya to glance to the side.

"Actually, it's volume twenty-six, page ninety-seven, Spiritus Codex: Alchemilla." The others eyed Yuya who felt a heavy blush come to his features, causing the person who saved him to laugh.

"Your red as a tomato! Guess it makes sense with your hair color though," he stated as Yuya felt his cheeks burn.

" _ **He just called you a tomato head…"**_

" _Thank you, Captain Obvious,"_ Yuya shot back to Yuto.

"Was that insult needed? I mean come on!" the scarlet-eyed boy defended as his blush died down.

"Sorry, it just struck me as funny… I'm Crow by the way, Crow Hogan," he stated as he held out his hand, causing Yuya to give him a questioning look. Without much thought, Sawatari stepped forward, taking the other's hand.

"I'm Sylvio Sawatari, thank you for saving us." Crow smiled.

"No problem…" the blonde-brunette felt a slight zap in his hand and jumped, yelping as he shook his hand out and Yuya sighed.

"Zapping Spell, standard spells, book two, page nine…" he muttered as Serena shook her head.

"What was that for?" she inquired.

"A little joke I play on new comers. So, who are the rest of you?" the girl looked to him.

"Serena Allister, good to meet you," she said as the little boy moved to hide behind Yuya while Crow looked to him.

"Hey there, what's your name?" the boy ducked his head and Yuya smiled.

"He's really shy… but, this is Riley Akaba," he answered for the child as Crow nodded, looking to him.

"And who are you?" the scarlet eyed boy smiled a bit.

"I'm Yuya Sakaki, it's nice to meet you, but forgive me if I don't shake your hand…" he said with a slightly nervous laugh.

"Na, it's cool… but come on inside, some of the other kids will probably like to meet all of you."

The four Lancers followed Crow into the shack-like house, being let him through the screen door as he sat down a brown paper bag that they hadn't seen earlier – how that was though, they weren't sure – before he put his fingers in his mouth and whistled, startling the teenagers while Riley tucked himself against Yuya's legs, causing the Waking Witch to smile as he placed a gentle hand upon the child's head, getting him to relax again as the scarlet-eyed boy's touch in addition to the meditation spell's ribbon worked on calming him. Serena and Sylvio looked around as only a few moments later, a group of kids came rushing into the house through the side-back door in the kitchen. They were different ages and heights, clamoring to meet Crow as he laughed, taking a moment to give them each a hug.

"We missed you! What took you so long?" asked a tan skinned girl with to bush reddish-purple buns on both sides of her head, her eyes glittering with excitement.

"I was helping a few new friends." The children looked to the four teenagers and instantly went to them.

Sylvio wasn't sure what to think of the situation, being unused to small children while Serena was very much the same. However, even with Riley clinging to him, Yuya smiled, crouching as the children turned their attention to him, giving the other two a breather while they looked him and the other child over, Crow smiling as he set out a few cans of tuna, two loaves of bread, salt, pepper, and cans of chicken noodle soup. Sylvio looked at the sight, seeing the children turn their attention towards the orange-haired man while Riley looked to Yuya who nodded to him, smiling as he pushed the lavender haired boy forward, and he steadily edged towards the purple-red haired girl.

"Hey, Amanda, can you give him a hand? He's shy and all of you need to wash up before lunch, got it?" Crow asked as the girl nodded.

"M'kay!" she went to Riley, reaching out and the boy slowly took her hand, being lead to the wash room where the other kids were heading, save for one. A small boy in a yellow hat with a white pompom on the top, overalls, a tattered blue t-shirt, and brown shoes. He had wavy, short, pale blue hair and wide brown-hazel eyes. Crow looked to him as he gaped at the three teenagers, before his gaze settled upon Yuya who rose an eyebrow.

"Tanner? What's wrong?" Crow asked as the six-year-old continued to stare.

"So, your name's Tanner huh? That's a pretty neat name…" Yuya crouched to the little boy's eye level, Crow watching him carefully as the boy continued to watch the fourteen-year-old.

"You're so pretty!" Sylvio repressed a laugh as Serena shot him a glare while Yuya gave the boy a somewhat surprised look.

"Well… um… thank you?" Tanner giggled.

"Your eyes are like those pretty red jewels I see those rich people wear…" he said while Crow crossed his arms over his chest.

"Really? Guess you've been out in the city again, haven't you Tanner?" the boy looked to Crow at his question.

"Just looking!" he defended.

"Well, go get washed up, I'll start cooking." The boy smiled.

"Okay~!" with that he skipped away and Yuya smiled after the boy.

"He's a cute kid," he mentioned as Crow shrugged.

"Yea, and don't let his compliment bother you… he really likes pretty things… I guess it's because we don't really have that here…" Serena frowned.

"And… where is here exactly?" she probed while Crow began struggling with the old manual can opener.

"The Commons… this is the slums of Neo City… and we don't… have a lot or –" Crow glared at the object as Yuya glanced his way.

"Mind if I help?" he offered as the orange haired Blackwing Duelist shrugged.

"Have at it… maybe you know a spell I don't."

Yuya sighed, and thought through the household magic he'd learned from his mother before getting the can opener adjusted before he tapped it with his finger, and it began opening the cans of its own accord, causing Crow to stare at him in questioning as the boy got the cans open and stopped the opener before the leader of the Black Feathers started to step back in, watching as the strange boy next to him helped out, using little bits of magic here and there to get the job done quicker while he was doing something else.

All the while, Serena and Sylvio watched as the room filled up with the children, having returned from washing their hands to see Crow having stepped back while Yuya glanced to the items that were on the counter and in need of being taken to the trash. Raising his hand out, the boy sent the items into the bin, electing shouts of surprise from the children behind him as he turned on his heels, being greeted with Serena and Sylvio's smirks and the looks of wonder of the little ones faces.

"Wow! Real magic!" Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"All because of those Tops people… none of us ever get to see real magic…" scarlet eyes widened in realization as Tanner jumped towards him.

"Do something else! Please!" he begged as Crow sighed.

"Let's eat something first, we don't need you guys getting into a frenzy."

They children obeyed, sitting down and eating happily while Yuya remained silent during the meal, Crow occasionally casting glances his way. He couldn't place it, but something felt different about the scarlet eyed boy, almost as though he didn't quite fit in with the rest, and how the children took to him also made him question what was really going on. None of them were shy, but Tanner wasn't keen on strangers – most of them weren't due to growing up on the streets – and for him to go up and speak with someone he didn't know as easily as he did, was both dumbfounding, and concerning.

It was strange, because Crow didn't get a bad vibe from Yuya, but he did get the sense that he wasn't what he appeared to be, like there were other sides to him that were just under the surface. Frowning, Crow finished off his lunch, getting to work on the dishes being cleaned up while the children finished their food and then brought their dishes to him, being quick to rush back outside to play while Riley remained seated nearby Yuya at the table, the child curling close to him while Yuya smiled, placing a hand atop his head so to keep him calm. Crow watched the interaction out of the corner of his eyes, and knew that his earlier assumption that Yuya was a good person wasn't wrong; however, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was just _not quite normal_ about him.

Serena hummed, having eaten her sandwich in peace while Sylvio took his time, enjoying the momentary breather while the four of them tried to sort out what was going on. They had entered the Synchro Dimension, and had been ambushed and saved only mere hours apart, which wasn't what they'd expected, but hadn't been out of the realm of possibility in their minds. Yuya was stricken with the inexplicable feeling that something wasn't quite right in this version of the Synchro Zone, and that stemmed from the faint pulse he had momentarily felt, which both disturbed him and told him they were in the right place.

" _What do you think that pulse was?"_ Yuto shrugged.

" _ **There's no telling. The Synchro Dimension isn't what we were expecting exactly, so for all we know, it could have been it bending to allow us entry, or even something happening with the stability of it… there's… no way to be sure,"**_ He admitted, causing Yuya to sigh.

"Damn…" fossil gray eyes turned to the group.

"You know… come to think of it, I never saw you guys before," Crow stated as he looked to them.

"Oh, well um…" Crow cross his arms over his chest.

"Where are you guys from? And what's with the matching jackets?" he probed, looking at the blood red jackets and vest that the four wore.

"Actually, we –" Sylvio stepped in.

"We didn't formally thank you for saving us back there, so thanks for helping us out," he stated as he held out his hand.

"Sure, no problem." Crow took it and Sylvio smiled.

"Those guys were pretty unwelcoming for a welcoming committee, huh?" he offered as Yuya resisted the urge to slam his head onto the table.

" _Ego the size of Texas mode has been engaged! Houston, we have a problem!"_ Yuto chuckled at Yuya's internal dialog while Riley eyed the boy and Serena rolled her eyes.

"They're not exactly a welcoming committee…" Sylvio shrugged.

"I figured, but it still wasn't what we were expecting, especially after hopping a Zone to get into a Dimension," he mentioned nonchalantly as Yuya made an annoyed noise.

"Zone? Dimension? What are you – wait… who are you people exactly?" Crow inquired, giving the blonde-brunette a sharp look.

"We're here on a mission to –" Crow clenched his fist, a faint flare of silver lighting around it as Yuya felt his eyes widen.

"To do what exactly? I get the feeling you're doing something out of your league… and when people do that, you get others killed!" he stated sharply as Yuya shot to his feet.

"We're on a mission to fix a rift in our world!" fossil gray eyes looked to scarlet ones.

"A… rift? In the world?" he asked as Yuya nodded.

"Listen, I don't know what's going on or how the Synchro Dimension works, but… our world is in grave danger. The place we're in now, right here… is a fragment of a place known as the Synchro Zone, and we're… looking for people to help us fix this rift, and stop the people who caused it. That's our job, as Lancers." Crow glanced the boy over, seeing the swinging pendulum crystal that hung between his arms as he supported some of his weight upon them and the table.

"You just said that this place… is fragmented… and… the actual place is called the… Synchro Zone? Holy shit," he muttered.

"What? Do you know something?" Crow sighed.

"I'm… not sure I should be telling this to a bunch of kids, but…" he looked to Yuya who blinked, somewhat surprised but the intensity of the gaze.

"But?" the orange-haired man shrugged.

"Something tells me I'm not wrong in telling you… anyways, about I don't know exactly how long ago, I started having these really vivid dreams… about a place a lot like this, but mortals and witches got along for the most part, and there were people I knew… that I was close to… but… I passed it off as a weird dream, you know, exhaustion or somethin' causing me to have it," Crow admitted.

"Yea, believe me… I've had plenty of those moments in recent days…" Sylvio glanced to Yuya who turned his gaze to the side.

"Let me guess, they persisted, and eventually, you realized they weren't dreams… but memories?" Serena inquired, causing Crow to nod.

"Right… I started to think that our world wasn't the right one… like I wasn't supposed to be here or something… but I wasn't sure how…" Yuya felt his eyes widen.

"You might have been cast off from the Zone when it was split! Listen, Crow… this might sound insane, but there's this man named Leo Akaba, and he's planning on fusing our world into one whole one again… but in order to do that, he's killing thousands of innocent people, mortal, witch, and anyone else unlucky enough to get caught in the crosshairs! And he's hunting these people who are very special to our world… and if he manages to kill them, our world is going to die… and fall into darkness… with nothing to save it," he said, feeling his anxiety levels rise as Crow stared at him.

"Holy shit… I knew those weren't normal dreams… but this is…" Crow sat down again.

"Believe us, we understand how you feel. It's an overwhelming kind of revelation… but… it's the truth nonetheless," Serena stated as the orange-haired teenager huffed.

"So… the four of you are gonna stop this nut job?" Sylvio shook his head.

"No, there's actually ten of us here, but we got split up during the warp," he explained.

"Then how can you be sure that your buddies are here?" Yuya held up his duel disk.

"We have honing devices on our Duel Disks… I've been glancing at mine since our encounter with those officers, and for some reason they're shorting out, but the signals are still coming through every now and then," he said as he looked at the series of red dots on the screen.

" _O-kay_ then…" Yuya looked to Crow.

"We're also looking for a few people. The first is a pink-haired girl, her name is Yuzu Hiiragi, then, we're looking for another person, who might be with her named Hugo Matsumoto, and finally… we're looking for someone whose tied to the Synchro Dimension and Zone… they're known as a Pillar," he explained as Crow raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have anything to go on with this Pillar?" the three teenagers looked down.

"Our leader, Reiji Akaba has the most intel on the Pillars; however, I don't think even he knows the exact identity of the Pillar whose been trapped in the Synchro Dimension… let alone the one from the Synchro Zone," Yuya admitted morosely.

"Something told me that would be your answer… so, what will you do? Your split up from your group, and you don't know the area." Scarlet eyes met fossil gray ones.

"I know we only met today, and this probably sounds like the biggest bullshit story you've ever heard, but… if you'd be willing… we'd greatly appreciate your help!" Yuya bowed his head, fisting the legs of his pants as he prepared for the potential rejection. Crow took one look at him and sighed, unbelieving he was about to do what he was.

"Alright, listen… I believe you, about all this mess… and I'm willing to give you a hand in finding your pals… but I don't know about helping you find this Pillar person…" Serena smirked.

"But Hugo Matsumoto and Yuzu Hiiragi might be a different story?" Crow looked to her.

"I know a guy around your age Yuya, whose name is Hugo Matsumoto. However, even if I can help you find him and he might have that girl with him, but I'm questioning how you're gonna find this Pillar," he stated as Yuya shook his head while Serena huffed.

"Listen, the way we're going to do this is by finding our comrades. Once we do that, we can begin looking for Yuzu, Hugo, and the Pillar whose been cast into this place. From there, we have to think about how to fix this place and put it back together with the Synchro Zone." Crow rose an eyebrow.

"How are you gonna put this place and the Synchro Zone back together?" Sylvio looked to the Blackwing Duelist.

"That's why we need to find the Pillar, because if we do they can work with another Pillar, and use their combined powers to reunite the Synchro Dimension and Zone, which will help stop Leo Akaba, and the organization he runs called Academia," he said as Crow took in the information.

It was a great deal, and while Crow wanted to say that it was untrue, and these kids were lying to him, something about the stern and unwavering look Yuya's eyes every time he glanced his way, in addition to the same confirming expression in Serena and Sylvio's eyes, let him know that the things they spoke of, were without question true. It caused Crow to question how all of this could be happening; however, he also knew that it wasn't time to sit there and ponder it. The information needed to be taken with a grain of salt, but he accepted it, and knew right then and there, that no time could be wasted, causing him to sigh as he looked into scarlet eyes.

"Fine, I'll help you find your pals, and I'll also try and speak with Hugo… afterwards, we'll search for this… Pillar person." Yuya nodded, smiling as he stood, holding his hand out to Crow.

"Thank you, I know it's a lot, but I think you'll be glad you helped us," he said as Crow smiled in return and took the boy's hand.

"Alright, I'll talk to some of my friends… do all of you have those red jackets and vests on?" Serena nodded.

"The Lancers have on jackets, vests, and one of our members wears Ninja attire and has a red scarf with white and black ends," she stated as Crow nodded.

"Got it, we'll get on it soon. For now, I think you guys need to lay low…" the four Lancers looked to Crow at that.

"Why?" Sylvio inquired as the orange-haired teenager frowned.

"Because, here if your caught doing magic by Security, there's a big chance that you'll end up being either stripped of it, tagged, and thrown back out here, or you're gonna be sent to the detention center, which is a living hell for magic users and mortals." The group tensed.

"So… what are we gonna do?" asked Yuya.

"If you want to find your friends, you don't use your magic, stay hidden, and let me and the Black Feathers handle this… and protect that kid and yourselves." The three teenagers took in a deep breath, admitting the other was right.

"Alright, we'll stay here…" Crow nodded.

"Good, just take precautions, and I'll do what I can to help."

 **{….}**

 _See I was dead when I woke up this morning…._

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** The Lancers are now in the Synchro Dimension, so we'll be getting a lot more happening very soon. However, things are kind of shaky right now, and while the group decides to spill the beans and Crow thankfully is open minded enough to not try and disregard this, it doesn't mean things are gonna be easy, not by any means. Well, let me know what you guys think.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

This chapter was based around _episode 56 – Security's Perfect Encirclement,_ and _Episode 57 – The Black Whirlwind, Crow Hogan._

The Pawn chess piece in the scene with Roger is important.

Yuya's cloak effect spell is spirit magic, which is actual a branch of magic used by several of the groups members at different times.

Meditation Spells will be explained soon.

Crow knows Yuya can use magic; however, he isn't aware that Yuya is a Witch and not another kind of magic user.

Alchemilla is a reference to Silent Hill: Alchemilla.

Yuya's a complete bookworm.

The Tomato joke has returned, and was first seen in _Chapter 17: Unfriendly Service._


	63. Chapter 63: Interdimensional

Chapter 63: Interdimensional

 **{Synchro Dimension Streets: August 2** **nd** **, 2014: 1:50pm}**

Dennis MacField had been in precarious situations before, and had always managed to find a way to use his natural talents to his advantage and get out of them unscathed; however, this wasn't what he would call a situation he was prepared for. When he had arrived in the Synchro Dimension, he had expected to be with the nine other Lancers, but instead, found himself alone, with none other than Noburou Gongenzaka. Sighing, the orange-haired Charm Witch looked around the street they were walking down, and spotted a park, deciding to lead the giant of a teenager to sit down so they could think of what to do in this current situation. Gongenzaka had done so, and now, the two of them were seated, contemplating their next move.

"Okay, let's think for a minute, if we're gonna find the others, we gotta come up with a plan," Dennis stated.

"I say we merely keep searching." The other shook his head.

"No, we don't know the layout of this place, and it's clearly massive. For all we know the others could be hundreds of miles away from us… not to mention we're looking for Yuzu and the Pillar in addition to other allies we can collect here," he told the other while Gongenzaka folded his arms over his chest.

"Yuya is out there somewhere, and I intend to find him and our comrades, that is my plan." Dennis sighed.

"Gongenzaka, what I'm suggesting is that we find a way to make a means of transportation possible. If we intend to search this entire city top to bottom, we need to be able to travel quicker than we can on foot, and while I have my broom charm on me, it won't be enough for two people, and we don't know how they will respond to magic users here," he pointed out as Gongenzaka hummed, nodding as the Charm Witch glanced around them.

"Then, what do you propose we do?" Dennis thought for a second and then smiled.

"Let's see if we can busk!" the man rose an eyebrow.

"Busk? What is that?" Dennis smiled.

"It's an old term for street performing. While I am a Witch, I'm a Charm Witch, meaning I can pass my magic off for stage tricks… so, if you'll be my assistant, I can bring in some money for us, and we can probably make enough to eat, and get bikes or something," he suggested.

"Hmm… so you'll perform in order to gain us funding for our venture. Very well, we can try… what must I do?" Dennis looked him over.

"I have just the thing…"

It was fifteen minutes later that they had drawn a crowd, Gongenzaka standing with a small flag in his hand being waved as Dennis did sleight of hand magic tricks, shuffling cards and doing basic ones that enticed children and adults with the charm of it while Dennis let his entertainer's spirit shine. He made a top hat materialize and placed it upon the sidewalk next to them, and not a moment later, the people were throwing coins and bills into it, laughing and applauding as he continued his act. While it might not have been the most productive use of their time, it served a good purpose, one that Dennis hoped to exploit as best he could. He held a deck of cards above his head, and shuffled them, causing them to fall from one hand to the next as he smiled.

"It's show time everyone! One! Two! Three! Come forth my lovely wands!" he called as five wands appeared from cards he threw into the air with a puff of smoke, and not a moment later, he began juggling them, gaining them more funds.

Gongenzaka was perturbed, because while Dennis was a Witch and could do a great deal of things with his magic, he was not as fortunate. The Fly-by-Night Capsules seemed to deem it good enough to give him earth magic, and while he supposed that suited him well, it didn't have many uses outside of combative ordeals. Sighing, the bulky teen continued to wave his flag, directing people's attention to Dennis as he continued to perform until hours later, they were finally done with their routines, and had sat off to the side behind a statue, taking a moment to count up their earnings as Gongenzaka continued to frown, displeased by the time wasted.

Of all the people he had ended up stuck with, Dennis wasn't the one he could have hoped for. While the other was undoubtedly a talented Duelist and Witch, he also was a bit to carnie for his liking, unlike Yuya who seemed to be able to balance out his entertainer side and his serious one. Dennis was constantly acting and putting on a show for people, which he supposed was on point with his abilities as a Charm Witch; however, it left a somewhat bitter taste in his mouth, making him wonder if he could trust this person or not.

Sighing, the massive teenager folded his arms over his chest, watching Dennis finish up counting, informing him that they had made around the sum of a hundred and sixty dollars, but with the city being like it was, they undoubtedly wouldn't be able to buy much or get around with that. Huffing, Gongenzaka looked at the orange-haired teenager, his red jacket showing off in contrast with his blue shirt in the dimming sunlight of the day while he vanished his top hat.

"We didn't come here for this," he stated as Dennis reached into his pocket to get out a handkerchief which he quickly magicked into a pouch.

"While I do agree with you, it's more productive if we have a means to get around, so we'll have to do this for another day or so in order to do that." Gongenzaka felt his jaw slacken.

"Inexcusable!" Dennis sighed.

"You know, Gon…" the other gawked.

"G-Gon?!" the Charm Witch smiled.

"Our success got me thinking. If we stand out in a crowd like this, word will get around and Yuya and the others might be able to track us down. Plus, our honing devices on our Duel Disks are kind of working still, so there's that too," he mentioned as Gongenzaka frowned.

"Those devices are dying though, aren't they? Before too long, the honing device won't work." Dennis nodded.

"True, but… there's a chance that with us being public, the others will find us, and we might even be able to help with this money we've earned. At the very least, the two of us won't be dead on our feet if they can find us," he informed him.

"You think it'll go that smooth?" Dennis shrugged.

"Well, I'm not positive, I mean… I'm not a Fortuna Witch, so I can't predict the future, but the chances are pretty high I think. It's worth a shot, right?" he offered as Gongenzaka sighed.

"Alright, I suppose attempting to keep ourselves alive and well is the best first step in order to find the others that we can take at this point. And if your plan works, we should be able to find them shortly." Dennis nodded, frowning for a moment.

"I was wondering, do you have a Guardian's Incandescence on you?" he probed as the other nodded.

"Though I suspect it may have worn off, Yuya casted one upon myself and Yuzu some time ago when Sky went missing." Dennis felt his eyes widen.

" _That means we could potentially find Yuya and Yuzu quicker… but… I get the feeling this place is all about the almighty dollar, so… if Gongenzaka and I wanna help even a tiny bit, we need funds to get around and gather information…"_ denim blue eyes narrowed at the thought, not liking the sudden vibe he was getting from the place around them.

"Why do you ask?" Gongenzaka inquired.

"Just wondering… anyways, let's find a cheap place to get something to eat and rest, it's getting close to evening, and I don't like the feeling I get from this place…" the giant of a teen hummed.

"You too, feel the darkness ebbing within this dimension?" Dennis nodded.

"And I don't want to be out here at night. There's no telling what's going on, but I don't think tempting fate is a wise choice." Gongenzaka started moving.

"Then we will seek a place to safely rest, and attempt to search and gather a means to do so tomorrow," he stated as Dennis smiled.

"Good plan… let's go."

 **{Market District: Tops Area: 4:23pm}  
**

"Yuzu? Are you okay?" Hugo asked as the girl stilled in an alleyway.

"I don't know what it is, but I just… got this strange feeling…"

It had been an odd sensation, like something warm ghosting over her skin, causing goosebumps to appear as she shivered, arms wrapping around herself as she stared at the ground, wondering what could have caused it. She had been walking around with Hugo, the two of them planning on putting up posters to warn the Synchro Dimension of Academia, and potentially recruit people to help them stop it – as the more they had the better off they would be – when it happened, and now, she was getting a feeling of pure dread. Shaking herself out, Yuzu took in a deep breath, trying to ease her nerves before glancing to Hugo.

While they had been planning this poster placing escapade for a couple of days, they both knew if they went out in their normal attire, they could be caught instantly, so, Yuzu was dressed in a pair of pink denim shorts, a white v-neck t-shirt, white sneakers, and had her hair in two braids instead of her normal pigtails or a ponytail; however, she did have Serena's yellow ribbon tied on her belt loop in order to keep it with her. Hugo, had opted for a pair of faded jeans, blue sneakers, and a white t-shirt with a denim over jacket, his pendulum crystal in clear view this time as Yuzu turned her gaze directly on him.

"Something's not right…" Hugo nodded.

"Yea, I got that feeling just a bit ago too… but what's going on?" he inquired as Yuzu shook her head.

"I wish I knew… I mean… let's be honest, neither of us know what to expect at this point, but we're…." Yuzu glanced towards her bracelet, seeing a faint pulse coming from it.

"Your bracelet's pulsating!" he stated as he looked at the item.

"This doesn't make any sense…" periwinkle eyes glanced to Hugo, seeing his pendulum crystal omitting a faint green hue from it.

"What are ya lookin' at?" he questioned.

"Your pendulum crystal's glowing too…"

The two stood there in silence, worry etching onto their features as they both felt an oppressive sinking feeling that neither could explain. It was the sense of dread that one got just before something bad took place, almost like the feeling one got when they knew they were about to have a wreck, and could only brace for the impact. What was more, the deep pink gem embedded into Yuzu's bracelet had started to give off a heartbeat-like pulse, and Hugo's pendulum crystal now, was glowing, making their sense of unsureness and dread grow. However, in the seconds that ticked by, the two began to think about the past instances where these items had done similar things, and slowly, they turned to one another, realization coming to them.

"Yuya!" they said together.

"Do you really think he's here?" Yuzu looked at her bracelet.

"It's possible… my bracelet normally pulses when he's nearby… and I can kind of feel him…" Hugo smiled.

"Then he's here! We need to begin searching for him!" he stated as he grabbed Yuzu's upper arms, causing them both to drop the flyers everywhere.

"H-Hugo!" he gave her a bright grin.

"Don't you get it? If we can find Yuya, then we can start gathering forces to stop Academia, and on top of all that, we can tell them about the story of the Pillars, maybe him and whoever is with him can help us find them!" he told her jovially as Yuzu felt her heart hammering in her chest.

" _He's probably right… I don't know what it is, but I can feel Yuya's presence somewhere in the city, but it's so faint I can barely make it out…"_

"Hugo, even with that Guardian's Incandescence, I can't pinpoint where Yuya is exactly. I said I can feel his presence somewhat, but it's faint, and distant… there's no telling where he is," she pointed out.

"Don't worry, I know that the two of you will find one another." Yuzu rose an eyebrow.

"How? He can't sense me, and I can't do that with him either… my bracelet pulsing means he's here, but there's no telling how near or far," she told him as Hugo smiled.

"Because, I have faith that you two will meet again soon. I believe that two hearts as closely intertwined as the two of yours, will always be able to reach out to one another, bringing each other right to one another, no matter what happens." Yuzu stared at him.

That was something that she noticed was a key detail of Hugo Matsumoto's personality, and while she had tried to not dwell on it, the notion kept coming up to slap her in the face each time. Hugo, for the life he lived, in the place he'd experienced, was hopeful. No matter what happened, he clung to his hope as though it was the sole tether that kept him tied to his existence, almost as if it was what made up his very soul and flesh. It shined in his tourmaline eyes, resounded within his voice each time he uttered even a single word, and emanated from his body like a wave of warmth. It dumbfounded her, because someone like him, in the situation they were in, shouldn't have had that kind of hope, and yet he did, and Yuzu could easily admit it was incredible.

It got her thinking about the other boys she'd met who favored Yuya and him. Without question, when it came to the amethyst eyed, Fusionist named Joeri Mataeo, she thought of nothing but unrelenting strength, dauntless and oppressive in a manner that had made her almost dizzy in their duel, which had ultimately caused her to run away in terror. However, when it came to Yuto Kisaragi, she had seen so much courage in him, his determination, and compassion emphasizing his bravery to face everything head on, even by himself if it meant protecting the ones he loved.

And then, there was Yuya, shining and brilliant to the point that it was almost blinding, he emanated pure light and warmth like the sunrise on a crisp morning, driving away darkness and giving those who knew him comfort. That was who Yuya Sakaki was, even in the midst of his own darkness, when he battled his own demons, he shined, brighter than the first rays of daylight. Yuya was the light in the darkness, something she had noticed, but never thought of until this moment, when she had pieced together the different defining characteristics of these four boys.

" _Light, valor, hope, and strength… those are such specific characteristics… I've seen bits and pieces of it in almost all of them… but it shows the most in the four of them respectively… so what does that mean for me, Serena, Ruri and Rin?"_

"Yuzu?" periwinkle met tourmaline.

"Hey, Hugo… how would you describe Rin?" she inquired.

"Huh? Oh, um… I've never given it much thought, but… if I think about it… she's spirited and strong… like the winds, invisible and ever present, like a breath of life." Yuzu hummed.

"I see…" she muttered as Hugo frowned.

"Why… did you want to know?" she shrugged.

"For some reason, I just started thinking about how similar, but… different you and the others are to Yuya… so I was wondering… how alike and unlike I am to the other girls…" Hugo smiled.

"How about once we get everyone home safe, we can all get to know each other better?" Yuzu looked to him.

"Everyone? Hugo, how can you be sure that – "he cut her off.

"Because, I know that when people work together they can do the impossible. So, I know that somehow, when everything is said and done, you, I, Rin, Yuya, and everyone else that's fighting this right now, will go home together," he said, dropping his arms from her shoulders as Yuzu smiled.

"Alright then, I guess we have a lot of work to do in order to bring everyone home." She crouched, gathering up the posters as Hugo nodded, stooping down to do the same.

 **{Central Tops Area: 5:30pm}**

Chartreuse eyes scanned the area around them as Sky, and Tsukikage followed Reiji through the streets of what they suspected to be the Synchro Dimension. To the greatest unfortance, the group of ten had been divided, which had worried Sky more than it had Tsukikage, and the blue-haired Dyren Witch felt the tension in Reiji's form even as he questioned where the Council or mayoral office was, and managed to gather directions and information about where they were via a few questions, explaining that he, Sky, and Tsukikage were tourists who had gotten split up from their group and needed to find them, therefore, they needed to alert the authorities.

It was a well-played ruse, that much Sky could admit, but even as he followed Reiji and they drew closer to the Council Building, he couldn't shake the ubiquitous feeling of dread that was sinking into his body. This was the Synchro Dimension, the place they were supposed to go to; however, he felt such an overpoweringly evil presence here, like darkness had been poking and prodding at this place for so long that it was starting to infect it. Shaking off the sensation, his mind went to Yuya, whom he hoped was with people who could help keep him safe. The thought did cause anxiety levels to rise within him though, as he wondered what a place such as this would be like for magic users.

At long last, the group of three entered the council offices, explaining that they needed to speak with the top authorities of Neo City. At first, they were refused, stating that they had no right to request the audience and that they didn't grant meetings just upon request. Reiji took in a deep breath, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a bit of paper which he handed off to the woman at the desk. Her expression slowly became terrified, and while Sky and Tsukikage were unaware of what was on it, she quickly nodded her head, and dialed a number on her phone, getting a quick answer and stating that there were three people who had an urgent message for the council. Within five minutes, they were on an elevator, going up to the top floor to await their audience with the city's leaders.

"Reiji? Can I ask what was on that paper?" Sky inquired.

"I informed her that we were being made to speak with the council and if we did not, a bomb would be detonated. Our teammates were in similar situations throughout the city, and if things weren't done to assist us, ten bombs would simultaneously be set off." The blue-haired Dyren Witch whistled.

"Damn, that's cold," he said.

"No, that was a required evil. However, you and I both know that the bombs we have can do massive damage, but several people have them on their person and are scattered across the city, awaiting a single message." Tsukikage hummed at the information.

"So, each of the Lancers are carrying the coin bombs and are awaiting your order to place them… clever," he stated as Reiji shrugged.

"We're in a potentially hostile environment, nothing can be left to chance, and there are too many things that can now go wrong with us being split up."

Reiji stepped off the elevator, and not a moment later, the doors of the main council chamber was opened, revealing a beautiful, jewel-like interior, decorated with finery of many sorts in addition to there being a magic circle inlaid with silver and gold on the floor. Sky took note of it quickly, knowing that Reiji and Tsukikage most likely were aware of it as well, and that encouraged him to keep his mouth closed as they approached the group of council members, several older men and a single woman, wearing white robes. Reiji looked up to them, and Sky stood by his side alongside Tsukikage, being mindful to remain silent as the Council observed them.

The eyes that remained on them were calm, but knowing, tinted with an almost uncaring glint that made a knot form in Sky's stomach as he watched a few of them speak to one another in hushed whispers, finding the action a reason to not trust these people even as Reiji remained steadfast and quiet, awaiting them to speak first, and choosing to be formal, but having no desire to bend to whatever quims these people could conjure. Finally, one of the men cleared their throats, he sported tan skin, dark eyes, and a beard while his hair was neatly combed back, but graying as he glanced them over once more, and at long last, spoke.

"We were informed that you have been made to come here under orders from a terrorist, what are their demands?" the man asked.

"That was a farce." The group of council members gawked at him.

"A farce?! How dare you –" Reiji smirked.

"At least, the bomb threat was. However, if you would like to know, there are in fact, terrorists preparing to come to your city," he stated. The five high council members glanced to one another.

"Very well, we are listening." Reiji nodded.

"My name is Reiji Akaba, I am the leader of a specialized combat unit known as the Lancers. We are designed to combat these terrorists, known as Academia, and their plans that will threaten our world soon enough. We have come here, in hopes that the Synchro Dimension, would assist us, in restoring it to the Synchro Zone, and in doing so, help stop Academia," he explained, the five white-clad people taking a moment to consider these words before a wheezing laugh came from the oldest of the members.

"You speak of the old legend of the separated Zones, and the Guardians known as Pillars… yet, I sense no misguidance in your voice… I wonder why that is." Reiji met his gaze.

"Because I speak nothing but the truth," he stated.

"Hmm, perhaps. Say we believe you, and assist your… Lancers… in allowing the Synchro Zone to reabsorb our Dimension, what would come of it in benefit for us and our city?" Reiji felt himself tense.

"You wouldn't be hunted down like dogs, burned alive, placed in front of a firing squadron, or trapped inside a card. They've already done this once to another portion of our world, the Xyz Zone, which has now been swallowed by its Dimensional counterpart. Academia has full control of the Xyz Dimension as it stands," he informed them as one of the others made a scathing sound.

"If they have such power, White Taki, then perhaps it would be more prudent of us to bargain with this… Academia, rather than waste our time on a teenager and his lackeys trying to make a bid for our assistance." White Taki, the eldest of the group laughed.

"Perhaps, after all, we do not know for certain if your Lancers are going to be a genuine benefit or not," White Taki stated. Sky settled a threatening glare upon the five adults, not liking the indications he was getting. Reiji adjusted his glasses and looked to them, face stern as he did so.

"The fact is, Academia does not tend to take prisoners, and they do not cut deals with people. If they wish to destroy you, they will, and their mission is to unite our world after turning each Zone into a Dimensional version of itself, and in doing so, they must invade your city, destroying the lives of thousands, all for the sake of seeking one person." White Taki nodded, a knowing smile on his face while the man next to him looked to Reiji.

"In other words, you aren't positive that they will invade us, and in addition, your information seems frayed… why would they seek to slaughter thousands if they only need one person?" the man, known as Azul inquired.

"Because, if they kill that one person, they become one step closer to their goal," he said firmly. White Taki looked him and the other two over.

"Are these two of your Lancers?" he probed as Reiji nodded.

"Yes, Tsukikage Fuma, and Sky Shuinin." Azul eyed them.

"And, you have others with you?" he asked.

"There are ten of us that have just arrived here; however, two of our other allies came ahead of us, and we haven't been able to contact them." Another one of the Council members gave a mocking laugh.

"I see, so… twelve children intend to stop a force that's already destroyed one of our Zones? And you dare to think you can save the Synchro Dimension in time? What makes you think any of you are capable?" Reiji smirked.

"Because, over half of my Lancers aren't mere Duelists, they are Witches as well," he answered proudly, startling the Council as Sky tensed, preparing to potentially attack or defend himself and his teammates.

"Witches? And, you are unaware of how things are done in our city." Reiji sighed.

"Personally, I don't care how you do things. What matters, is whether or not you will accept our help. Otherwise, we will take our two comrades, and leave to the next location," he stated.

The room remained silent, contemplation seeming to be the most present of emotions in the area as Reiji, Sky, and Tsukikage awaited the verdict on whether or not the Lancers would be able to gather aid from the Synchro Dimension. Naturally, Reiji knew that no matter what the Council decided, they would still have to find the Pillar here, and have them and Yuya work together to restore the Dimension to the Zone before they could leave; however, with their help, or at least, slight consideration to give them a chance, it would be much quicker than if they decided not to take up their offer. Sighing, Reiji took in the silence, and then, White Taki looked back to him.

"Very well, Reiji Akaba, we give you an opportunity to show us the power of the Lancers. In one and a half weeks, the annual Friendship Cup will take place, and it will be a chance to put your Lancers on display for us. we will give you up to five days before the opening ceremony of the Friendship Cup to gather all of your Lancers together, and have them compete," he said.

"I believe I can have them together within that timeframe." Azul looked to him.

"However, in addition, if one of your Lancers were to win the tournament, we will give you our complete cooperation, whatever it is you and the Lancers require, it will be available to you. But, if none of your Lancers make it to the final round and do not win, you will leave, and we will side with Academia," he explained, causing Sky and Reiji to tense.

"If you wish to do so, then I cannot stop you. I shall take up your proposal, but I grant you one more word of caution…." White Taki rose an eyebrow.

"And what is that?" he probed. Violet eyes sharpened as they turned fully on the council members.

"It will be unwise of you to make enemies of us." White Taki smiled.

"We shall see, Mr. Akaba. For now, I grant you access to the means required to rest, stay replenished, and search for your other teammates. Please, enjoy your stay in Neo City," he said. All the while, the three Lancers were given the distinct feeling, that this entire place, was nothing but vile darkness in its most natural form, and they needed to be quick in finding their allies.

 **{Crow's Place: 7:20pm}**

Yuya sighed as he sat against the wall in the house that Crow and the children lived in. Riley was trying to interact with the other children, watching them dueling in the living room across from him while Sylvio and Serena weren't far from him. It was strange, being in a place like this, not knowing what was going on or how to take the next step in searching for Yuzu, Hugo, and the others. Yuya wanted to say that it wasn't going to be a big deal, that the Synchro Dimension would be a breeze to get through, and they would all meet back up in no time, find Yuzu and Hugo, find the Pillar, fix the Dimensional-Zone rift, and be off to the next destination, but something deep inside, told him otherwise.

" _ **Your dwelling…"**_ Yuya sighed.

" _Like I can help it… we're in over our heads… none of us really expected to get split up like this… and because of whatever's messing with our Duel Disks, the honing devices aren't working, so tracking one another is almost impossible…"_ Yuto shifted, humming in thought.

" _ **I understand… believe me I do. But the only thing you can do at this point is just try and remain calm, think rationally about what your next moves are going to be… otherwise… things are just going to go south."**_ Yuya nodded to himself.

"I get it… it just seems impossible right now…"

A faint series of footsteps came towards him, and he looked up, seeing Tanner, Amanda, and another boy with sage-colored hair watching him in questioning. As he glanced around, Yuya realized a lot of the children were doing the same, trying to sneak looks at him while he wasn't watching. Tanner came closer, looking him over while Yuya smiled a bit, propping his arms up on his knees while he watched the other children as Serena and Sawatari did the same.

"Hey, what's up Tanner?" he asked.

"Can you… show us more magic?" scarlet eyes widened a bit.

"Um… won't Crow be mad?" Yuya questioned as Amanda shook her head.

"No, he won't be. We just gotta stay inside." Yuya thought about it for a second.

"Well… does anyone have a few pieces of paper?"

The children rushed to him with randomized scraps, ranging in different shapes and colors, smiling to him as he sighed and started grabbing the pieces, using magic to form them into different animals, insects, and plants before placing his hands over the lot of them, closing his eyes as he focused on the spell before in a matter of seconds, the children were making sounds of amazement and laughter as butterflies, birds, and tiny cats, dogs, foxes, and dragon flies scattered about, soaring into the air or running around the ground, the children being sure to not accidentally step on them or knock them over as they chased some of the butterflies.

"What kinda spell was that?" asked Tanner.

"It's a creation spell, its just putting some energy back into the paper by calling to the spirits of the trees they came from." The boy stared at him.

"Wow! We never get to see magic like this! Everyone's always using it for work or to live… it's never pretty…" Yuya smiled.

"I don't think it's a bad thing to make things like this every once in a while. But, you've gotta remember, everyone's magic is different, and is heavily based on the way they were raised and their personalities," he told him.

"Why's that?" Yuya thought for a moment, pooling magic into his hands as a shimmering red before he raised his right hand into the air.

"Because, a magic user's power, comes from their hearts, and their souls," he stated, drawing a heart and a spiral in the air with his magic. Amanda and their friends had started coming over, the other children letting the origami creatures settle upon them in different areas as Yuya began speaking.

"It's from their hearts and souls?" Yuya nodded.

"Yea, and the stronger the person's heart and soul is, the greater power their magic has. I've got a friend who told me once that a person who uses magic doesn't believe in it, their apart of it, because it lives inside them," he said as he felt Yuto smile just a fraction.

"So, if it comes from their hearts, is that like love?" one of the boy's made a noise at Amanda's question.

"No, it's not! It's super powerful! Love isn't powerful, don't be such a girl!" Yuya laughed.

"Actually, it is in a way. Love can be one of the most powerful types of magic in the universe… it can break curses, heal, mend broken people, and save lives…" he stated.

"Really?! Do you think it could help our city?" scarlet eyes looked to the children.

"Hmm… it's hard to say. I haven't been here long enough to be sure, but… if your city needs to remember kindness, and compassion for others… which are two forms of love… then… yea, I think it could help," he answered while the children began asking more questions, and he took the time to answer them as Crow came back into the house, having brought food with him for the evening while Serena and Sylvio watched Yuya with the children.

"He's popular with the kids, huh?" Crow asked.

"Yea, he was that way back home too. Little kids would just flock to him for some reason…" fossil gray eyes glanced the boy over.

"Say, you wouldn't know what he is, would you?" Serena glanced to Crow.

"What do you mean by that?" she inquired.

"Well… it's his appearance… I honestly would be surprised if you told me he was an average magic user… I mean, he's gotta have some creature or something in him, right?" Sylvio shook his head.

"No, from what he's told us, his family are purebloods," he stated. Crow paused at that, his mind thinking over the statement.

"Purebloods, huh?" Crow sighed, laying out everything for dinner before turning to the children.

He took a few moments to usher them to getting cleaned up for dinner again, and each of them went, letting Yuya finally stand up and stretch a bit while Crow started preparing dinner with Sylvio and Serena deciding to pitch in where they could. The Blackwing Duelist wasn't sure what to make of these teenagers, but he supposed it was merely because he didn't really know them. However, Yuya struck him as strange, even as he watched him right now. He was lithe, smaller than what most his age would be, his medium toned skin, vibrant red-green hair, scarlet eyes, and all around attractive appearance suggested inhuman bloodlines, but there was no trace of energy around him that actually showed it aside from his general appearance.

Crow knew Serena wasn't completely human, but wasn't certain what she was exactly. Sylvio was clearly human, and while he sensed magic on him, it seemed as though it wasn't consistent, implying that he was using something that allowed him to use magic, and then, there was Yuya himself. His magical pulse, was massive, and warm like an open hearth in a late winter's night, but something about him felt different than most magic users, and the information Sylvio had just given Crow once more made him question why he kept feeling like he was looking at someone who wasn't a normal human, even by magic users' standards. Yuya approached them, getting in line to help with preparing dinner, which Crow was thankful for, as it both lessened his task, and also allowed him to start getting more answers.

"Hey, the kids seem to like you," Crow said as Yuya nodded.

"Yea, I noticed that too… seems like they're really good kids though. I bet you have a rough time handling them all." the other shrugged.

"Na, they mind me and the gang well enough," he mentioned.

"That's good…" Crow sighed.

"Sylvio mentioned to me that your family are purebloods, but he didn't specify what kind. I know you can use magic, and I'm a Sage myself, but what about you and your friends here?" he inquired. Serena glanced his way at that.

"I'm a Kontis Witch, and I have Siren blood. Sylvio is a mortal, but he uses Fly-By-Night capsules to give himself magic when we're on missions." Crow hummed.

"A Kontis Witch, huh? That's pretty neat… and a mortal using Fly-by-Night capsules, alright… then, what about you? Yuya?" he asked as the scarlet-eyed boy glanced to the side, feeling his nerves starting to act up.

"Well… um… I'm a… Waking Witch…"

Crow dropped the spoon in his hand, causing it to clatter to the floor as he gawked at the boy beside him. Fossil gray eyes stared into scarlet ones, gazing consistently at the teenager while his mind was attempting to process the information he had just heard. To him, it was impossible, because while magic users knew the stories of Waking Witches, the probability of you merely walking up to one and them admitting it wasn't what Crow Hogan would deem as likely. Shaking his head, the Blackwing Duelist reached forward, grabbing Yuya's upper arms while the boy's expression slowly changed into one of worry.

"Um… Crow?" the orange-haired nineteen-year-old took in a deep breath.

"You're… a Waking Witch?" he asked. Yuya gave him a slightly confused look.

"Ah… yes?" The other tightened his hands upon Yuya's arms.

"Do you know how rare your kind are? I mean, even the slightest clue?" he inquired.

"I know that there are only two of us born every hundred years or so… but… other than that…" Crow shook his head.

"Yuya, I'm gonna warn you right now. Don't let anyone in this city learn you're a Waking Witch... if they find out, there's no telling what people might try to do," he warned the boy, and received an expression that was a blend of unsureness and fear.

"Crow, what do you mean?" the leader of the Black Feathers took in a deep breath, dropping his arms to his sides.

"Waking Witches are considered almost god-like here. They're some of the most powerful magic users out there… people here would do anything to get their hands on that kind of power… and I'm gonna guess by your age that you're not in fully control yet. Which means they might try and do things to set you off, and if they do, it could be very bad… you've gotta make sure no one knows what kind of Witch you are. If they do…" he trailed off, causing Serena to frown.

"If they do what? Crow, what would these people do if Yuya lost control?" she asked firmly, making the other look to her.

"Listen, there are people in Neo City who would try and find a way to harness that power for themselves. Waking Magic is massively powerful and wild, so they couldn't strip it from you… but it can put your life at risk, so I'm gonna say it once more, don't let anyone else know what kind of witch you are. because I don't doubt someone in this city, will want to manipulate you for their own purposes."

Yuya glanced down, taking the words in as he realized, that the Lancers, together or apart, were in for a seriously dangerous battle, and while they had hoped that the first destination would prove easier to handle than the ones that came after it, the words that had just left Crow, and the things he'd heard and seen today, proved to Yuya, that it would be anything but.

 **{….}**

 _I'll be dead before the day is done…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Whew, so things are building up quickly. I wanted to take a moment in this chapter and establish what Reiji and the others have been doing this whole time because in the anime, when the Lancers are brought to the council area, it seems like Reiji was just sitting there twiddling his thumbs and it wasn't until then, that we even knew what the plan was. So, here we are, stretching out the details and preparing for a lot of chaos, which, I should warn you, is to be coming soon. In the next chapter, we meet some new characters, check in on some of our Lancers again, and start to see the underlying threat rear its head. Tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Busking is one of the worlds oldest professions, and is shown to date back to Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

The Duel Disks' honing devices shorting out will be explained soon.

Yes, Crow is a Sage. Neat huh?

The bracelets and pendulum crystals are starting to play bigger roles, and the closer we get to the final fight in this story, the more apparent the roles will become.

The creation origami spell used in this chapter made its first appearance in _Chapter 23: Witch Works._

There was a hint to how some events of the story will be resolved in this chapter that had to do with what Yuya was talking to the children about.


	64. Chapter 64: Optical Illusions

Chapter 64: Optical Illusions

 **{Crow's Place: August 3** **rd** **, 2014: 9:24am}**

"Shit!" Yuya hissed as he shook his hand out, being zapped by his own duel disk as he had attempted to require the honing device embedded into the mainframe of it. This morning, he, Serena, Sylvio, and Riley had attempted to check in and see if the tracking devices were still emitting signals, and had watched as they flickered out and never came back on, therefore, he had asked Crow for a few pieces of equipment he would need and had sat down at the table to begin working on his own Duel Disk, attempting to get it working, but thus far, he had been shocked more than he had been able to repair it.

"Are you sure you know what your doin'?" Yuya glanced to Crow as he held a charcoal pencil between his teeth for a moment, keeping it clear of the tools as he finally managed to extract the tracking device.

"I know how to fix these kinds of things, the only problem is that I need to find out what made it short out first," he answered as he looked at the black circular device before setting his Duel Disk aside. Crow glanced the boy over, seeing that he had removed his red jacket and was working away at the object, causing him to become interested in the tracking device, only to glance at the boy's slender hands before frowning.

"How do you know how to though?" Yuya blew his bangs out of his eyes.

"I'm a hacker. I programmed the duel disks to teleport us, and to keep them from being hacked back should something go wrong…. I also had a hand in these tracking devices, I added them in when I was doing the programming… but I doubt anyone noticed that… anyways, my main problem is that the device is working fine, but there might be a shorted-out wire somewhere," he admitted.

"Hmm… looks like it might be fried honestly…" Yuya glanced his way and then brought out the magnifying glass, trying to focus it only for it to keep becoming blurry each time he looked into it. Yuya shook his head, dropping it onto the table as he rubbed his eyes a bit, hoping to straighten out his vision.

"Ouch…" Crow rose an eyebrow.

"You okay?" he asked.

"My eyes are just bothering me is all. It happens sometimes…" the other hummed.

"Do you wear glasses?" he inquired.

"Normally when I do this yea, but before I left, I kept having trouble seeing out of them, and the doctor said the stigmatism could clear up after a couple of years, so I assume that's what's going on." Crow shrugged.

"Yea, I guess that would make sense. Anyways, what are you guys gonna do?" he asked as Yuya looked to him.

"If I can't get these fixed, we'll have to go out and search on our own…" Crow folded his arms, frowning as he watched the boy tinkering away at the tracking device.

Sighing, Crow shook his head, knowing that the only thing he could do to help the teenagers out would be to send the Black Feathers out completely. Personally, he wanted to keep Yuya and his friends out of the eye of the public, especially now that he knew the scarlet-eyed boy was a Waking Witch. The orange-haired Sage shook his head once more as he started over to the sink, opening the doors to the cabinet beneath it to tighten the bolts and screws with his wrench while Yuya continued working on the tracking device. It was as they did this while Sylvio and Serena were watching some of the children outside, that two of the children came rushing into the house, their arms laden with pastries. Yuya stopped what he was doing and turned to look at them while Crow got up off the ground, frowning as he saw the items they were carrying.

While Yuya had been expecting them to be questioned where they had gotten the food from, it seemed Crow was already well aware of it, and had ended up bashing the two children over the head, scolding them furiously as they rebutted his statements and warnings of being sent to the detention center. Yuya watched the scene, knowing that Crow was giving the children tough love because the place they lived in required that these children grew up to be strong enough to live alone, and survive without continuous support. Tanner, and his friend Frank had been the two who had gotten the scolding though, and while he did understand Crow's methods, he also felt a bit bad for the two kids.

"What would ya do if you got caught doin' this and ended up bein' sent to the Detention Center?!" Crow asked as Yuya frowned.

"You mentioned the Detention Center earlier, but what's it about?" Tanner and Frank glanced to Yuya, the youngest of the two smiling at him while Frank only shot him a scathing look.

"Don't be stupid! Everyone knows the stories about the Detention Center! You're a Witch, right? Shouldn't you know all about it?" he asked sharply as Crow bashed him over the head again.

"Enough, I don't want to hear you fussin' at someone older than you. Remember your manners and apologize." Frank glared at Crow.

"Why would I apologize to someone who thinks stupid things like love can do anything?" with that the boy stormed off, Tanner frowning as he quickly followed his friend while Yuya watched the scene and Crow sighed.

"I'm sorry about him, he gets like that sometimes," Crow told Yuya as the other shook his head.

"No, I get it. I was raised to believe that people who were compassionate and tried to understand other's circumstances could do far more than someone who chose to physically fight… but I've already started to see that maybe that method won't work here." The Blackwing Duelist looked to him.

"I'm guessin' things are different from where you're from?" he asked as Yuya slumped back in his chair.

"Yea, it's really different. Most of our magical community are Witches, and while a decent portion of the mortals in our city have no clue we're there, we live in a pretty peaceful harmony alongside them. We have good, loving homes, people are honest most of the time, and Action Duels are our source of Dueling. The Witches strive to keep our secrecy, but to also aid our neighbors, be they mortal or magical… it's safe." Crow smiled.

"Sounds like the kind of place I would want to have these kids at. Where are you from anyways? You never said," he mentioned as Yuya looked to him.

"The Pendulum Zone. The town we came from is called Maiami." Crow crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well, you're not in Maiami anymore, and I'm afraid that you're right. Pacifist and rationalizing behaviors won't get you far here, and it's more likely to get you killed, raped, or thrown in prison," he stated as Yuya tensed.

"And… what about the Detention Centers?" he inquired as Crow glanced down.

"Here in Neo City, there's a separation between the two types of people: the Tops and the Commons. Those who were born into the once percent of our society are the winners, and we Commons are the losers… we have major restrictions, and while the Tops get to live in luxury, we struggle every day just to eat." Yuya clenched his fist.

"What else is there? I know that's not it," he said.

"You'd be right. Our major restrictions are that the Tops get to freely practice any magic they want, even attend schooling for it. The Commons if we're caught openly practicing magic and using it to teach others, let alone if we even try to rebel a little using the abilities we have… we're captured by Security, and sent to a Detention Center." Crow touched the mark on his left cheek, causing Yuya to wince.

"Those marks, they aren't from your magic practices?" he questioned.

"No, I'm a Sage, the only time I would have markings on my face is if I was a Druid ranked one, and I'm not. With Casts, if we're discovered as being magic users, we can be arrested just for that if they feel like it, and we can be filed away under a threat to public safety, disrupting public ordinance, attempted rebellion, murder, or whatever else they want to say…" Yuya took in a deep breath.

"So, they mark you?" Crow nodded.

"Yea, after we're left in the Detention Centers for a little while, we're given marks on our second offence, and receive more each time we return. I know a couple people who have marks on their arms and backs because they've been sent in so many times. Eventually though, they'll just keep you in… and depending on your crime, they might just leave you in the Center and not bother marking you because you'll never see the outside again." Fossil gray eyes watched the boy as his sharp scarlet eyes softened.

"That's cruel…" Crow sighed.

"Yea, it's a cruel society. But even so, we gotta keep on livin'… that's why us Commons gotta push together shoulder to shoulder – "Tanner came rushing back into the room, startling Yuya as the boy looked to him.

"Um… sir… I was wondering…" he started abruptly, causing Crow and Yuya to give him a confused look.

"Somethin' wrong Tanner?" the boy fidgeted.

"I was just wonderin' how you and the lady with the pretty purple hair got back before Frank and me?" he asked as Yuya felt his expression turn into one of confusion.

"Tanner, they've been here the entire time." Another set of footsteps came their way and Yuya looked to see Frank standing there.

"No, he and that girl were in the market area this morning putting up posters everywhere. But your clothes, hair, and eyes were different… I'm guessing that you used some kinda spell, huh?" he asked.

"Oh, for the love of Loki, he and Serena have been here all morning!" Yuya thought for a moment, and realization started to creep up on him.

"Hey, what did those two people look like?" Yuya inquired.

"Wait, so it wasn't you?" the scarlet-eyed boy shook his head at Frank's outburst.

"No, it wasn't, but I might know who it was. Can you describe them?" he asked.

"The girl had pretty pink hair and kinda purple eyes, and the boy had blue and yellow hair and pale blue eyes." Frank nodded.

"Yea, the girl even had on a bracelet, and the guy had one of those crystals like yours, but it was green and gold… what is that thing anyways?" he probed as Yuya smiled.

"It's a pendulum crystal. However, Crow… I know those two people. The girl is one of my closest friends, her name is Yuzu Hiiragi, and the boy she's with, I'm betting is Hugo." Crow smirked.

"So, your gal is definitely hanging around Hugo? Well, she'll be taken good care of…. I don't know the kid as well as these little sprites that hang around here, but I did help take care of him and his girlfriend Rin when they were younger… hmm.. ya know, come to think of it, you and him favor a bit," he stated as Yuya swallowed nervously.

"I've noticed… but, do you think the Black Feathers could help us find them?" Crow smiled broadly.

"Leave it to us, since she's with Hugo, that means they're in the Commons area, and that'll make it easier for us to find them. But, we'll have to lay low for a bit more and do it carefully… otherwise we could end up being captured, and I'm sure you don't want your girl tangled up with Security," he mentioned as Yuya nodded.

"Alright…"

 **{Tops Area Main Park: 10:40am}**

"Howdy ya'll! This is Melissa Claire here, and I'm here to report the local trends buzzin' about the city. Today in our main park, we have a duo of street performers that appeared yesterday afternoon and have quickly gotten the attention of passersby!" she stated as the camera zoomed in on Dennis and Gongenzaka.

"Let's get fired up today, Gon! If we do well, we'll be able to make what we need to start searching for our friends." Gongenzaka sighed.

"I refuse to be a spectacle. I'm looking for Yuya and the others before anything else," he said as Dennis sighed.

"Looks like this is being broadcasted on TV. What makes you wanna bet that Yuya and the others might see us? Besides, if you call yourself a Duelist, you mustn't ever forget your entertainer's spirit." Gongenzaka sighed.

"It's not like we're going to duel," he pointed out. Dennis snapped his fingers.

"Now _there's an idea!_ Let's have a duel!" Gongenzaka turned to him.

"What?!" Dennis nodded.

"There's a ton of rugrats here! Why not give 'em a hero show?" he offered.

"Are you being serious?" the giant of a teenager probed this matter and Dennis nodded once more.

"Yup! Now, I'll be the hero and you get to be the villain, Gon," he said as Gongenzaka gaped.

"What makes me a villain?!" he snapped as Dennis activated his Duel Disk gaining the attention of the crowd.

"Come on!" Gongenzaka frowned.

He didn't want to duel Dennis, and he didn't want to waste time putting on an act for these people. However, it wasn't just because he felt it would be a pointless endeavor, but because he had been on the receiving end of Yuya's magic when he was angry, and that had been a frightening experience, but even more so, he had experienced the Obelisk Force's brutality, which had effectively turned him off from using magic in a Duel or facing off against a Witch. Nonetheless, it didn't seem like options were being given to him, and thus, he activated his Duel Disk as Dennis engaged the field spell, gaining sounds of excitement from the others watching.

"Let's Duel!" the two announced as the audiences cheered.

"We gotta start off by turning you into a proper villain, Gon. I activate the Continuous Spell, Burn Gift! This lets me special summon a fire attribute Monster from my hand to my opponent's field," Dennis stated as a burst of fire came from the spell card and Gongenzaka was surrounded by them, catching his clothes, which, in addition to is red coat, made him look fairly sinister.

"Our street performers are putting on a wonderful duel! Let's see how this story unfolds!" Dennis smiled.

"I Special Summon Performage Higurumi to Gon's field!" he announced as Gongenzaka started moving about in anger, flames still sticking to his clothes as a plushy flame creature in an upside down witch's hat appeared on the field.

"How could you do such a thing?!" Dennis gave him a thumbs up.

"Excellent acting. Everyone watch out! The Fire Phantom's going on a rampage!" he called to the audience, startling the children and adults while he turned back to his opponent.

"Dennis!" the other smiled.

"And since there's only a Monster on my opponent's field, I can Special Summon Performage Wind Sucker from my hand!" he announced as the robotic Monster appeared on the field, colorful and in pink and blue striped attire, wearing wings on its head, a horn at its' side with a blue, yellow, and pink witch's hat on its head that bore an orange feather. It bowed, balancing on its purple and yellow starred ball while a crinkled chord remained at its side, seemingly attached to the horn.

"Ooh! Pay attention ladies and gents, it's a battle between evil and justice in broad daylight!" Melissa stated while in a limo next to her, someone watched Dennis and Gongenzaka.

"Okay! I, the hero, will beat you down with the hammer of justice!" Dennis did a series of backflips, jumping onto one of the platforms as the audience cheered.

"And next! I activate the Spell Card, Performage Hurricane! When there's a _Performage_ on the field, it returns all Spell and Trap cards on the field to their owner's hand! And, when Burn Gift leaves the field, the Monster Special Summoned by its effect is destroyed, and my opponent takes four-hundred points of damage!" the Monster destroyed itself, and Gongenzaka glared as Dennis gaped at the sight of the vanishing monster.

"Damn you! Fire Phantom! It's time to silence you for good!" he called as Gongenzaka's life points dropped to four-hundred, Melissa announcing that the damage had been dealt by the hammer of justice.

"Nice one hero of justice!" called one of the kids.

"I'm here to uphold your peace, people!" Dennis gave the audience a thumbs up and Gongenzaka frowned.

"Inexcusable!" the giant teenager stated sharply, causing Dennis to look to him.

"Huh?" he rose an eyebrow.

"Making me out to be the villain! You dare to claim yourself as the hero when you cast the role of villain upon me?!" he shouted.

"U-Uh… Gon…" the other narrowed his eyes.

"Besides that, you're in no apparent rush to locate Yuya and our allies! And for the record, Yuya Sakaki is a far better actor than you are! And his heart is in the right place. He is my comrade, my most trusted friend, but you! Your sense of duty as a Lancer is severally lacking!" he announced.

"Are you angry?" Gongenzaka stepped forward.

"You bet yoru hat I am! I accept this Duel with you to encourage some self-reflection! And once this is over, i pray you have half the courage and heart of Yuya and our other comrades!" he roared, causing Dennis to flinch back.

"That was cold…" Gongenzaka looked to the audience.

"Listen to me, everyone! That man is no hero! He is a villain who set me on fire so that he could gain your trust! He has denounced our comrades, even one of my most trusted ones, for his own self gain!" he stated.

"Eh? Is that true?" the children looked to Dennis.

"I, the incarnation of Man! Noburou Gongenzaka, shall punish the true evildoer! In hopes that you will see the error of your ways in time to help our comrades!" Gongenzaka stepped forward, the force of the earth seeming to rise from him as Dennis whistled.

" _Well, I guess it's a good twist… I'll play along… besides, no story is good without a few unexpected surprises and struggles for the heroes to encounter."_ Dennis removed his hat, and in a flourish replaced it with a blue, red, and gold masquerade mask.

"It cannot be helped now that I've been exposed! As you so intelligently guessed, I alone am the true villain! I set a card and end my turn! now, let's see you fight back, cursed hero of justice! For the sake of the people you claim you desire to protect!" he announced.

"My turn!" Dennis laughed.

"The Continuous Trap, Fortress of Prophecy! If I control a spellcaster type Monster on the field, my opponent cannot declare an attack!" the audience watched as a eerie, nightmarish fortress appeared, clawed hands for gates, and gleaming emerald flames abound as a thick fog blanketed the area.

"What?!" Dennis smiled broadly.

"Now you cannot dare to attack me, you, impudent fool! So, whatever will you do? Hero of justice?" he inquired as lightening flashed overhead.

"I draw!" a gust of strong wind came over them from Gongenzaka's draw, startling the audience.

"The Hero of Justice is truly amazing!" Melissa stated as she closed her eyes against the strong winds.

"I send Superheavy Samurai Soul Double Horn from my hand to the Graveyard! In order to special summon the Level Two Tuner Monster, Superheavy Samurai Trumpeter!" the mechanical tiny trumpeter Monster appeared, colored in orange, brown, and silver-gray.

"I then normal summon the Level Four Superheavy Samurai Scales! When this card is Summoned successfully, I can special summon one _Superheavy Samurai_ from my Graveyard! Come, Superheavy Samurai Double Horn!" the armor-like Monster made of grayish white, gray, gold, orange, and blue metals appeared with a thunderous sound.

"Wow! What will our hero do next?!" Gongenzaka took in a steady breath.

"I Tune the Level Four Scales with my Level Two Trumpeter! _Let your battle cry be heard across the lands, Divine Ogre! Extend your sight beyond the evil-infested battlefield! And cut forth a new path to pristine victory! Synchro Summon!_ Join the fray! Level Six! Superheavy Samurai Ogre Shutendoji!" a massive red and gold armored monster with a spiked club appeared, coming in at twenty-five hundred attack points.

"Get him hero!" Gongenzaka nodded.

"Count on me! Now, when Shutendoji is successfully Synchro Summoned, if I have no Spells or Traps in my graveyard, all Spell and Trap Cards on my opponent's field are destroyed!" he said with a smile. Dennis moved forward at the information.

"Damaging me will cost you! When this card is destroyed, I get to draw one card!" Dennis did just that as the fortress vanished and he landed in a crouch.

"Since a _Superheavy Samurai_ Synchro Monster was summoned, I can special summon Superheavy Samurai Soul Shine Claw from my hand! Double Horn's Monster effect activates! Once per turn, it can be equipped to one _Superheavy Samurai_ Monster I control! Shutendoji is treated as a _Superheavy Samurai!_ And then, Shine Claw's Monster effect activates! Once per turn, it can be equipped to a _Superheavy Samurai_ and it will be done as Double Horn's was, and Shutendoji will be granted it! Boosting his attack points to three-thousand!" Gongenzaka stated as the audience cheered and Dennis tisked.

"Crap…" Gongenzaka pointed his finger to Dennis.

"Shutendoji can attack while in Defense Position! To battle! Shutendoji attacks Wind Sucker!" he stated as the attack was sent through, dropping Dennis's Life points to thirty-one hundred.

"Is that all you have?" Dennis received a stern look.

"No! the equip effect of my Double Horn is activated. When I have no Spell or Trap cards in my Graveyard, the equipped monster can attack twice! Shutendoji attacks directly!" he declared.

"You what?!" the attack hit home, sending Dennis flying as his life points shot down to a meager one-hundred points just before he hit the pavement.

"That's a hero of justice for you! He turned a dire situation around and dealt a ton of damage to his enemy with one attack after another!" Dennis slowly got himself up.

" _That really smarted, oh well, all in the days work of an Entertainer,"_ he thought.

"Well, then, from here on out, it's injustice's time to shine! Its my turn! Draw!" Dennis looked to his cards, smirking as he thought of the way to rile up the audiences and get a good reaction out of Gongenzaka.

"What are you planning?" Gongenzaka asked.

"I'm going to beat you down with the very summoning method your dear friend Yuya Sakaki created! I set my Pendulum Scales using my Scale Three Performage Mirror Conductor and my Scale Six Performage Fire Dancer! Now, just as I'm sure you know because of _innocent and pure hearted little Yuya_ , I can summon as many monsters between Levels Four and Five as I desire!" the audience gasped in horror as Gongenzaka narrowed his eyes.

"He's using something the Hero's friend created?"

"Oh no!"

"Hero! You've gotta stop him!" Gongenzaka took in a deep breath.

"You dare to use Yuya's pendulum summoning mechanic to do evil?! I will not allow it!" he stated as Dennis smiled.

"But how will you stop me? Now! _Dance, Pendulum of Enchantment, swing forth and cascade an illusion upon this plane of existence! Pendulum Summon!_ Come onto the stage of injustice, my level four Higurumi! And my Level five Wind Sucker!" Melissa looked at the screen of the camera.

"A method that allows multiple summons at once? This is amazing! I've never seen something like this before! It must be the first of its kind!"

 **{Security Office: 11:20am}**

"Actually, it's the second. and that young man isn't the only one who can use it… no… someone far more fascinating seems to be in control of its origins," Roger stated as he glanced to the photo he had of the red-green-haired boy from the other day.

A small smile came to his features, his eyes glancing towards the screen as he continued to watch the duel, seeing Melissa Claire having quite the panic attack over the ordeal of Pendulum Summoning; however, Roger could only let his smile remain as he glanced at the boy who had used this same form of summoning in the alleyways and his mind considered the two duelists on the screen. The larger of the two, had mentioned that his friend Yuya had been the one to create the method, and that was clearly not the name of the orange-haired youth across from him, who had mentioned the full name to be Yuya Sakaki. The children from the alleyway had been named by their comrades, the blonde-brunette being Sawatari, the purple haired girl, Serena, and the smallest child being Riley. This left, the strange and fascinating scarlet eyed boy, whose photo he glanced to once again on the screen to his right.

"Yuya Sakaki, so… that's your name… hmm… it would seem more pieces have joined the board… Kauffman!" he called, and a screen with the image of a dark haired, pasty skinned man appeared.

" **Yes sir?"** cold blue eyes looked to him.

"Have Sector Security search for the children in the alleyway, I want them brought to the Detention Center, alongside anyone else they may be with. In addition, I want those two and anyone whose wearing jackets with those patches on them brought there as well. We'll have to keep them under watch for the time being… " the man looked to him and nodded.

" **We'll get on it immediately sir!"** Roger smiled a fraction.

"Also, that boy with the red eyes… Yuya Sakaki… we are to keep special attention on him… he appears to be a… _key factor_ to this ordeal that seems to be stirring up. Keep the arrests quiet, we don't need the Commons causing a fuss, and inform me when they're in the Center, I will handle the situation from there," he stated.

" **Very well, I will issue the orders immediately!"** with that Kauffman vanished, and Roger gave the screens in front of him a small smile.

He had plans, and knew that without question, these red coat wearing teenagers would be a vital asset to those ideas he was setting into motion. However, atop this, he sensed that Yuya Sakaki would play the biggest part, as even via a screen, he could tell that something was unique about the boy that surpassed his appearance alone. Roger hummed, adding a few more chess pieces to his board, two black pawns, before his hands came to fold in his lap, a cool and calculating smile upon his features as he continued to watch as the Duel ended, and people began to clear out, the screen fading away. Roger had noticed the limo in the left hand corner, and knew who it was and what the intention would be, because everything was going according to his plans, and so long as he kept the same firm grip that he had from the start, nothing would start slipping.

Another smile came to his features, his mind thinking through the next step in these plans while he thought on the information the broadly built teen had mentioned. He and the orange haired boy, Dennis, were apart of a group known as the Lancers, meaning that the red jackets with their diamond shaped right-armed patches were more than likely the symbol of the Lancers and a means to make them spotting one another easier. This meant, that it would indeed be far more simple to round them up, and he sighed, pressing a button on his control panel as he glanced to the audio only screen that appeared.

"Well, hello there boss man. What do I owe the pleasure of your call for?" asked the deep, somewhat scratching voice on the other line.

"You are at the park now right? I want you to pick up those two teenagers and take them to the underground duels. I will facilitate the correct means for the plan to continue from there, you did inform me that as of yesterday morning you located another person with a red jacket correct?" the other laughed.

"I sure did, and he's been tearing up the Duels in the last twenty-four hours. Are these two his comrades?" he inquired as Roger smiled, closing his eyes a bit.

"Yes, they are. I am having these youths rounded up, have them brought to your location, and I will handle their retrieval, and you will be paid handsomely for your efforts." The man laughed once more.

"Consider it a deal, just let Gallager handle things for ya," he stated as Roger nodded.

"Very well, do not fail me." With that the screen vanished and Roger settled back in his chair again, a cool look on his features. Everything was going exactly as he needed it to, and phase one was nearly complete, leaving only a few sparse things to fall into place before it would be finished, and phase two would start.

 **{…..}**

 _They can keep me out, till I tear the walls down…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Yes, Gallager is working for Roger, but I kind of got that vibe from him during the anime, that he was up to something because it was just too much of a coincidence that once Shay, Dennis, and Gongenzaka were all together, the Security people just so happened to come in and raid the place. Call me crazy, but it just didn't wash right, and I knew it would be a good addition to the story, so, here we are. Anyways, let me know what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

This is the first time Yuya has stated to Crow that he is actually a Hacker.

Yes, Yuya's hacking skills will be put to effective use in this arc.

Crow's full explanation of the core of how Neo City works, makes me feel sick, because it's a literal Cast System, those who are well off, always will be, and those who aren't will also, always be that way.

Frank being rebellious is because he's unsure of Yuya, but don't worry, that'll start to change.

Gongenzaka really called Dennis out, which I'm glad for, but I also think Dennis had good points as well.

This is the first time we see Dennis's Pendulum Summoning chant.

Roger's scheming is going to greatly impact our Lancers.

Some upcoming events that give this story it's Mature rating, were foreshadowed in this chapter.


	65. Chapter 65: Trapped

Chapter 65: Trapped

 **{Neo City Underground Stadium Area: August 3** **rd** **, 2014: 4:30pm}**

It had been an interesting afternoon for Dennis and Gongenzaka, between being approached by a gaudily dressed African man, to being dragged into an underground gambling duel arena, the two were starting to believe the Synchro Dimension was just bad luck central for them and potentially the other Lancers. Dennis had started to get the sense that something was amiss the moment they entered the place though, and had decided to play along despite the gut sensation that something about to happen. As a Charm Witch, Dennis was fairly intune with the emotions of those around him, having become somewhat of an Empathic with a bit of training, and that was both a blessing and a curse in situations such as the one he and Gongenzaka had found themselves in.

However, amidst all of this misfortune, some good things had come their way, and that had been in the form of one Shay Obsidian, who had just demolished a Duelist by the name of Hunter Pace in what had turned out to be his ninth victory within the last twenty-four hours. Currently, the three Lancers were up in a room that overlooked the arena, which Gallager had graciously given them to reunite with their friend and find out what the next course of action would be now that they had found one another.

"So, how have things been going on your end?" Gongenzaka asked the Raidraptor Duelist.

"Not very well. Part of our mission is to find strong Duelists to assist the Lancers in our fight against Academia, in addition, we are looking for Yuzu Hiiragi, and the Pillar who is supposed to be here, but so far, nothing has turned up." Dennis looked down.

"That bad, huh?" he inquired.

"Yes, I heard rumors about these underground places, and figured it would be a good place to go and search out strong no-bullshit Duels based on actual talent. Unfortunately, they've all been impossibly weak." Dennis sighed.

"I guess they would be in the face of a Risulian Witch, huh?" he mentioned as Shay shrugged.

"Personally, it doesn't matter to me. I was trying to do something vital towards our goals, but it only ended up being a waste of time." Gongenzaka eyed him.

"Obsidian, have you found any traces of Yuya or any of our other allies?" he questioned as Shay shook his head.

"No, I've looked around, but there wasn't any sign of them. My guess is that they're searching for us and trying to complete our mission, in addition, they could also be attempting to lay low in order to avoid the security people." Dennis sighed heavily.

"So, did you just give up?" he probed as Shay frowned.

"At first, I believed that all of you had ended up being lost in the lanes between, but it seems that things aren't what they appear to be. Just like Gallager." The two others gave him a knowing look.

"You felt it to then," Dennis mentioned.

"I did, that he's lying. I'm not gifted with Serena's ability to tell if someone is lying via hearing their voice, but I am able to sense ill intent due to exposure to it… Gallager is not our friend by any means… in fact, I'd say he's either planning something of his own accord, or he's working for somebody." Gongenzaka folded his arms across his chest.

"Then what should we do?" he asked.

"The only thing we can do is play along. If we get into a pinch, it may give us a chance to gather more allies, or at the very least figure out how things work here… all the same, we've got to be careful, and if we do get ourselves in trouble, we'll have to be calculative on our actions." The other two nodded.

"So, what have you been doing here?" Shay looked to them.

"Here, in the Synchro Dimension, and most likely in its Zone as well, they use motorcycles known as D-Wheels in order to Duel. They are high-speed riding Duels that push high velocity around a track until one person loses… they're the same Dueling methods we use, just on the track and D-Wheels instead," he told them.

"Interesting, so you've been learning how they do things here. Good idea…" Shay frowned as he glanced Dennis's way.

"Did you have something in mind?" the Charm Witch nodded.

"What if you and I dueled?" he offered.

"That's not what we're here for! We need to leave and find Yuya and the others!" Dennis looked to Gongenzaka.

"Listen, I agree with you, but we can't just walk out. Gallager won't let us, I understand that much… so what if we put on a show for them? Shay knows how to Duel on these D-Wheels now, but I don't, and neither do you. So, by us Dueling, we get to feel out the plans that Gallager may have, gain some experience, and keep up a ruse for anyone who might be watching us with less than pleasant intent," he stated.

"Wait, I want to know something… Obsidian, when you were exploring the city and gathering information, did you hear anything about how they treat Witches here?" Shay glanced down.

"Unfortunately, I ran into someone who told me that here in Neo City, they don't allow those who are below the Tops – first class citizens – to freely practice magic. if the people they call Commons are magic users, they're called Casts, and then if they're caught disrupting the peace, causing trouble, or are seen as a threat, then Security comes along, picks them up, and takes them to a Detention Center, and usually the magic user, depending on how bad the crime was, can be marked and released, or are stripped of their magic, marked, and set back out amongst the masses," he stated as Dennis took in a steady breath.

"So, this place is basically a giant Salem Witch Trials in modern times." Gongenzaka shook his head.

"Then we must find the others. Half of the Lancers are comprised of Witches, if they get caught, there's no telling what they'll do to them," he told them as Dennis nodded.

"Also, Yuya's a Waking Witch, he'd be a prime target more than likely…" Shay looked to him.

"So, what we need to do is play their game and find our comrades before something bad happens." Dennis smiled.

"Then that means we duel, and start finding out how dangerous of a situation we're in," he told them as Shay and Gongenzaka nodded, agreeing that they would have no choice but to play the game that was being set out.

 **{Crow's Place: 5:30pm}**

Yuya let out a tired sigh as he sat at the table in the kitchen, Tanner, Frank, and Amanda having decided to stick around them and having brought out a small blue motorcycle toy which was currently on the table. Riley was curled up beside Yuya, unwilling to be near anyone else as Sylvio and Serena sat nearby on the sofa or leaning against the wall. Crow had just sent the other children home for the day, and was focusing on getting dinner ready for them while Yuya finished working on the tracking devices, messing with the wires as he tried to repair the damage done to it while Sylvio glanced at the object on the table.

"What kind of thing is that anyways?" Frank looked pointedly at him.

"It's not a thing! It's a D-Wheel," he stated.

"A D-Wheel, huh? It looks pretty neat, we've never seen one before though." Frank huffed as he glanced to Yuya.

"You're so weird… do you not have Riding Duels wherever it is you came from or something?" he asked as Yuya smiled at the child.

"Not really, I mean, there's a Dueling VR system we use called Link Vrains that allows Duelists to use hoverboards in Speed Duels, but other than that, I'm afraid not." Frank rolled his eyes.

"What kind of Duelist are you anyways?" Yuya glanced to the side.

"I'm an Action Duelist… and I invented a summoning mechanic known as Pendulum Summoning… I use a form of Dueling called Entertainment Dueling, it's kind of on the flashy side, but it's meant to make people happy, so…" Crow glanced his way.

"Wait, you invented a summoning mechanic?" he asked.

"Yea, my magic and the heart of the cards kind of played a role in that…" Frank rose an eyebrow.

"Uhuh, anyways… Riding Duels are a game us Commons came up with first," the boy stated.

"A game?" Tanner nodded as Yuya and the others paid attention to Frank's explanation.

"Yea, Crow said it started as just some guys in the alleyways horsing around with two motorcycles that they'd modified. It was just a fun idea they had, and it worked, so they started dueling while they rode around the city. Right?" he glanced to Tanner who smiled, looking to Yuya.

"Uhuh, it was super cool. Crow and some of his friends grew up seein' the early days of it." Sylvio hummed.

"Sounds pretty interesting," he said.

"They are, and not to long after, you'd see them happening on the highways in the middle of the city." Yuya smiled as he met the boy's eyes.

"So, you guys use it to have fun. That's really cool," he told the boy who smiled and Frank huffed.

"Those Tops people usually look down on us, but they were surprised at what we came up with. Dueling while racing at high speeds, rushing as quick at the wind down the streets like a blur!" he stated.

"It's an exhilarating kind of experience. The Black Feathers and I do that all the time and we teach the kids safety precautions, so they know how to handle themselves when they learn how to do riding duels." Crow's interjection had Serena glancing to the side.

"But why do I get the feeling something's about to go sour in this story?" she asked.

"Because it does. Riding Duels are supposed to be a symbol of our freedom, and our way of showing up the people who look down on us because we're not as wealthy as they are… but they didn't take it quietly." Yuya looked to Frank at that.

"I'm guessing they found a way to drop you guys to the bottom again, huh?" Crow nodded.

"They claimed Riding Duels disturbed the peace and safety of the city, so Security started showing up, and they created a special unit for it, called the Duel Chasers. They're a member of Security who rides on a D-Wheel, and if you lose a Duel, you're sent to one of the Detention Centers," he answered.

"What?! No trial or nothin'?" Crow looked to Sylvio.

"No, and if your found to be a Witch, you're sent to the specialized Detention Center in the northern side of the city near the water district. They handle mainly those who use magic, and have specialized wrist bands you wear while there that minimizes your magical output, so you're very weak and basically defenseless. Most of the people in there though, aren't guilty of anything but wanting to be happy and do something they love, and yet they're treated as practical terrorists," he stated.

" _ **So, if Crow and his gang hadn't shown up when they had, all of you would have been taken to the northern Detention Center, and who knows what could have happened,"**_ Yuto's interjection had Yuya nodding his head a bit, taking in the words.

"So, Security is the main problem in this city? Well damn, maybe the Lancers need to teach them a lesson," Sylvio stated as Crow frowned.

"Security isn't the only problem. Those Tops assholes stole our Riding Duels from us!" Yuya looked to the orange-haired Sage.

"Stole? Does that mean people from the Commons stopped doing it?" he asked as Crow sighed.

"No, instead… we're _forced to do it._ Now, it's just a spectacle to please those scumbags from the Tops. And even if we win, we're still hunted down like dogs, and sent to the Centers… to _teach us our place."_ Serena bit the inside of her cheek.

"A spectacle to teach you your place?" she inquired as Crow closed his eyes momentarily.

"Once a highway chase begins, the road changes to one dedicated to dueling, and what happens is captured by TV cameras. Riding Duels were originally our way of showing the people in the Tops that we could do some pretty remarkable things ourselves, and we didn't need them to dictate us… but now, they've become a toy that exists to entertain those assholes. They treat us like animals that need masters, and every time we rebel, we're beaten into submission." Serena tightened her fist around a chunk of her jacket sleeve, a glare on her pretty features.

" _This is wrong… mortal or not, people shouldn't do those kinds of things to others. We're all just trying to live the best way we know how in this world… being wealthy or poor, mortal or Witch doesn't make us better or worse than anyone else…"_ Yuya thought as Yuto sighed.

" _ **Yuya, the thing is, you're one of the only people who view it like that. Your heart is pure, and your soul is clean of any kind of darkness this world possesses, but the fact remains that those who have power, will always view themselves as better than those who aren't in the same positions as they are…"**_ Yuya clenched his fists.

" _So? That doesn't make it any less wrong! Why can't people see that we're all the same when you get down to it. Status, abilities, race, culture, beliefs, none of that really matters when its stripped down to the bone… I'm a witch, but I don't see anyone whose stronger or weaker than me as better than I am. I only give respect because I believe someone has earned it, not because they deserve it just because of their positions in life,"_ he thought this towards Yuto who found himself smiling.

" _ **I wish everyone viewed the world like you do, Yuya… it would be better for it…"**_

"Listen to me, Yuya…" scarlet eyes looked to fossil gray ones as Crow took Yuya's attention from Yuto.

"What's wrong?" the Blackwing Duelist sighed.

"If you leave right now, I don't doubt that you'll be arrested on TV by Security as a show. If you don't want that to happen to you or the others, you need to stay put, and the same goes for you Serena, Sylvio," he stated firmly. Serena sighed in what seemed to be a heavy manner before she stood.

"The city is full of members of Security, right? That's why you came back in a hurry with your tail between your legs." Crow narrowed his eyes, Yuya standing at the sudden charge of negative energy in the room.

"What did you say? Listen, you and your pals don't know how things are here, and even if we beat the topic to death, it won't change the fact that your naïve little kids who haven't gotten a taste of what the real world is like," he told her.

"Serena, come on, we need to listen to Crow on this one." Yuya tried to rationalize the situation, but Serena was having none of it.

"Don't you want to find Yuzu? I thought you loved her!" she retorted as the boy flinched back.

"I do, but I also know we're in a situation where we don't know what is going on in our environment. Crow said he and the Black Feathers would handle helping us find Yuzu and would talk with Hugo and get us back together." She narrowed her eyes.

"Please, don't be so spineless and gullible! He might not be a bad person, but you can't rely upon the charity of others to do this work for you! If you want to save Yuzu, I suggest you own up to how she sees you! Because from where I'm standing, you're anything but brave and strong like she believes you to be," she snapped, Yuya turning his gaze down as his bangs hid his eyes.

"That's enough! He's your comrade, isn't he? Don't say that kind of shit about him when you're supposed to support him!" Serena frowned.

"Yuya, I agreed to have your back so long as you have mine, but so far, you've been content to sit back and wait! I get Crow knows the place better, but his efforts mean nothing if we don't get things done! Academia could be on our doorstep and we'll still not have found Yuzu, other allies, and most importantly the Pillar whose here in the Synchro Dimension! Or did you forget?" she inquired as Yuya tensed.

"No, I didn't… but I'm not willing to risk lives when there's so much banking on our success." Serena sighed.

"Fine, I'll go out and look on my own. When you grow a spine, come help me search," she said as she walked towards the door, Sylvio standing as well.

"H-Hey! Sawatari, where are you going?" the half-Italian looked to Yuya, seeing the concern in his eyes.

"I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, or make you feel out of place… but… Yuya, Serena is right. If we don't do something, none of our tasks will be accomplished, and once Academia arrives, it'll be an all-out war," he stated as he followed Serena out the door and Riley shot up, trying to follow them only for Yuya to wrap his arms around the boy.

"My brother! Find him!" he pleaded as the door shut and Yuya sunk to his knees, keeping his arms on Riley who stilled as the boy behind him seemed to tremble before slowly lowering his arms to his sides.

Yuya hadn't meant to make them feel as though it was their only choice when it came to either doing their jobs or hiding, but what were they supposed to do in this situation? Scarlet eyes glanced to his hands, which were rested upon his lap while he tried to pinpoint what to do now. Serena and Sylvio were strong Duelists, and they could use magic, so he didn't doubt their ability to handle themselves, but he also knew they were in hostile territory, and had to find a way to work together. Crow looked at the boy, and sighed as he crouched next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder as Yuya bit his bottom lip, hoping to avoid the sudden sense of dread that threatened to overtake him.

"You're not wrong here, and while I do understand where your friends are coming from… you've made the wiser choice. I just think you should know that," Crow told him as Riley watched Yuya for a moment.

"Will… they find my brother?" scarlet eyes met Persian blue ones. Yuya rubbed his eyes a bit, shaking off the pain that had come from Serena's biting words.

"If they don't, I'm sure he's searching everywhere for you. Soon, we'll find him and the others, don't worry, okay?" he assured Riley as he placed his hands on the boy's shoulders, all the while, Crow watched him.

" _He's impossible to read… one minute, he looked like he was going to have a nervous breakdown, and then, all of the sudden, he's got a smile on his face and is lifting someone else's spirits… probably at his own cost… just what in the hell are you exactly Yuya? Humans can't flip switches that easily, no matter how practiced they are with it,"_ Crow thought.

 **{Underground Arena: 7:40pm}**

Shay and Dennis's Duel had become a phenomenal source of excitement for the crowds within the underground area, and the two of them were admittedly enjoying the Duel as well. However, both of them, as they made another lap, blocking one another's advances, and clinging to the sparse one-hundred life points they each sported, the two Witches, got the sense that something was about to happen, and both glanced to one another, reading the sudden anxiety and dread that was starting to thicken the air around them. It had been one thing, when they had started sensing movement out of the corner of their eyes, feeling an ebb of darkness pulsating in strange areas of the arena, and then, finally, it had cloaked the entire place, having Shay nod once to Dennis, the two preparing for what would happen next.

However, nothing they did prepared them for a sudden blackout, and the series of spotlights that appeared upon the place, sirens blaring as officers stormed the place, announcing that everyone involved would be arrested. Shay threw his helmet off, unzipping his riding suit to reveal his normal attire beneath it as Dennis did much the same, Gongenzaka standing at attention as Shay flexed his fingers and the moment a few of the guards came his way, he attacked with a lightning spell, sending several of them flying as Dennis set to forming illusions, using those to his advantage as he used a few of his wind spells, and Gongenzaka took the chance to swallow one of the fly-by-night capsules, feeling the surge of magic hit his system almost instantly as he turned around as a few officers arrived and he slammed his fists into the ground using the spell he had been taught to uproot the ground and send the guards tumbling down the ruined stairwell.

"Not today fellas! We won't be going without a fight," Dennis stated as he dodged a tazer bullet and lashed another wind spell at the officer.

"Come quietly and we won't resort to force! Do you hear me?! You cast?!" Shay swung, giving a swift roundhouse kick to the man's head.

"Keep your fucking mouth shut, trash. Don't speak to my comrades like that," he snapped as Gongenzaka bounded down the stairs, rushing quickly to Shay and Dennis's sides as the officers began arresting the people around them, sending nets this way and that as the trio of Lancers started plowing through the officers, knocking them out and doing their best not to use lethal force as they sent them away.

"There's the exit! Go!"

The trio started running faster, attempting to escape the mayhem as officers were battled by other magic users in the crowd, chaos unfurling as Shay sent a wide range attack of electrical energy in the direction of several guards, making a path for them as they ran as swiftly as their legs would carry them to the exit. It was just as they started towards it though, that a sudden pain bloomed in their backs, and the charge of magic they had felt, was sucked away, causing them to fall to the ground, severally weakened as feet were pressed into their backs, and not a moment later, they were in handcuffs.

Shay struggled, even as they brought him to his feet and forced him to follow them out of the building in a line of others who were arrested. Tawny eyes glanced to denim blue and dark brown ones, Dennis and Gongenzaka both registering that this was the bad vibe they had been getting from Gallager, who they saw off to the side of a smaller, black armored van that they were slowly being loaded into. In a matter of seconds, the doors slammed behind them, leaving the trio alone in the dark as they heard Gallager discussing his payment methods for getting the three of them to the Detention Center.

"Well, that escalated quickly," Dennis surmised.

"No shit sherlock, and it seems we were right to doubt Gallager's intentions…" Gongenzaka looked at the cuffs on their wrists.

"What did they do to us?" he questioned as Shay fidgeted.

"It was a magic sapping dart. They're not pleasant, and the effects last for about twenty-four hours… so until this time tomorrow, the three of us are completely powerless when it comes to magic." Dennis sighed.

"Now what do we do?" he asked. Shay looked down at the cuffs around his wrists.

"Do you smell sulfur?" Dennis and Gongenzaka raised an eyebrow before sniffing at the air, smell the putrid, strong stench of the sulfur in the van with them.

"Yuck! Where is it coming from?" Shay narrowed his eyes.

"Our handcuffs. Sulfur has anti-magic properties… that's why Witch Hunters use them. It's in case one of us has some extra power left in us… I don't doubt that they'll probably have something in place like this wherever they take us," he explained.

"Great, now we have that to deal with as well." Gongenzaka looked at the cuffs.

"So, even if your magic returns, it'll still be blocked?" he questioned as Shay and Dennis nodded.

"At this point, we're too weak to fight, and our magic is busted up by the sulfur. In other words, we're royally fucked." Dennis sighed.

"Even trying to pick the locks won't work because they've probably got a transmitter on them that will go off the moment we try to get them off," he said, holding up his arms a bit.

"Then what can we do?" Shay shook his head.

"Wait it out and hope we find a way to get to the others… as it stands, we're captives, so we've gotta behave until we can find a way out of this situation… they'll probably take us to one of the Detention Centers and since this is our first offense, we'll most likely just be locked up until further notice. Plus, they don't know what we're capable of, so they'll tread carefully," he stated.

"Your probably right. So, I guess we just play nice for the time being." Gongenzaka looked down, Shay doing the same as he thought of the situation.

He honestly wondered if the others in their group were faring better, or if they were running into the same misfortune. Shay thought of each of their comrades, and what they were hopefully trying to do, and as the thoughts came to mind, his attention went to Yuya, and his anxiety started to rise. The boy could handle himself, no doubt, but there was a major problem as his conversation with Sky surfaced from the recesses of his mind, his question, on if Yuya was a Pillar or not presenting itself at the forefront as he closed his eyes tightly, praying to any of the Gods or Goddesses that would listen to him, that it wasn't the case, and if it was, that Yuya and his other comrades, stayed out of harms reach.

 **{Crow's Place: August 4** **th** **, 2014: 9:50am}**

"Synchro Summon!" called Frank as he brought out one of his monsters, only for Tanner to call him out.

"You can't do that! that's not a Tuner Monster, darn it!" the other boy sighed.

"Crap! Ya caught me. Okay, I'll just switch these guys into defense mode, throw down a face down and end my turn," Frank replied as Tanner nodded.

Over by the stairwell, Riley sat alone, clutching his stuffed bear as he thought on the situation at hand. He missed his brother, he desperately wanted to see them again, and he was worried about all the nice people who were helping his brother stop this big fight, but in his desire to seek out his brother, he also didn't want to upset Yuya, who had tried to protect him on several occasions now. The lavender-haired boy sighed, thinking on the people in the Lancers and the conversation from last night; Riley might have only been in elementary school, but he was far more observant than most gave him credit for, and he knew that while the Lancers were strong, they had a lot to learn when it came to listening to others.

Another sigh left him, and he heard the door open behind him, and glanced up to see Yuya standing there, looking around the area as if he was searching for someone, which he most likely was. Serena and Sylvio had returned late last night, and had only returned once they were positive that they could do no more. This morning, bright and early, they had run off again, leaving Crow swearing under his breath about how they were putting everyone in danger while Riley could only watch and wonder if the orange-haired man was right. An annoyed sound left Yuya, causing Persian blue eyes to glance up at the boy, Riley watching him.

"Hey, Riley? Have you seen Serena or Sawatari around?" he asked, putting his hands on his hips as Frank and Tanner looked up to him.

"You mean that scary lady and that guy with the attitude problem? They went off this morning again." Yuya sighed, slumping a bit.

"Just great, how are we supposed to work together if no one will listen to anything?" he muttered. Frank rose an eyebrow at the boy.

"Are you their leader or something?" Yuya shook his head.

"No, but we're a team, so we've gotta work together," he admitted. Riley stood at that, causing Yuya to turn his attention to the boy.

"Well, Crow said that you gotta play nice, and that lady with the purple hair wasn't being nice to you. I think you need new friends." Tanner's statement went unnoticed as Riley started heading down the stairs on the back porch and headed for the gate.

"Riley? Where are you going?" Yuya questioned as the boy kept moving.

"I'm going to look for my brother…" Riley grabbed the off-white-clear bottle containing the blue fly-by-night capsules, and took one before he started to move again.

"You can't!" Yuya stated swiftly, causing the boy to flinch. Fear coiled in Riley, wondering if he had made the scarlet-eyed teenager angry, and he prepared for a stiff scolding, but a second later, a gentle hand laid itself upon his shoulder and he turned, greeting warm ruby-toned eyes as the Odd-Eyes Duelist crouched to his eye level.

"I-I…" Yuya shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout. I'm not mad at you or anything," he assured him, keeping that same gentle smile on his features.

"But I… you said too…" Yuya only continued to emit an easing energy, Riley accepting it as he looked at the silver-blue ribbon on his wrist that had yet to fade.

"Riley, I understand that you miss Reiji, and that your worried about him and the others. Believe me, I am too… but, you know what? We have to believe that they can handle themselves, and I don't doubt for a second that all of our friends are going to be okay," he said.

"What about… how dangerous the city is?" Yuya gave a small laugh, taking Riley's hand.

"True, it's dangerous, and we shouldn't be walking around the city right now. Serena and Sawatari aren't stupid though, so I think they'll be careful. That's also why I'm trusting Crow to help us navigate around Security, and help us find Yuzu and the others," he stated calmly, Crow watching out of the doorway in the back.

"I… I'm… scared… does that mean I'm… weak?" Yuya shook his head.

"Not at all, being afraid means you're about to do something really brave. So, this is how I view it… everyone is scared, even I am… because we don't know this place… but I'm not going to let my fear stop me from fighting and helping the people I care for," he told the boy this, and Persian blue eyes looked to him.

"But I'm… powerless… I can't help… any of you." Yuya reached up, gently placing a hand upon Riley's head.

"You're anything but powerless, remember what I taught you? A Witch's magic comes from their heart and souls, so… as long as they're strong, you are too, and… if it becomes too much…" Riley stared at him as Yuya gave him a warm smile.

"W-What?" he asked.

"Then come to me, and I'll protect you. And if I ever get to far out of reach, call for me, and I'll be sure to help you however I can." Riley swallowed nervously.

"Promise?" he questioned him, and instead of a dismissive look, Yuya held up his hand, his pinky finger extended.

"Can you do this?" Riley nodded, following the same gesture as Yuya curled his finger around the boy's own, smiling to him.

"What is this?" Yuya laughed a little.

"It's a pinky promise. When I was a little kid, my aunt and uncle used to do this, so I knew that I was always going to have my promise kept. It's a special kind of promise, the kind only little children can make with someone because they have their own special magic, and that's their belief in the ones who love them," he said in a faint whisper-like voice, the boy smiling a bit as he shook his and Yuya's hands up and down a bit.

"Okay…"

It was roughly fifteen minutes later that Yuya and Riley were back in the house with Crow, the scarlet-eyed boy having decidedly given up on the tracker as he put his Duel Disk back together, turning it on and checking through the system settings to make sure everything was in order before he finally put it into the pocket of his pants, his red jacket resting upon the back of his chair as he sat there and stretched for a moment. Crow had just finished up with working on his D-Wheel, and was washing his hands free of oil and grease while Riley remained next to Yuya, watching the boy use his magic to faintly draw different random scribbles on the table, which didn't leave any marks, but lit up with a series of crimson gleams.

Riley felt better, after his conversation with Yuya, something he rarely felt in situations where his anxiety got the best of him. For some reason, the boy next to him made him feel safe, even when he knew he was in a situation that most would deem dangerous. Yuya knew how to talk to him, in a way that even his brother couldn't seem to muster, and he knew how to get on his level, reaching out and touching his heart, which dumbfounded him to no end. Taking in a content breath, Crow began asking about Serena and Sawatari, Yuya informing him that they were still out, and he hadn't heard anything from them at all. Crow groaned, thinking out loud as he wondered what on earth was wrong with the two teenagers.

It was as he said this that the door opened, and Crow and Yuya looked up, being greeted by a tall young man in a dark blue-black, and yellow riding suit. He wore brown gloves and boots, his complexion tanned from labor in the sun, his ear sporting piercings on the right and left lobes, while his hair were two shades of blue, much like his dark, almost midnight-blue eyes. He smiled as he shut the door, somewhat spooking Riley as he turned, speaking to Crow, only to stop mid-sentence as he laid eyes on Yuya and the boy. Sighing, he moved towards the table and sat the bag of food items on the table, putting his hands on his hips as he looked to Crow.

"Take in two more strays?" he asked.

"Na, they kinda needed my help. Remember that ride-by I did three days ago? The one that broke up a Security ambush?" the man felt his expression become bland as he looked at the two.

"All that over you two?" he inquired.

"There's actually four of them. The other two are being morons and running around the city." The man sighed once more, taking a good look at the little boy who was hiding behind the older child, which he now turned his attention to.

"Better keep this one locked up, he's to pretty to be left on the streets," he stated as Yuya glared.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the man looked him over.

"You look like a porcelain doll. Not to mention you've got a pretty face, nice eyes, and an interesting hair color, plus you're really petite… you do the math kid," he pointed out as Yuya felt his stomach twist into a knot.

" _ **He's got a point you know, you do kinda look like a doll."**_ Yuya found himself glaring.

" _Yuto, we're almost identical, so that applies to your sarcastic ass as well!"_ Crow rose an eyebrow as Yuya's expression morphed into one of exasperation as the other man shook his head.

"I would be careful with him though, keep a close watch on the kid," he said to Crow.

"Believe me, I am." Yuya gave him a long look.

"Who are you anyways?" he inquired.

"I'm Shinji Webber. A member of the Black Feathers, and a Moriac Witch, who are you and the little one?" Shinji watched the boy for a moment.

"This is Riley Akaba, he's a little shy, but he's a good kid," Yuya replied as Shinji hummed.

"Uhuh, and what about you? Are you his big brother or something?" the other shook his head.

"No, just a friend of his brother's. we're with a group of ten, but we all got split up by accident on arrival," he stated.

"Alright, then, what's your name?" the boy looked up to him.

"I'm Yuya Sakaki, nice to meet you Shinji," he said, holding out his hand as he stood.

Shinji eyed the boy in front of him in questioning. There was no doubt in his mind that this boy was a Witch of some kind, and he had a great deal of power stored within his small frame, but that also made him unsure of the boy. He had this ethereal feel and look to him, almost as though he wasn't normal, or even remotely human. All the same, he shook the boy's hand, feel the pulse of the boy's magic as he did so, and he instantly dropped his hand, meeting those sharp scarlet eyes that were like warm pools of rubies as he frowned.

"You're a Witch… what kind?" Yuya gave him a nervous expression.

"I'm um… currently undecided. I just turned fourteen this year, so I haven't completed my training and I'm kind of a mix-match of different abilities…" Shinji gave him a questioning look.

"Uhuh… well, whatever it is you're doing here, try not to get these kids caught up in it, okay?" he asked.

"Yea, we'll do our best not to. We don't want anyone dragged into our situation without their own volition." Shinji frowned.

" _Where do you pick up these strange ones, Crow? I swear, this kid is just odd…"_

"Anyways, did you get what I asked for?" Crow inquired.

"You betcha. Now, where are those three hoodlums?"

Yuya watched as Shinji was soon surrounded by Tanner, Frank, and Amanda, the children laughing and talking with him while Yuya shrugged on his jacket before he sat down to the side, watching them contently as Riley observed from nearby him. Shinji said his farewells not long after Crow scolded the children for not washing their hands first before they ate, and finally he convinced Riley to wash his hands and sit down with the other children to eat. It was moments like this, that Yuya wondered why it was that the Commons were looked down on as they were. It was clear this society was extremely competitive, and while he didn't mind competition, as it was part of life, he didn't see the point in these people having to suffer for others to succeed.

He sighed, pulling his knees to his chest as he rested his head against them. Despite the Commons seeming to have so little, he saw so much joy and peace in them. Even though it was obvious that Crow struggled to take care of these three children alone, it was also apparent to him, that he wouldn't have it any other way. It was Crow's niche, the thing that made him who he was, and a thing that Yuya hadn't yet discovered as a Witch. True, Crow was a Sage, their abilities were more akin to this sort of life style, helping others, not extremely combative, but more than capable of it, and able to fix and create things with their hands.

It was one of their natural gifts, and Crow accepted it, empowered himself by it, and was able to clearly control his magic; however, Yuya found himself conflicted when he thought about his current state. He was a Waking Witch, those in the magic community expected a great deal from those who bore his kind of magic, and thus far, he was certain that he wasn't living up to any expectations. Yuya hadn't been able to fully accept his magic yet, he was consumed by it, not empowered – though he was most certainly powerful on a level that was fairly impressive when it did take over – and his mental state was questionable at best when it came to how he behaved when his magic decided to hijack his body and make him fight.

Yuya wanted to control it, when he needed to use it like he did during his fight with the Obelisk Force Soldiers, but he somehow found himself slipping up most of the time, and if he pushed it too far, he fell over the edge and into a blissful, deceptive embrace that his magic offered him. Scarlet eyes glanced towards the children who were happily munching on the sweets Shinji had brought and he sighed, holding one of his hands out as he formed a small flame in his palm, letting the warmth cascade over his skin as he watched it. How could he control this, as though it was nothing, when he couldn't manage it if he ended up letting his magic out further than basic abilities.

It was as though the second he tried, his magic jumped the gun and coiled around his body, forcing him into a psychotic state that terrified him to no end. When he fell into that mindset, he was completely numb, and felt nothing towards anyone or anything. His body did not respond to pain, and his strength inhibitors seemed to have shut off completely at that point, leaving him almost like a soulless puppet on strings. However, Yuya, somewhere in the back of his mind, could feel everything and hear the voices of the people who were trying to get him to snap out of it. So, he wasn't entirely unware, he just hadn't figured out how to reclaim control, and that, without question, was a serious problem.

"Um…" scarlet eyes looked up to see Riley standing in front of him, holding out a chocolate bar, offering it to him. Yuya smiled, taking it after he extinguished the flames, and reached up, placing a hand on Riley's head as the boy gave him a tiny smile and went back to the children, Crow smiling as he came and sat down next to Yuya.

"That kid seems to like you," he said as Yuya opened the candy and took a bite of the milk chocolate.

"Unlike your friend." Crow gave him a sheepish look.

"Sorry about him, Moriac Witches tend to be like that. Their spoken words are pretty strong, and the magic they have stems from their voice," he explained as Yuya shrugged.

"I kind of figured. I've never met one until now, but I guess it shouldn't surprise me that some Witches are like that… I'm friends with a Dyren Witch, so I guess that says something…" Yuya took another bite of the chocolate bar, and Crow eyed him.

"Do you know what's got that Riley kid so spooked?" Crow inquired.

"He's got social anxiety… probably from being bullied and sheltered. Reiji, his brother, is kind of his anchor around people and places he's not used to, but I kind of hope he can view me as that too if needs be." The Blackwing Duelist frowned.

"Sounds like your speaking from experience," he stated. Yuya took another bite of the candy, chewing slowly as he did so.

"I am… I was bullied a lot because of how I look. I mean, admittedly, I look kind of freaky… look at my hair and eyes, that's enough to make some people kinda scared of me." Yuya tugged on a green strand of his bangs while Crow hummed.

"Tanner thinks you're pretty, and Amanda said your hair kind of reminds her of Christmas time… and even Frank said he thinks your eyes are pretty cool," he told him as Yuya laughed a bit.

"That's a first for me outside of a tiny number of people. After my uncle disappeared, I was harassed by a lot of people because I was the child of a coward… I ended up hiding a lot due to being afraid that people would hurt me like a few of them tried to do. I developed a lot of problems from those years, and that stays with me even now." Crow glanced him over, looking at where his jacket sleeve was pushed up, exposing a silver-white line on his wrist.

" _Holy shit… did he really…"_ his eyes grew wide as Yuya looked to him.

"So… um… what happened? To make you want to reach out and help others like that?" Crow questioned as the boy sat the chocolate bar's last row in its wrapper and held his arms out, shifting the sleeves back until his wrists were exposed.

"I tried to take my own life… two weeks before I turned fourteen, so at the end of April this year… and well… the girl I'm looking for… Yuzu… she's the reason I'm still alive. We've always been together… so that's one of my reasons for being here, so I can help her and bring her home safely." Crow sat there in silence for a moment as Yuya finished off the chocolate, and then he sighed.

"Damn, that's rough… for someone your age to think you had nothing left and just wantin' to end it. I understand that it must have been a hard thing to deal with, and I don't blame you for wanting to stop the pain, but kids shouldn't be dealin' what that shit. They should be able to do what they want, when they want… most rules be damned." Yuya laughed a bit.

"I don't think my aunt would agree with you," he admitted.

"In my opinion, they'll have plenty of time to learn how to be grown up when they're older. While they can, let them be small and innocent, don't taint them with the hardships of the world… and if they do something wrong, just tell them not to do it. Let'em be children while they have the chance." Crow finished his statement and Yuya looked to the children.

"That's something I want to do… to help Riley smile and feel happy and loved. Maybe I'm not the right person for the job, but I can do something to help him… and not just him… I want to help people feel better, and make them happy, give them a reason to smile. My uncle was an Entertainment Duelist, and he taught me everything he knew, so I carry that legacy on, and I want to do what he did…" Crow smiled at the boy's statement, putting a hand on the boy's head.

"You're a good kid, a bit naïve at times, sure, but your heart's in the right place. It's part of what makes you special, your heart being pure like it is…" Yuya gave him a questioning look.

"Me? Pure of heart? I doubt it… the kind of ideals I have are laughable to most people," he said as Crow shook his head, before ruffling his hair, causing his bangs to fall into his eyes.

"Na, believing in what others can't means you're still innocent and untainted despite what you've gone through… there's this spark in your eyes, full of light and a strong will. Sure, you may have been beaten and busted up a few times, but you got up, didn't ya? So, you know what that tells me?" scarlet eyes looked to him.

"No, what?" Crow laughed.

"You're a phoenix, each time you burn, you rise from the ashes stronger than before. It's a pretty incredible gift, you should cherish it," he told him as Yuya smiled a bit.

"Thanks, makes me feel a bit better…" Crow nodded, standing up as he looked to Yuya.

"It's decided, I wanna have a Duel with you," he said as he held his hand out to Yuya who gaped at him.

"D-Duel me?! Why?" Crow grinned.

"Because, I wanna see how you do it." The children had started listening at this point, and had looks of excitement on their faces as Yuya glanced their way and then looked to Crow, smirking as he took his hand.

"You're on."

 **{Side yard: 11:20am}**

The children were seated off to the side, munching away on their treats as Crow and Yuya stood across from one another, Riley watching with curiosity in his eyes as Crow grinned, activating his Duel Disk just before Yuya did, the two preparing to give the children a fun show. Yuya activated the Cross Over Field Spell, and a moment later, the blue glowing blocks with pink outlines appeared, golden cards disbursing across the area. Crow whistled and looked to the boy across from him, knowing that this was going to be interesting.

"Alright, show me what you got, Yuya," he said as Yuya took in a deep breath.

" _ **Show time?"**_ Yuto asked.

" _You bet!"_

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Crow jolted a bit as Yuya's entire demeanor changed, lighting up brightly as he gave a wave of his arms, the red and black coat and his black shirt giving him the look of someone who almost seemed to have come from the center ring of the circus.

"Wait, does he mean us?" asked Frank as Yuya winked.

"Indeed, I do! Henceforth, I'll be using a magic trick of my own creation known as Pendulum Summoning to introduce you to my reliable Monsters!" Crow watched Yuya excite the children, a smile forming on his own features as the boy had the children cheering.

"Pendulum Summoning?"

"That sounds so cool!" Yuya nodded.

"Yes, it is. So, let's get this show on the road! I hope you will applaud if I pull off this trick!" he stated as Crow smirked.

"So, you're goin' all out, huh? Alright, give me a show, Yuya!" the boy smirked in a manner that made his scarlet eyes almost glow.

"I use my Scale One Stargazer Magician and my Scale Eight Timegazer Magician to Set the Pendulum Scales! Thus, I can Summon Monsters between Level Two and Seven at the same time!" those who had never witnessed the Pendulum Summoning before felt their eyes grow wide and their jaws slacken as the crystal around Yuya's neck began to shine with a pure light, starlight pillars appearing as the two magicians took to the stage, arcane gold numbers of one and eight appearing beneath them as the same crystal Yuya wore, appeared in the sky, forming a web of glittering stardust.

"Whoa!" Yuya smiled.

"Awesome!"

"It's so pretty!" Crow felt his eyes remain widened, surprised by the ethereal blue-white glow that surrounded them.

" _Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light across the Sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Come forth, my faithful Monsters! First, Performapal Silver Claw! Then, Performapal Soldier Tiger! And last, but most certainly not least, my dear and powerful, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Yuya announced as a crystal portal opened, and out shot rainbow fused mists and lights, followed by the appearance of the wolf, a Tiger in a military uniform, and a beautiful, but terrifying dragon with red and green eyes.

"That's amazing!" stated Frank.

"Three monsters at once! How cool!" Tanner clapped excitedly.

"Wow! It was so beautiful! Again!" Yuya smiled as Crow felt a smirk come to his features, watching Yuya's entire body radiate a light and warmth while his very soul seemed to be coming to life right in front of him.

" _That's gotta be one of the most impressive things I've ever seen, and what's even more amazing, is the magic I feel stirring around him. It's beautiful, like the sunrise..."_ Yuya held an arm out to the side.

"And with that, in the blink of an eye, I managed to use Pendulum Summoning, to assemble my stage to make our beautiful audience smile as bright as the sun! So, with this, I end my turn," he said as he took a graceful bow, and Crow laughed a bit.

"You're somethin' else, I gotta say. The minute you start putting on a show, you light up like the sun cuttin' through the night. It's quite the sight, and I enjoyed it, but it's my turn now!" Yuya nodded.

"Yep, now go ahead and show me your moves, Crow!" scarlet eyes met fossil gray ones and Crow smirked.

"My pleasure! I draw! First, if I control no cards, then I can special summon Blackwing – Gust the Backblast from my hand!" Crow stated as a black winged humanoid-bird creature appeared, adorned with bright green feathers upon its head, sides, and tail. It stood at nine-hundred attack points, and was only a level two, but Yuya knew better than to discount the fact that it probably had a nasty effect. As Crow was setting up his field, Serena and Sylvio returned, coming to stand near the children as they decided to watch the duel, hoping to relieve the tension they'd felt having to evade Security on their way back.

"Cool Monster…" Crow smiled.

"Thanks, but if you like him, you'll love what's next! If there is a _Blackwing_ on my field, I can special summon this card from my hand! So, come on out, Blackwing – Oroshi the Squall!" he stated as a black bird with blue eyebrow-like feathers, and a red throat appeared on the field.

"So, why are they dueling?" Frank looked to the two.

"Nice of you to join us, and if you have to know, Crow wanted to Duel Yuya because he felt it would be a good chance to see how Yuya did it," he answered as Sylvio frowned.

"Brat…" Serena rolled her eyes.

"Your arguing with a child, just watch the duel," she said as Sylvio muttered under his breath and they went back to watching.

"Now, I release Oroshi the Squall, to Advance Summon Assault Black Feather – Kunai the Drizzle! See, I don't have to use Pendulum Summoning in order to get a bunch of monsters out." Yuya smiled.

"We both have a pretty good first stage. What else do you have?" Crow grinned.

"If ya use Pendulums, I might as well show you how we Synchro Summon here in Neo City," he stated as Yuya rose an eyebrow, frowning somewhat.

"Eh? But there are no Tuner Monsters on your field, are there?" Yuya questioned as Crow laughed a bit.

"Don't go underestimatin' my Blackwings! Kunai the Drizzle's effect activates! If this card is Advanced Summoned by releasing a _Blackwing_ Monster, I can treat it as a Tuner Monster! I'm Tuning my Level Two Gust the Backblast with my Level Five Kunai the Drizzle! For a level seven Synchro Summon! _Flap your ebon wings, and soar forth as fast as thunder! The speed of lightning incarnate! Display your power upon us now! Synchro Summon!_ Rain down without mercy! Assault Blackwing – Raikiri, the Sudden Shower!" the bird-armor clad warrior appeared upon the field, Yuya finding himself rather impressed by Crow's maneuver.

" _ **Note, remember cards can have effects for special summoning methods,"**_ Yuto mentioned.

" _Yea, I'm gonna need to remember that for my Synchro Monster…"_

"So, let's keep this show going!" Crow nodded at Yuya's prompt; however, the moment he went to do so, a screeching of tires alerted them, and they turned their gaze towards the chain-link fence on the other side of them.

"Shinji? What's going on?" Crow asked as the other looked to them.

"It's Security! You need to get out of here asap!"

However, it was too late, and a moment later, black and green nets were being thrown at them, hitting Crow, Sylvio, and Serena immediately as people moved in. Serena turned, attempting to use her magic to stop herself from being arrested, when she found it wouldn't work, and panic sunk into her system as she tried to get her magic to respond. Just as she turned to look, she saw a shadow appear and Tsukikage materialized in front of her, nodding to her before he grabbed Riley and the two disappeared.

She was forced face first into the ground not a second later as the officers blocked off Shinji, and Yuya was approached by them, the Monsters vanishing as Yuya reacted when a net was thrown at him, his magic appearing as a visceral, clear torrent of power as it sliced through the net, causing panic in the others as a they ganged up on him, having to use multiple attacks to catch him off guard long enough to get the net to hit him before he went to the ground. Crow struggled against them, the others doing much the same as they fought to get free, panic setting in as Serena and Sylvio realized all to late that they had led them to where Yuya and the others were. Shinji was thrown off his D-Wheel, and cuffed a second after Yuya was, the boy looking around as Crow started shouting at the officers not to touch the children.

"Wait! Where's Riley?!" the officer pushed his head down.

"Be quiet, fucking Cast!" Yuya snarled at them, bearing his teeth.

"Let me the fuck go!" Serena pushed against them, struggling as Yuya started frantically looking around for Riley.

"Riley?! Riley?! RILEY!" Yuya felt his pulse picking him, his breathing becoming hard as he tried to get free from the officer's grasp.

"He's a squirmy one, huh?" asked one of the officers as Yuya growled, moving around to try and get free.

"LET ME THE FUCK GO!" he released a pulse of his magic, burning the officer holding him.

"Holy shit! What the fuck is he?" the man shook his hands out, the other man next to him smirking as he eyed Yuya who was on his knees on the ground.

"We got a regular fire starter here," said one of the officers as Serena stomped on his foot before she was grabbed by the back of the neck and forced into the transport van while Crow and Shinji watched Yuya, the boy glaring at them as his eyes started to shine an abnormally bright crimson shade.

"Yea, but he ain't bad to look at…" Yuya felt someone grab him by his hair, causing him to stand on the tips of his toes. The officer smirked as he eyed him, and one of the others laughed.

"Guess so, he's got a nice body… maybe someone will teach him some manners while they're in the Detention Center," the man said as he chuckled and the man holding Yuya by his hair rose an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't mind teaching him some manners right now…" Crow ground his teeth together as the man reached out and brushed a strand of Yuya's hair from his face, slipping his finger across the boy's jaw next with a smile on his features while Yuya flinched, trying to get loose.

"Nu-uh, you come here, I think you and I could have some fun," the man said, pulling Yuya closer as he chuckled just a bit, the scarlet-eyed boy tilting his head away, trying to find a way to get away from this person as Crow found himself unable to take anymore.

"GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF HIM! HE'S FUCKING _FOURTEEN YEARS OLD_ YOU MOTHER FUCKERS!" anger consumed him as Yuya felt his body shake at the mere feeling of the other man's intentions while Yuto growled, feeling Yuya's panic shackle him in place as his Waking Magic threatened to take over.

"So? No one cares how old he is, or those others for that matter. If there's somethin' we like, then we can have it… simple as that…" Yuya glared, looking at the officer as something inside him flared up in anger.

"Don't you lay a fucking finger on him or those others, you hear me?" Crow snarled as the officer looked back at Yuya.

"Awh, what? Do you want this pretty little thing?" the man moved Yuya closer, still dragging him by his hair and forcing him to move on the tips of his toes.

"He's just a kid for fucks sake!" Shinji stated this, but it seemed to go unnoticed.

"Hmm… you've got really pretty skin…" Yuya ground his teeth together, the officer sliding a finger across his jaw again in a suggestive manner while a few of the other officers laughed.

"Hey! Leave my friend alone you jackass!" Sylvio snapped as he was shoved into the back of the van. Yuya knowing that he had to act quick before these people ended up doing something that would trigger his magic, and then, he wasn't sure what any of them would do.

"Haha, what can you do about it you – "the man turned only for a moment later to be given one of the most painful experiences in his life.

Yuya lunged forward, sinking his teeth into the man's face, causing him to scream in pain as hot blood rushed into Yuya's mouth, making him almost want to vomit as he closed his eyes and jerked his head back, ripping off a piece of the man's cheek in the process. He dropped him, screaming in agony as the other officers came to his aid, Yuya being left on the ground as he spat out the chunk of flesh, having all eyes remain on him as he opened his mouth and blood poured out as he took in a few deep breaths, painting a terrifying picture as the boy ran his tongue across his bottom lip, more blood spilling out as the officer looked to him, grabbing the baton from his holster before he went to the boy, and raised it, only to be stopped by another officer.

"Wait, it's not going to look good if he shows up beaten. The boss wanted him unharmed, we've got him and the others, let's just bring them in…" Yuya was grabbed from behind by his jacket and shirt, the officer grabbing his hair to keep him from biting again as he was thrown into the van with the others, and a second later the door was shut as the head officer looked in through the bars.

"You're going to regret this," Serena stated coldly.

"Oh, I'm not sure about that little lady. However, I do question… what kind of beast is in there with you… such a pity none of us got to see you be submissive like the dog you are." Yuya bared his teeth, hissing in an unnatural way as the man jolted a bit.

"Let's move out boss!" called one of the officers as the man smirked.

"Alright, have a nice ride, you'll be going to the north detention center for quite some time, so take a moment to think about how you're gonna fit into the society there, m'kay?" with that he walked away, and the van started pulling away, Yuya taking in a few deep breaths as Shinji turned his attention to him.

" _Just what the fuck is this kid? And what in the hell did we just get dragged into?"_

 **{…..}**

 _Till I save your heart, and take your soul…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** This is a bit of a rollercoaster of a chapter, from seeing Dennis and Gongenzaka being reunited with Shay, to Serena having a row with Yuya, our trio of Lancers being rounded up, which, may have been part of a plan, and back to Yuya and the others where we have some bonding, and then this intense ending. I'm not gonna lie, the Prison Arc accounts for at least 30% of the reason why this story was rated M. everything else is just because things steadily get more violent. Well, tell me what you think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

In the anime, Gallager was in the room with Shay, Dennis, and Gongenzaka; however, I decided that in this version, they would be alone to further discuss their options.

This chapter was based entirely around _Episode 59 – Riding Duel_ from Arc-V Season II.

In this chapter, Yuya actually explains how Pendulum Summoning was created for the first time to Crow and his kids.

Serena had points on this matter, but I honest to God think that Yuya was more in the right here. But conflict is par for the course in high tension situations.

Gongenzaka using what basically amounts to an earth bender technique from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Sulfur does block magical pulses, basically, it acts like a clamp does in surgery, and cuts off the circulation of magic through the person's body.

There was a lot of foreshadowing towards the end of this chapter.


	66. Chapter 66: Consequences

Chapter 66: Consequences

 **{Transport Van: August 4** **th** **, 2014: 11:30pm}**

"What the actual fuck?!" Sylvio asked as he sat down, looking at the others while Yuya remained where he was on the ground, having managed to get himself on his knees.

"Your one to be asking, I'll bet you and Serena led them right to us!" Shinji looked to the two teenagers.

"So, you're to blame because you didn't listen? I'm guessing you were told not to go traipsing across the city, but you did anyways because you thought you could do something?" he asked as the two looked down in shame, Crow sighing as he glanced to Yuya.

"Guess it doesn't matter now… besides, we've got more important issues." The Blackwing Duelist got down on the ground with the boy, contorting his arms a bit to reach into his pocket to get a handkerchief before he held it out to the boy, all eyes turning to them.

"Hey, you okay?" scarlet eyes glanced his way and looked to the piece of cloth, which he slowly reached for and started to rub at the blood on his face.

"Yea… thanks…" Shinji huffed.

"That was a bold ass move you pulled back there. Biting into that guy's face like you did," he admitted while Yuya paused in his actions.

"I didn't like what I was feeling… his intentions… so I had to do something." Crow nodded.

"Those are the kinds of people we were warning you about. That goes for the two of you as well… when we arrive at the Detention Center, there are going to be people like that and worse, so be on your guard," he warned as Serena and Sylvio nodded.

"What kind of magic did you use back there? I saw you burn that guy's hands through his gloves." Yuya started rubbing at the blood on his face.

"My magic is really volatile, it cuts up when I don't want it too…" he admitted, glancing to the side as Serena relaxed a bit and got onto the floor as well.

"Here, let me help…" she took the cloth from Yuya and started wiping at the blood while the boy kept his gaze down.

"Thanks…" she shook her head.

"It's our fault, but mainly mine for even thinking I was right for stepping out like that. Look at the mess I've put you in again, I'm sorry," she stated as Yuya looked down.

"Now what do we do?" Shinji shrugged.

"There's nothing we can do. The five of us will have to stick together in order to keep you three alive… Detention Centers are no laughing matter, and while a lot of people there won't bother you, some of them might decide to harass you, so, you better play along with prison rules," he said.

"And those would be?" Crow sighed.

"Cards are good lawyers in hell…." Yuya bit his lip.

" _ **This is bad, if that officer was any indication, the justice system is fucked up to the max here… you better be careful,"**_ Yuto's words came to him, and Yuya jolted.

" _I know, but… what happened to me earlier? Why did I attack that guy like I did?"_ Yuto internally shrugged, the image only visible to Yuya.

" _ **Fight or Flight response. Everyone has it, and since you couldn't run, you decided to fight, which meant doing what you could: biting. However, I will admit, your teeth are sharper than I would have thought, or your bite force is stronger than an average humans,"**_ he admitted.

" _That's not what I'm worried about right now…"_ Yuto silently agreed, they had bigger problems.

"What are the kids gonna do?" Yuya asked, looking to Crow.

"One of our mates will probably take care of them. What about Riley?" Yuya tensed and Serena looked to the boy, finally having managed to get all the blood off him.

"I saw Tsukikage take him away during the raid. He's with our other allies, so he'll be safe," she assured them while the scarlet-eyed boy next to her visibly relaxed.

"Okay… now what do we do though? I mean, we can't just stay here at the Detention Center, we have to find Yuzu and the Pillar." Shinji rose an eyebrow.

"Whoa, hold the phone. You said Pillar, as in the old fairytale, or an actual pillar?" he questioned as Crow slowly got up and Serena did the same, sitting on the bench while Yuya managed to get himself standing and sat down across from Shinji.

"Well, as much as we'd like to say it's an actual one, we'd be lying if we did." The twenty-one-year old's mouth dropped open.

"You did get mixed up with a bunch of loonies, Crow! Listen kid, the Pillars don't exist, they're an old bedtime story that magic users and the Fae tell their kids to make them feel good. There is no such thing as a Pillar," Shinji stated as Yuya leaned back a bit.

"I don't know about that…" the blue-haired man frowned.

"Do you have proof that they're real?" Shinji questioned as Yuya glanced his way.

"It's my instincts telling me that those Pillars do exist, and as Lancers, we're going to find them." Crow sighed.

"He's stubborn, don't try and sway him," he said as Shinji rolled his eyes.

"Your fourteen, do you still believe in the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus too?" Yuya shot him a glare.

"I should warn you that I can do magic without using my hands," he threatened as Shinji eyed him.

"Really? Why don't you bust us out of here then?" scarlet eyes narrowed again.

"Your gonna ask me to pull some kind of mission impossible bullshit when you can't even muster a single breath of magic?" Shinji gave him a bland expression.

"Excuse me…" Crow looked to Yuya.

"Didn't you say you were a hacker? The vans are made of the same basic system as computers when it comes to the locking mechanism, can you do something?" all eyes went to Yuya who shook his head.

It wasn't as though he couldn't use some of his hacking abilities to short circuit the hardware in the vehicle, it just wouldn't end up being worth the time it would take. Atop that, they had a camera watching their every move, and while he could most certainly short out the camera and rid themselves of the locking mechanism and possibly even the sulfur laced cuffs, it would do them no good ultimately, and it all came down to one thing. Yuya looked to them and stomped his foot on the floor beneath him, causing them to jump a bit.

"You feel the vibration under our feet? That means we're going at least seventy miles an hour, if not more. Atop that, there are security measures in place to keep me from successfully hacking the mainframe of the devices within this vehicle, in addition, by the time I managed to disable the camera and find a way to remove one of the panels from in here to access the ports… it would be do late, or we would end up being in serious trouble." Shinji frowned, looking the boy over again.

"So, you're a hacker who can't do shit right now," he said.

"Unfortunately, yes, I am."

 **{Security HQ: 11: 51am}**

People were working away upon the maps and tracking several of their officers through the monitors below as Roger watched them, pleased with the day's progress as he awaited word from his men. Earlier, they had sent him a message, informing him that they had located two of the people that had been with the boy who used Pendulums. Roger had been pleased by this development, and as he looked at the screen nearby he started to think through the progress that had been made thus far. Upon the screens near him, were photos of everyone whom he'd located thus far, Noburou Gongenzaka, Dennis MacField, Shay Obsidian, and the other four, sighing, he glanced to his chess board, smiling.

"The game may still be afoot, but you aren't about to win it, little mouse," he muttered, eyeing the picture of Yuya before a slight noise came from the monitor and he moved towards it, pressing a button as a video feed appeared.

" **Sir, we've captured the fugitives and two of their accomplices."** A small smirk came to Roger's face.

"Well done, now, how many do we have all together on transport?" he inquired.

" **Five, two of which are Crow Hogan and Shinji Webber of the Black Feathers. After that, we retrieved the three youths who were in the alleyway; however, the small child wasn't with them."** Roger shook his head.

"It matters not. Now, in the next fifteen minutes, our five arrestees are going to arrive at the Northern Detention Center, From among them, the girl who uses Fusion Summoning is to be given a specialized monitor, if any troubles arise, send her to the special sector," he stated.

" **Affirmative sir."** Roger looked at the five photos, thinking over the next action.

"I will do an interrogation of them once things have calmed down a bit. Ah… what happened to your face Kauffman?" he inquired, seeing a thick gauze patch on the man's face.

" **The kid with the red and green hair took a chunk out of my face with his teeth. He's not natural sir, you may want to place him into solitary."** Roger shook his head.

"No, that won't help matters. Though none of them should be put together with the other prisoners, instead they should be isolated and kept under surveillance… but, I think it would be far more interesting to see how the others would respond to their presences," he informed him.

" **With all do, respect sir, that boy is dangerous. I'm unsure of the others, but that one boy… he's some kind of monster, there's no telling what he'll do."** Roger smiled.

"Worry not, I have a means for making him obedient. If his behavior is in such a state, and he won't bend to our rules, then I'll merely have to teach him a lesson, and I have everything prepared to do so if needs be, in addition, the power he possesses needs to be uncovered, and if pushing him to a breaking point is how we do it, then it's a necessary evil," he stated as Kauffman swallowed nervously, but nodded.

" **Very well, we'll inform you of when the prisoners arrive."** Roger nodded, and the screen vanished, a small smile coming to his features as he looked at the images on his screen, reaching out to graze his fingers over Yuya's image.

"Seems I will have to get this one into submission before we will have the time to get to know these Lancers, and you, may be the key to doing so," he said with a small smile.

It was a simple plan, that he had prepared should the boy prove to be hostile in any way, and after seeing Kauffman's face, he knew for a fact that he was indeed going to be a problem. However, he decided he would wait and see what the boy did alongside his friends, and if a few days went by with no progress or display of him being able to learn more about the boy and his friends, then he would resort to his plan, and without question, he knew he would see exactly what these people were capable of in the situation that would arise from what seemed to be their most protected member being placed into an unfortunate situation.

 **{Northern Detention Center: 12:17pm}**

The group of five tensed as they were pulled into a shadowy area, the van having stopped after entering a set of heavy gates. The entire area smelt strongly of the water that surrounded it, and was kept out of the sun by a high white structure where a portion of the city was built. Outside, they could hear the officers and guards discussing the situation as Crow and Shinji glanced towards the three teenagers, and then to the doors of the van, knowing that they were about to be taken into the two silo like towers nearby.

The prison was built simply, octagon shaped as it was settled on a chunk of barren rock, it had an open field area, two tower-like structures with a thin needle-like structure between them that was held in place with beams that worked as hallways. Crow had been here a few times, and he knew by now, that things were going to be strict, and difficult, but also, that if done right, they could make allies here that would help him, and Shinji protect the three children with them.

"Hey, be careful about the one with the red eyes, he took a chunk out of Kauffman's face," said one of the guards as inside the van Yuya glanced to the side.

"No shit? Haha! I gotta see this one." The doors opened, and two officers stood on either side of them, slowly ushering Sylvio out, followed by Shinji, Crow, Serena, and lastly Yuya who received a questioning look.

"So, you're the one who bit Kauffman? Hmm, maybe he just couldn't keep his hands to himself… you're a pretty little thing," said the guard to his right, reaching out. Yuya bared his teeth at the man who recoiled his hand.

"He's a fiery one, got some powerful magic to, so I wouldn't get to handsy with him or the others, no tellin' what they might be capable of doing." The man rose an eyebrow.

"Seriously? Did he use it with the cuffs on?" the man pushed Yuya between his shoulders, forcing him into a line beside the others.

"Oh yea, he did. Anyways, all five are accounted for, we're supposed to put the bands on them immediately once they enter the left side gate," stated one of the officers as the five listened.

"Understood."

The five of them were walked towards the front doors of the tower on the left, and were soon relieved of their Duel Disks and their cuffs, which were replaced with two thin black and red bracelet-like straps which had the same stench of sulfur that caused Yuya to crinkle his nose a bit. They were handed back their cards, which they quickly pocketed, finding the situation strange as the officer laughed at their confused expressions. The five of them glanced around at the corridor, seeing the door open behind them, but that it was also swarmed with guards. Sighing, Serena looked to the others, knowing without question that this situation was bad, and even though she was anything but comfortable, none of them had any options at current.

"Alright kids, you have your decks back, make sure you hang onto those, they might give you some help in having an easier time here, unless you want to try another method or two. In addition, you're forbidden to duel in here, and those pretty bracelets your wearing will limit your magical output, so you don't try anything foolish with it," the officer stated as Shinji frowned.

"So why give us our decks? We're magic users, if we can we'll use our monsters to escape." The man laughed.

"None of you will have the magical energy required to do something like that. Household magic should be about your limits in addition to a few other tiny things. Besides, those cards are as important to you as your lives, we wouldn't want something going amiss, and everyone here has to find a way to survive. Have fun and play nice kids," he stated as the doors were opened.

It was massive inside, Yuya could admit that, and alight with the artificial glow that hospital lights had. It made him feel a bit sick though, as he came to observe the faces of people in the cells, smirking down to them or giving them pitied looks. Within this tower prison, he could sense the mixture of emotions and energies that were thick in the air like smog, and ranged from sorrowful, disinterested, curious, vicious, kind, and even utterly sinister. Yuto squirmed within Yuya's mind, finding himself especially alert with him being a spirit attached to Yuya. He knew he would have to keep himself well hidden, and that Yuya wouldn't have the energy to constantly speak with him, but he also knew that he might have to step up and become overly protective of his charge.

" _ **It looks like this isn't a place where one can expect a warm bed and full course meals, huh? Let alone much compassion or well-behaved people,"**_ he mentioned as Yuya nodded slowly.

" _No doubt your right. There's a lot of negative energy here… and I don't doubt a lot of these people have less than pleasant intentions… we better be careful."_ Yuto hummed in agreement as the group looked around them again.

"Hey, Crow? What do you know about this place?" Serena questioned.

"Well… aside from a few people here, most of the people are Commons who were labeled as _dangerous elements_ by the higher-ups. Fifty percent of the people here are Magic users, and the rest are shady criminals. We have a few thieves who just were stealing bread to survive, and others who were radicalists. If you watch their behavior, you'll be able to tell which ones are which." The other three nodded. Shinji sighing as he thought of what else the two of them knew.

"What about the wrongly accused?" Shinji glanced to Sylvio at the question.

"I'd also say that there are hundred, possibly two hundred people here that were falsely accused of their crimes," he said as Yuya looked to him.

"Falsely accused? So, they're just like us." Shinji nodded.

"Yea, but there are two kinds of people here, like Crow said," he stated.

"Two kinds?" Shinji glanced his way.

"Those with dead eyes, the ones who have suffered and given up on trying to ever see the world again, and those without dead eyes. Some of these people are friends of Crow and me, so they'll help us out, but some of them are also the most dangerous… but like Crow told you, watch their behavior, you'll be able to best gage whose a bigger threat," he told him.

A few moments passed before the officer sent the four of them into a cell, Serena being taken to a private one due to her gender and age. The officer sent them a scathing statement, telling them to play nice once more and to mind themselves as he shut the door. Yuya sighed, feeling a bit of tension in the area as Shinji moved to sit down on one of the beds, the group of four being concerned that being split up like this could cause problems. Crow looked to Yuya as Sylvio observed their cell, big enough for roughly ten people, and older like the rest of the prison seemed to be. The half Italian took a seat on one of the beds, and Crow placed a hand upon Yuya's shoulder, trying to assure him that things would be okay.

Crow knew what would have to be done now that they were in this place. Planning how to handle anyone who tried to cause them problems, working together, and finding a means to survive and build a few alliances would be their best course of action, and it would insure that the children with him and Shinji would remain safe from the worst that this prison could offer. Fossil gray eyes looked to Yuya and Sylvio, knowing that they were strong, but also being aware that they were at risk, because they didn't know how prisons worked, or how things would go if something wasn't done certain ways. Sighing, Crow looked to them, hands on his hips as he thought.

"Now then, what will we do?" two men in faded clothes looked in their direction, eyeing them.

"Oh, newcomers, eh?" asked one of them, causing Yuya to look at them in questioning.

"Huh?" the men watched them, cold looks on their faces.

"Aren't you gonna say hello?" asked the one in dark wine-colored clothes as he and his friend approached them.

"G-Good afternoon." Yuya's reply was met with a smirk as they approached shoving Crow aside as he glared.

"Hey!" he snapped.

"Well, well, looks like this one has some manners. What? Are ya tryin' to act cute? By hello we mean you need to get on your knees, bow ya head, and say you're gonna be our servant, kid." Yuya gave them a confused look.

"Why would I do something like that?" he asked. Sylvio smirked.

"Now that you mention it, I sure could use something to drink right now." Yuya gave him a pointed look.

" _ **The idiocy is strong in this one,"**_ Yuto thought.

" _Not the time nor the place for a Star Wars joke, Yuto."_ Yuya shot the thought towards the spirit in his head, and received a heavy sigh.

"Whassat?! You little punk! You and your friend are gonna obey us!" a sudden thunderous step came from behind the two men.

"Enough with your vulgarity!" scarlet eyes looked up.

"Gongenzaka?! What are you doi – "

Yuya was cut off as he was swept up into his friend's bone crushing embrace, startling those who didn't know Gongenzaka. The giant of a teenager held his friend tightly, tears of relief pouring from his eyes as he held onto the petite teenager who did his best to return the hug, but also find a way to breathe properly. Crow gaped alongside Shinji while the two men who had started to gang up on Yuya and Sawatari found themselves sweating nervously while Gongenzaka continued to hug his friend.

"Yuya! You're safe! Thank the Gods!" Gongenzaka cheered.

"I can't…. breathe!" the Superheavy Samurai Duelist cried.

"I thought I'd never find you! Wouldn't have thought we'd meet in such a terrible place! I, the many Gongenzaka, thought surely that you… ahhh! I'm so sorry! I should have tried harder to find you!" he said as Yuya sighed, hearing his friend's heart hammering wildly against his chest as Yuya smiled a bit.

"Who in the hell is this weird lookin' goon bear huggin' the kid?" Crow asked in confusion.

"Geeze Louise, you always gotta make such a fuss, Gon." All eyes turned to the form of someone lying back on one of the beds. Crow and Shinji looked towards the person, wearing the same red colored jacket as Yuya, Gongenzaka, and Sylvio as he sat up while another person was settled leaning against the wall near them.

"You're one to talk, you clown," said a familiar voice.

"Hey, didn't I tell him we'd run into 'em eventually?" they sat up, coming into the light alongside the other person as Sylvio's eyes lit up.

"Dennis! Shay! Oh, thank the Lord!" he cheered as Gongenzaka finally let Yuya go.

"Hello, Yuya, Sawatari!" Yuya rushed over to the two of them, relief flooding him.

"Guys, thank Osiris, I was starting to think all of us ended up in another part of the world or something," he admitted. Dennis smiled, reaching out to muse the boy's messy hair.

"Na, all of us are way better than to get that split up. Shay here kept trying to do our jobs, but we found him in an underground dueling arena, but unfortunately it got raided when Gon and I were there, and well, here the three of us are." Yuya sighed.

"We all keep getting into trouble, huh?" he said.

"I suppose so, this place is just one bad draw after another. Anyways, where is Serena?" Sylvio looked to them.

"They took her to a private cell because there's mostly guys here, and one of the female guards didn't like that she was going to be here, so she's in another part of the prison," he explained.

"Great, so we're still split up…" Crow shook his head, disbelieving in the situation.

" _All red jackets with those diamond shaped patches, they're a freaking uniformed force! The fuck are these people?"_ he thought.

"O-Oh, so, you people are acquaintances of Boss Gong?" asked the darkly dressed man with black hair.

"No, they are dear friends and comrades of mine." The man nodded.

"Got it, so sorry we behaved that way sir!" Yuya gave him a long look.

"This is Yuya Sakaki, one of my oldest friends. He and my comrades are to be treated with the utmost respect," Gongenzaka stated as the two nodded.

"R-Right…" Shay sent them a scalding look.

"And if you disrespect any of them, you will have me to answer to," he said as they nodded.

"Understood Master Obsidian." Crow laughed.

"Damn, Yuya, you've got some strange friends," he told him as Yuya smiled a bit.

"Yea, but they're some of the most reliable people I know. This big guy here is one of my childhood friends, Noburou Gongenzaka, the guy with the orange hair is Dennis MacField, he's a recent friend, but he's a good person, and the guy with the dark blue hair is Shay Obsidian, he's a good friend, and an amazing fighter, one of the best Duelists I've seen atop that." Shay smirked a bit at Yuya's compliments as Crow sighed.

"Well, I'm Crow Hogan, and this is my buddy Shinji Webber, we've been helpin' out your friends here, so I guess we're comrades now. Good to meet'cha," he said. The two men eyed them.

"Boss Gong's best friend, and another comrade?! We're so sorry! So sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"Gongenzaka? What did you do to them?" he questioned, leaning in a bit.

"I had a long discussion with them about their attitudes." Dennis smiled to Yuya.

"And Shay here gave them a lesson in the art of pain," he stated as Crow gave Shinji a long look.

"I think they're all insane…" Shinji nodded.

"No doubt they are."

A few moments later, Yuya and the others were discussing what had happened up until this point, and had quickly concluded that neither of the formerly separated groups had seen or heard anything about Reiji, Sky, or Tsukikage. Riley, Yuya was happy to report was safe, having been taken by the Ninja of their group, most likely to Reiji, whom he was certain had begun an operation to locate them. Shay brought up Sky, and how the blue-haired Dyren Witch most likely would be searching the entire city for Yuya alone, and would eventually track him and the rest of them down to this prison. The two men who had finally stopped apologizing, were listening, asking how they were certain, and Yuya had smiled, informing them that their comrades were like that, and they wouldn't leave their comrades behind, and would more than likely come to help them soon.

The next topic turned to Yuzu, and Yuya assured them that while they hadn't encountered her, she was in good hands with Hugo. Crow went on to explain that he knew Hugo, and was certain that the boy would take good care of Yuzu, and would most likely help her search for them if any indication came that they were here in the Synchro Dimension. Knowing this, eased the tension of the Lancers, but it didn't change the fact that their situation wasn't a good one. Thus far, within the prison six of the ten Lancers that had come into the Synchro Dimension, were locked away in a prison with all sorts of unsavory and potentially dangerous characters, making the situation precarious at best.

"Well, aren't you the boss around here now Gongenzaka? Can't you do something?" Sylvio asked.

"No, it's not like I'm the actual boss or anything. Just a handful of people have grown to respect me in the last twenty-four hours." Shay sighed.

"We've not been giving anyone an inch to bully us, but the real prison boss, is someone else and he's a tough character," he admitted.

"Then what should we do? We've gotta get out of here and find our comrades, Yuzu, and start looking for the Pillar." Shinji gave the teenagers a confused look.

"Wait, all of you are searching for that Pillar person? Guys! They're not real!" Shay sent a sharp look his way.

"One of my comrades, Yuma Tsukumo, was the Pillar of the Xyz Zone, where I hail from, and he died saving my best friend's life. Don't you dare mock those who bear such a burden, if you do, I will be enticed to show you why my kind are known as the _Lion Witches_ ," he warned. Shinji jolted.

"You're a fucking Risulian?!" Shay nodded.

"Yes, half of the Lancers are Witches, I can guess by your outspoken nature, that you're a Moriac Witch, seems you would get along well with Akari, Yuma's older sister, she's a Scriptor Witch," he mentioned as Crow whistled and the two men felt their jaws slacken.

"Witches?! Your witches?!" Yuya looked to him.

"Well… yea, most of us are. Gongenzaka is a mortal, but he's one of my best friends," he said as the two shook their heads.

"Whoa, what kind of Witches are you guys?" Yuya sighed, glancing to the side, knowing that he would have to lie about himself.

"I'm a Charm Witch!" Dennis said happily.

"Serena is a Kontis Witch…" Shay looked to them.

"I'm a Risulian, as I've said. One of our comrades is a Dyren Witch," he stated.

"And like Yuya said, Sawatari and I are mortals, but we have no trouble working alongside our Witch comrades." Two eyes turned to Yuya.

"What about you?" the man in faded green asked. Yuya swallowed nervously, glancing to the others.

"I'm a… Pendulum Witch. My magic is pretty broad spectrum, and I can use different aspects of magic that most can't… my magic is also a bit stronger than most, but I'm a pureblood so…" the two gawked.

"I've never heard of a Pendulum Witch before, I guess your kinda rare, huh?" Yuya nodded swiftly.

"Pretty much," he answered.

" _ **Nice save, seeing as you created Pendulum Summoning, and you wear a pendulum crystal, I guess it was the best suited excuse."**_ Yuya internally sent Yuto a thumbs up, knowing for a fact that he had to do something to keep that he was a Waking Witch under wraps.

"Anyways, what do we know about this prison boss?" Yuya asked, changing the subject.

"Shay, Gon, and I have only been here for less than a full twenty-four hours, so, we haven't met him yet, but they say he's been here for ten whole years. He's a very stern, traditional man, and apparently is a pretty powerful Witch," Dennis explained as Yuya nodded.

"Then I think we need to have a talk with him at some point soon." Shay nodded.

"Right, well, we're gonna need to go down to get something to eat, for now, we better just play it safe." The group nodded.

"Yea, that's probably best."

 **{…..}**

 _For what has been done, cannot be undone…._

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Alright, so things are starting to get serious, and we're about to meet some new characters. We have most of our Lancers back together, and things can start evolving from here now that we have six of the ten Lancers in the prison. In the next chapter, we'll be seeing a few other things taking place, and a few diverging details from the anime. We've hit one of the main reasons this story was rated M, and suggestive themes is a major plot point in this story, so stick with us as we go deeper into Season II. Let me know what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

There is a lot of foreshadowing in this chapter, it's in tiny details, but pay attention.

The bands on their wrists are thin, but were designed to do as the guard said, and will limit the amount of magic our group can use.

As I'm sure you can guess, with a lack of Duel Disks, things are going to have to be inventive when it comes to Dueling.

Yuto's inappropriately timed Star Wars joke, I've seen so many of those.

Yuya is noted as being a Pendulum Witch at this point and most won't know better until the later half of this arc.


	67. Chapter 67: Obstacles & Ordinance

Chapter 67: Obstacles & Ordinance

 **{Northern Detention Center: August 5** **th** **, 2014: 9:45am}**

On the second day of them being in the Detention Center, Yuya and the others went down to the bottom of the tower where food was served for a couple of hours during different periods of the day, blended in with the other prisoners as they all stayed close by one another. Gongenzaka had gotten his food first, and had moved off to the side to wait for the others with Dennis and Shay getting their tray next, followed by Crow and Shinji who had gotten a bit less than the other three. Yuya stepped up with Sylvio behind him as Serena was escorted away to her cell to eat in private. It made them nervous, that they couldn't stay together, but they supposed for the time being, not causing any trouble would be best. Sighing, the man behind the counter put a tiny amount of food on Yuya's tray, and he smirked as Yuya gave him a long look.

"That's all I get? Seriously?" the man shrugged.

"It's cuz we ain't got enough made in back," he said.

"Bullshit! I can see behind you." The man looked him over.

"Well, if ya want more, I'm gonna expect a little payment," he stated as Yuya narrowed his eyes.

"And what would that be?" he smirked, looking him over with a glint in his eyes.

"Either a card, or maybe you can offer me something more physical? Whatta ya say?" he questioned, leaning forward a bit as Yuya ground his teeth together, and not a moment later, he slammed the tray in the man's face, splattering the small bit of food on him and the counter as he bared his teeth at him.

"Like fucking hell, I will!" Yuya walked away, coming to stand off to the side, the others looking to him as the prisoner cleaned the remains of the food off his face, his gaze following Yuya as he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yuya? Aren't you – "the boy looked to the side.

"I'm not hungry," he stated, cutting Dennis off.

"Oh, okay…" Sawatari frowned, looking to them.

"Hey, give me a little extra. My friend needs to eat too," he said as the man rolled his eyes.

"That little tease needs to learn when to keep his mouth shut and when to open it." Sawatari bit the inside of his cheek.

"Mother fucking…" the man gave him a tiny bit of food and he rolled his eyes, as he walked away, Crow looking at the red-eyed boy.

He wasn't sure what it was that had gotten Yuya to act the way he had, but he was given the distinct feeling that it wasn't pleasant, and the other person was deserving of having the tray slammed in his face. Yuya walked beside them, the group heading towards a table near the back where they would be able to stay away from the other inmates, and had mostly ignored them as they headed closer to their destination. Shay and Gongenzaka were already at the table staking claim to it as the others approached, but were suddenly stopped as a nearby inmate smirked, and stuck his leg out a bit, tripping Yuya and causing him to crash to the ground with a pained hiss. Crow, Shinji, and Sylvio turned, panicking a bit as Shay, Dennis, and Gongenzaka looked towards the boy.

"Yuya!" Crow called to him as the boy winced.

"Hey! Are you alright?" Shay came over to the boy, putting his hands on the boy's shoulders as Yuya slowly got himself up on his knees.

"Okay, that hurt…" the inmate chuckled.

"Mind getting' out of the way bud? We were enjoying the show," he said as Shay sent him a scathing look.

"What did you just say?" the man rolled his eyes.

"You hard of hearin'? I said you need to get out of the way, that little doll you got there was givin' us a show," he said as Yuya gripped his upper arm, feeling a bruise forming under his fingers.

"How about you keep your eyes and hands to yourself before I _make you eat them."_ Shay looked to Yuya who glared at the man.

"Oh, I get it, he's yours ain't he? Guess that suits, the others ain't much to look at other than the girl who was with ya. Since she's hands off, I was kinda hopin' you'd feel up ta sharin' your little toy there," he stated as Shay stood.

"Don't make me bust your teeth in." the man got up from his feet, getting in Shay's face.

"Tough guy, huh? Maybe you'd like to take his place?" Yuya shot to his feet at that.

"He said to _back the fuck off!_ Now do it!" he snarled, as a flare of crimson magic formed around his body, eyes glowing with the same shade as freshly drawn blood as he bared his teeth. Those watching were startled by the sight as Yuya's demeanor changed, the energy around his body displaying itself as a visceral force that sent a chill down their spines as dark marks appeared under his eyes, causing Shay to place a hand upon Yuya's shoulder, hoping to ease his sudden flare up.

"What the hell are you? Some kind of demon?" Yuya felt his body flinch as the man looked to him with a spooked expression.

"No, but if you don't step back, I'll show you _how demonic I can really be_ ," he threatened as Shay kept his hands firmly on the boy. The man put his hands up, backing away as he stared into murderous crimson eyes, and he sat back down, ducking his head as Yuya found himself shaking with the effort of reigning in his magic.

Shinji and Crow watched as Shay remained steadfast, keeping his hands upon the boy's shoulders as Yuya ground his teeth together, pulling in shaky breaths as he tried to get a hold on himself, putting a hand over his face as he clutched at the front of his shirt, hands trembling while Shay watched him, preparing to help the boy calm himself down as he tensed, body shaking once more as he lowered his arms to his sides and tried to walk forward, only to sway as his vision blurred and he fell to the side, Shay instantly catching him.

"Yuya! Hey!" Dennis came towards them quickly.

"Is he okay?" Crow looked around.

"Let's get him to the cell," he said swiftly as the group nodded, gathering up their trays as they let Shay rush the boy back up to the cell. All the while, an older man in a worn traditional robe watched the scene go down, his gaze following the blue-haired young man that was carrying the boy away. What he had just witnessed, had most certainly piqued his interest.

 **{Cell: 10:20am}**

Shay laid Yuya down on the bed more towards the center of the cell, being careful not to jostle him as he looked to the others who had come to sit down nearby, the two men whom were acquaintances of Gongenzaka looking worriedly at the boy as Crow came towards him and crouched by the bed, feeling of the boy's forehead as he frowned, feeling a high fever as Dennis and the others came to sit nearby, having quickly finished off their food and preparing to see what was happening while Shinji stood off to the side, contemplating what he had just seen as Crow sighed.

"He's running a pretty high fever," he said.

"What happened back there? Its like he just lost control of himself." Shay huffed.

"His magic is volatile and doesn't obey him at times, so when he get's overly emotional like he did just a moment ago, he loses control," he explained as Crow frowned.

"I know his magic is different, but this is just –" Shinji folded his arms over his chest.

"Alright, come clean. I bought his Pendulum Witch bullshit because it's obvious that he didn't want people knowing what he really is, but I think we need some answers here. What is Yuya really?" he asked as Gongenzaka and the others glanced to one another, contemplating what to do.

"Shouldn't you be more worried about his fever?" a sudden noise caught their attention as scarlet eyes blearily opened, somewhat surprising the others as Yuya looked around the room and slowly tried to sit up.

"Hey! Whoa! Stay still, your burning up," Crow said as he placed his hands on the boy's shoulders.

"It's okay… I get fevers sometimes, no big deal." Shinji narrowed his eyes.

"The fuck? Okay… Yuya, come on, spill it… what are you? I mean, really?" he asked as the boy looked to him.

"I pass out and the first thing I get is a twenty-questions game when I wake up? You don't waste any time, do you?" Shinji sighed, knowing that the boy wouldn't be answering him.

"Fine, I'll let it drop for now. Anyways, are you sure your okay? Your magic seemed like it was giving you a lot of trouble," he said.

"Yea, I heal quick, so don't worry about my health, I'm fine. My magic just doesn't listen to me as well as most peoples do." Crow sighed, relieved.

"At least your up, but you sure did rebound fast," he told him as Yuya smiled a bit.

"I tend to… I'm not as fragile as I look, okay? Besides, I just got dizzy and lost consciousness for a few minutes, don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

"If your sure…" Yuya gave them a bright smile, sitting up fully.

"I'm sure, don't worry. Like I said, I'm fine," he assured them.

The remainder of the day had a strange feel to it, almost as if it wasn't really happening, but they also knew it was. Dennis, Shay, and Gongenzaka had been given the task of cleaning the floors in the dining area, while Yuya, Crow, Shinji, and Sylvio were put together with four other inmates to wash the dishes and then clean the showers. It had been a bit of a chore, but they were almost done, and were thankfully allowed to use magic to some degree, but after the outburst of his magic earlier, Yuya found himself to drained to really do much – which he attributed to the bands he was being made to wear – and had opted to wash the dishes by hand. Now in the showers, the group of eight were being made to clean them before dinner time arrived, but as soon as they started to get the orders to get to work, each of the four blue-clothed inmates handed the guard a card each, giving excuses that they had a bad cold, a muscle cramp in their shoulders, not having eaten enough, or being exhausted.

The guard accepted the cards, telling the other four to get to work, and that if they wanted to shower while cleaning that was fine, but the boiler had been turned off, meaning they'd have to deal with cold water. Huffing, Yuya grabbed one of the brooms as the guard left, going to each of the shower heads to turn them on as he muttered several things under his breath in every language he knew while he started getting the soap out, pouring it out on the floor as the water started to fill the area a bit before they were turned off. The others stared a bit surprised as Yuya continued his mumblings while he started scrubbing the floor with the broom, being thankful it was a square ended one instead of the traditional ones that were mostly seen in a Witch's house.

Sylvio grabbed another broom, getting it soaped up before he started scrubbing the walls while Shinji took another side and Crow got to work on the floor alongside Yuya who was still mumbling. The group continued their work, mostly quiet as they heard a faint series of words coming from the Odd-Eyes Duelist who had his eyes narrowed as he kept working. Finally, Shinji decided to listen closer to the boy's muttering, and soon found it to be a string of different languages, mottled together as the boy kept scrubbing the floors.

"What are you saying?" he asked as Yuya glanced his way.

"Sorry, it's a bad habit of mine…" Crow rose an eyebrow.

"Habit?" he inquired as Yuya nodded, scrubbing at an area of the floor.

"When someone pisses me off, I start muttering in different languages. My aunt taught me a few different ones, so now when I get irritated, I start switching between them." Sylvio watched him, scrubbing the walls still.

"But what were you saying?" Yuya glanced to the side.

"I may or may not have just cursed a few people here… let's see how they like things cold…" he smirked as he kept scrubbing, causing Sylvio to gape at him.

"You, my dear friend, are the definition of creepy," he stated. Yuya shrugged, going over to the shower heads and sighing as he held his arm up a bit and rotated his hand in a clock-wise position, turning on all the shower heads at once, causing Shinji to stare at him in disbelief.

"How did you do that?" Yuya looked to him.

"Um… household magic, my aunt taught me how to use it, so I do, but I had to get my energy back up before I could. Now that it is, I can get this done a bit quicker," he explained as he started to use a few water spells to hit the soaped-up areas around them.

"Does anyone know what the hell is going on with that card deal?" Crow shook his head.

"I've seen it a few times, but you know that Duel Monsters is a trading card game originally, so for a while, I just figured it was people trading to strengthen their decks for when they got out, now though… I'm starting to get a feeling something's wrong," he admitted.

"Yea, me too…"

 **{Cell: 5:04pm}**

The group had returned soon after finishing with the shower, tired and ready for rest before dinner that night. Yuya laid back against the bed, taking in a deep breath as Sylvio sat beside him, Dennis, Gongenzaka, and Shay having returned a few moments earlier than them. However, it hadn't taken long for them to ask the others the question of if they understood what the card ordeal was, and it had been Dennis who had looked to them, from his place leaning against the wall, to give the answer.

"Wait, you mean no one told you? In this place, cards are about as important as your life," he said.

"The guard mentioned something about that when we arrived yesterday." Shay nodded.

"In this world, cards carry the same worth as money. I'll bet Shinji and Crow have heard rumors about this happening at least once or twice," he mentioned as Crow shook his head.

"No, I haven't." Shinji looked to them.

"Yea, I have the two times I was in the eastern Detention Center. Normally, they don't put Witches under the age of eighteen in the one we're at now, but for some reason, they felt you guys were enough of a threat to do so," he stated as Yuya let out a heavy huff.

"So, they were paying off the guard?" Dennis nodded.

"If you buy the guards over with cards, they'll treat you much better. But I also heard a rumor that they'll get you anything you want too," he said.

"Anything you want? What's that mean?" Yuya sat up as Shay looked to the others.

"You can have more shower time, get more or better food, have less chores, or… a person," he told them as Yuya flinched and looked down.

"That's sick! You can't buy a person!" Crow looked to Sylvio.

"Oh really? Did you forget that slavery used to be a thing and still is in some parts of the world?" he inquired.

"No, I just figured any civilized society wouldn't have the mind set that paying someone lets you have a person! What would they want with them anyways?" Yuya looked to Sawatari.

"Think about it, carefully," he stated. It took a moment, and once it finally struck the blonde-brunette felt his face darken before he put a hand to his mouth.

"That's disgusting…" Shinji shook his head.

"It might be, but that's how things go. People aren't as cultured as they pretend to be… hell, even Witches have done some less than savory things in the past," he said as Yuya nodded, Sylvio frowning.

"Like what? All the stuff I've ever heard about you guys comes from movies, books, TV shows, and the things the church tells us." Dennis sighed.

"Witches and other magic users over the centuries have gotten involved in some nasty historical events, I mean, occasionally, it was for the best, but let's just say that some wars wouldn't have happened if we'd stayed out of it," he explained.

"And fewer plagues would have been spread if they didn't think we were to blame for everything that went wrong." Yuya folded his arms over his chest as Shay eyed him.

"I'm not sure why, but that reminds me. Sakaki, You threw your tray at that man earlier; did you get irritated at him or something?" he probed as the boy glanced to the side.

"No, he… made me an offer I had to refuse." The others gave the boy a shocked look.

"What do you mean by that? he didn't ask you to…" Sylvio trailed off at the sickened look on his friend's face.

"Not directly, but he didn't have to be blunt for me to know what he was asking. I'm young, but I'm not stupid, not by any means," Yuya stated, scarlet eyes hardened as he stared at the ground.

"That's not gonna help you though." The boy looked to Shinji.

"I'm not sure I follow you," he said.

"Honestly, I'd be more worried if I didn't have to explain this. Shay? Dennis? Gongenzaka? Did anyone make any kind of suggestions towards you when you three arrived?" Gongenzaka shook his head.

"No, I, was left alone. Shay had an acquisition made to him, and he broke the person's nose. Dennis, was left be for the most part, and when someone stared to long, he made it clear quickly. We only had problems in the first four hours, afterwards, we were left be," he answered as Shinji nodded a bit.

"Something told me it'd go that way. Yuya, you and the others have been here for a day, and already two people have made advances to you… that's not good." Sylvio looked to him and then glanced to Yuya.

"Your saying they want to… oh man… that's twisted," he said as Crow nodded.

"It is, but, we know why they're acting that way…" he eyed the red-green-haired boy who gave him a confused look.

"What are you getting at?" Dennis smiled at the boy in a slightly unsure manner, almost as if he was trying to find the right words to tell him something.

"Um, Yuya… I'm not sure you're aware of this, but… you're very… um… attention grabbing," he stated as Yuya gave him a deadpan look.

"How about you not beat around the bush, and just tell it to my face?" Dennis gave a nervous laugh.

"Gods, he's saying your _pretty and petite,_ so some people here are gonna have wandering eyes when it comes to you," Shay stated bluntly, causing Yuya to turn an interesting shade of dark almost purple-red as he shot to his feet.

"I-I am not pretty okay! Besides, I'm a guy! I mean come on!" Shinji looked to him.

"Do you think that'll matter? We're in a Detention Center, Yuya. Half of the people here shouldn't be, but there are some in this place that can and will harm those they get the chance to," he said as Yuya gave him an annoyed look, his blush remaining.

"Don't act like I can't fight. I'm a Witch, and I know how to use combative magic." Shay looked him over.

"But you're not skilled in Variances, or major spells that would keep people from attempting things. Hell, none of us are technically safe from any kind of threat, but the kind we're talking about is a bigger issue for you and even Sylvio… your younger than the rest of us, and are far more appealing to the eye, so we're warning you to be extremely aware of your surroundings," he warned as Yuya sighed, flopping down onto the bed.

"Alright, I get it. But the question is, can we really do anything about this?" Crow looked to the group.

"Watching each other's backs is our best course of action, in addition, we need to have someone on our sides at all times. Shinji and I have friends here, so when it comes to you younger ones, we'll try and have them keep tabs on each of us as often as we can," he stated.

" _Yuto? Do you think they're being overly cautious?"_ Yuto hummed.

" _ **To a degree, I do. Only because they've not considered that the guards could suspect we're up to something, such as escape, and split everyone up so we can't plot,"**_ he replied.

" _Then what should we do? I get that we've had those creeps make a pass at me, but they seem like they're not going to bother us."_ Yuto shook his head.

" _ **People like that don't just walk away after one failure, Yuya. It's both a good and terrible personality trait to possesses, depending upon whom has it. For now, I would just mind yourself, and do as they say. Crow and Shinji know how this place works better than anyone else in our group,"**_ he stated as Yuya tilted his head a bit, as a means to give him an answer.

"So, we'll just have to –" the doors opened on the cell, rattling a bit and capturing everyone's attention as the guard that had brought Yuya and the others in appeared.

"Hey, you lot, get your asses out here. Someone asked for you," he said as Gongenzaka frowned.

"Someone asked for us?" the guard sighed.

"I just said that dumbass, now move it," he stated as the group got to their feet and started out of the cell, the guard looking to the nine people before he started following them, pressing his baton into the middle of Yuya's back as he did so, causing the boy to shoot him a glare.

"Hey!" the man smirked.

"A birdy told me that you're the one who took a chunk out of Kauffman's face, like some kinda wild beast, is that true?" the others kept walking, watching the man out of the corner of their eyes.

"And if it is?" Yuya questioned.

"Well, I kinda want to pry that pretty mouth of yours open and see if there are any fangs. He said you had'em when you bit down on his face and ripped clean through the skin and muscle." Scarlet eyes narrowed.

"If you try it, I'll bite your fingers off, got it dumbass?" the guard whistled.

"Hell, one of the prisoners said you were a mouthy brat, I guess they were right… eh, I couldn't really care, but you do have a bit of a rep in this prison. Word got out when Kauffman showed up early this morning and some of the inmates heard him talkin' about the little demon he had attack him," he mentioned off-handedly.

"Then how are you sure it was me?" the guard smiled at his question.

"Because, he described you… red-green hair, medium skin tone, petite, and scarlet eyed. Also, he said your name… Yuya Sakaki," he said, leaning in to where he was at the boy's ear, causing him to tense.

"Really… well, then, maybe you shouldn't get so close." The guard moved away, and shrugged.

"Hey, just curious is all… I wanted to meet the newest creature," he explained.

 **{Cellblock A – 17: 6:15pm}**

The group of nine were brought into a cell that had traditional Japanese accents from a folding screen with a bonsai tree on it, a set of katana on the right-hand corner where a safe seemed to be, tatami mats, a small fridge at the left hand corner, a long sofa, a table with a bottle of wine and a glass upon it, and three people in traditional kimonos. The first two were smaller men in faded teal and powder blue robes, both with marks upon their face, and the last, was a man in his early mid-fifties, wearing a faded green robe with a short-trimmed haircut. He was barefoot, and had a stern expression upon his face, his eyes sharp like glass as he looked forward to the group from a covered box-shaped object.

" _ **Survey says, this is the boss of the prison…"**_ Yuya nodded a bit.

" _No doubt… he looks like a tough character too… great…"_ he thought.

" _ **Keep a level head, okay? Don't do anything risky."**_ Just as the words left Yuto, the man in the pale blue robe stepped forward.

"Well, about damn time! Boss Tokumatsu personally asked for you bunch of green horns to come here," he said.

"Tokumatsu?" Sylvio sighed, looking at the two.

"Whadd'ya mean he personally called for us?! Get off your high horse!" he stated. Yuya sighed.

" _He's gonna get himself in a world of trouble one of these days…."_

"What did you just say? You little twerp!" Dennis looked to Sylvio.

"Right now may not be the best time for you to run your mouth," he said.

"Eh? They don't have a right to – "Shay elbowed him in the side.

"Dumbass, we're on their turf, we play by their rules right now," he muttered.

"Take'em out." Everyone stopped at the deep voice that came from Tokumatsu, a powerful sound that demanded respect, and caused a shiver to race up their spines.

"What?" the man in the blue robe stepped forward.

"He means yer cards! Take out yer cards!" he stated.

"Our cards?" the teal-robed man nodded.

"If ya wanna have an enjoyable life here, take out yer damn cards!" he told them.

Tokumatsu watched them, disinterested as he prepared to receive yet another tribute from new comers to the prison. It had been this way for ten years, and he was well adjusted to the custom, and had no intention of letting it slide. Chojirou Tokumatsu was a traditional man, and liked things simple, orderly, and direct; however, it was as he observed the nine people, that he received a bit of a shock as a pair of ruby colored eyes narrowed.

"I refuse!" his two men jolted in surprise as he watched the boy.

"You _what?!"_ they asked as the boy glared.

"I also refuse. I, the manly Gongenzaka, do not have a single card in my deck I would ever dare to misuse in order to kiss the rear of some prison boss!" The giant of a teenager replied with this statement, and soon, all of the people with them were nodding their heads in agreement.

"Refuse? You don't get to fucking refuse! This is Boss Tokumatsu's domain, you give him tribute, and you get an easier time!" the blue-robed man declared as the red-green-haired boy glared.

"I hate to break it to you, but you're a human being! Not a God! There's no way in the deepest depths of Tartaros, I would ever pay _tribute to a mortal man whose done nothing to earn my respect!"_ the boy kept the sharp glare on his face and the two lackies felt their eyes widen.

"You little fuck, don't go runnin' your mouth! If you do, you'll regret it!" the teal-robed man warned.

"Like I fucking care! I can't waste any time getting out, so I'd never do something to attempt to find this hellhole or a life here enjoyable in the _least!_ " Tokumatsu drew in a full breath, looking into the boy's eyes.

There was fire there, embedded deep within his soul. Tokumatsu could see and feel it from where he sat, as it radiated off the boy in a manner akin to a wild flame, untamed and bearing its fangs like a wolf. Those rich red eyes bore into him, like the gaze of a predator, but within that sudden aggression, Tokumatsu saw light, pure and untouched by the sins of the world. It made him curious, but equally angered, that such a naïve hobbit of a child, would dare to speak out against him.

"Listen up, I'm the boss of this joint. Meanin' _I make the rules of this establishment._ So, you little rats have no choice but to obey me! Those're the rules of the world we live in," he said. Scarlet eyes narrowed once more.

"Hell no! I'm not obeying you!" Tokumatsu shot to his feet.

"You little ingrate! I'll make you listen to me!" he snapped as the boy ground his teeth together.

"Try me!" Tokumatsu narrowed his gaze.

"This is my place, I hold the power here boy, if you wish to know proof, look no further!" he stated as in a flourish, he ripped off the white fabric that was covering the object he'd been sitting on, revealing it to be thousands of cards.

It was a shocking sight, and Tokumatsu knew that very well, but when he looked into the boy's eyes again, he saw amazement, and a hint of acceptance that he was clearly strong; however, the boy's gaze remained unyielding in the fire that was spawned within them. The elder Duelist ground his teeth together, stepping forward as the boy stood his ground unmoving even as he towered over him. He was tiny, the smallest out of their group, and yet, he stood tall, unflinching as Tokumatsu stared him down, seeing the fire remain ablaze, his expression calm, but stern, showing that he had quite the talent for hiding his nerves, if he felt any. Humming, Tokumatsu looked him over once more.

"I know you… you're the one they say took a bite out of Officer Kauffman's face the other day. The Demon, that's what he called you… but to think such a fragile looking thing could do commit such a brutal act, is rather surprising," he said as the boy took in a deep breath.

"He had it coming… people who mistreat others, and make things twisted and vile… they deserve some form of punishment." Tokumatsu frowned.

"Everything is twisted and vile, that is how the world works," he stated with a calm glare as the boy looked him directly in the eye.

"No, it's not! Things are only evil if you make them out to be! Nothing is inherently evil! It becomes that way because s _omeone made it so!"_ the man hummed.

There was light, bright as a flame in the darkness of night, warm and vibrant, pulsing like the heart of a young, innocent spirit. This boy in front of him was filled with that sense of purity, of dignity, of purpose and courage, but most of all, his eyes shined with wisdom, a deep, knowing kind that surpassed most his age. Tokumatsu found himself intrigued again, unable to directly read this child in front of him unlike all others he'd seen here. Sighing, he folded his arms across his chest, looking down at the child.

"Is that what you believe? Child, you are the epidimy of naïve, the world is corrupt, and cold, just like these cards I've collected for ten years. That is why the card system is here, because it is them, serving the purpose of those who hold power, just like everything else in the universe," he stated as the child gritted his teeth.

"That's bullshit! Cards are supposed to be used for Duels!" the man huffed.

"I don't have to listen to a punk kid… Demon or not, you're naive and foolish if you believe everything in inherently good. Nothing is, everything is corrupted in some way, and you are no different. In this prison, cards're proof that you're on top… a Duel is proof of one's power!" he said as the boy shook his head.

"No, they're not! Are the cards powerful? Yes, but Duels are something that's supposed to be enjoyed! Not used to harm others and feed the darkness!" the boy's words struck a chord, a very bad one as Tokumatsu's eyebrow rose, twitching a bit as the teal-robed man, Torii, came to stand near him, followed quickly by Arro.

"To be… _enjoyed?!_ Are you high or something?" laughed Arro.

"Yo, Boss! I say you should try an' e _njoy_ a little somethin' with this little smartass here. He looks like he'd be a good time." Tokumatsu narrowed his eyes as Torii laughed at his own joke.

"Don't you dare insinuate such vulgar things towards a child, you dipshit!" he roared as Torii jumped back.

"S-Sorry… I didn't mean to um…" Tokumatsu glared.

"He might be in a prison, but he is still a child. Your crude joke was tasteless and demeaning, children are not to be hurt in such a manner. Taught their place and a lesson, yes, but never, should anyone dare to lay a hand upon the innocent in such a disgusting manner!" he snapped as Torii nodded, stepping away quickly.

"I apologize, I forgot myself." Tokumatsu huffed, looking back to the others present.

"I intended to be nice to you kids if you started obeying. I like children, they make life better, but I will not tolerate a child shooting their mouth off when they're barely old enough to mind themselves. Guard!" he called as the guard who had escorted the group in came rushing up.

"Y-Yes? What can I get for you, sir?" Tokumatsu threw a card, causing the guard to catch it nervously.

"Retrieve a Duel Disk for me and this little elf here, we're going to have a Duel," he stated.

"O-Oh, um, certainly!" with that the guard left and Tokumatsu moved back to his mat area, standing just in front of the cards as he looked at the boy who would be his opponent.

"Boy!" scarlet eyes settled on him.

"What do you want?" Tokumatsu rose an eyebrow.

"You're a defiant one, aren't you? Well, regardless, we are going to duel, and thus, I want your name," he stated. The group looked between him and the petite boy who took in a steady breath.

"Yuya Sakaki, that's my name." Tokumatsu smirked.

"Great King of the Sacred Tree… fascinating name choice," he said as Yuya jolted.

It was a surprising thing for Yuya to hear, having not mentioned his name meaning to anyone, and he had honestly not understood it even after the letter he'd gotten from his father on his birthday. His name, Yuya, was meant for royalty, which he most certainly wasn't, and his last name was the official name for the Cleyera Japonica, the tree used to tie mirrors and jewels to in order to lure the Goddess Amaterasu out of her hiding spot in order to restore light to the world. It was a strange name, not common, and something Yuya honestly had wondered about, but that aside, it had unnerved him for a complete stranger to know such a thing.

"Not a choice, really." Tokumatsu hummed.

"I see… and judging from your coloring, I'd say you're an Aries, so… a fire sign… befitting of your behavior, I feel," he stated as Yuya narrowed his gaze.

"Alright, I get it now, you really are a Witch. Those weren't just rumors." Tokumatsu smirked.

"Indeed, I am. The kind known as Esquire… and what are you? little elf?" Yuya internally choked down the need to correct him.

"Pendulum Witch," he explained firmly as Tokumatsu smirked.

"Fascinating, I've never heard of a _Pendulum Witch_ before. I suppose you're a recent addition to our skills… that might explain the pendulum crystal settled around your throat, and the one fixed to the belt loop of your pants…" Yuya swallowed, Torii and Arro eyeing him as the scarlet-eyed boy tugged at the hem of his back shirt, making sure to tuck Yuto's pendulum crystal into his pocket.

"Another Witch? Boss, are you sure?" Tokumatsu nodded.

"I am. Yuya Sakaki! I have a keen sight, and what I see is a fiery young soul and an innocent and pure heart… you have been fortunate enough not to encounter the evils of this world; however, the time has come to receive a taste of what coldness this life has to offer," he stated as the guard returned with the Duel Disks and the two strapped them on.

"Sorry, but you don't know me… and I've already gotten a stomach full of the coldness within this life and the darkness that resides within the hearts of everyone... I live with a reminder every single day of what that can drive others to do… and you know what? It helps me see that sometimes, people need to have their hearts and eyes opened again!" Yuya turned the duel Disk on, Tokumatsu shaking his head.

"Aries, the God of War and Flames… those who are born under the sign of the ram are always stubborn, strong of spirit and heart, and have a stout disposition when it comes to their beliefs. You embody it perfectly, but you are yet to learn that cards are the best lawyers in hell, and since you don't seem to understand, no matter how many times I say it, I'll show you firsthand, so prepare yourself, little elf! I'll crush you in a Duel!"

The start of the Duel was interesting, to say the least, Tokumatsu proved to be quite efficient in gaining the things he needed to make quite a problem for Yuya within one turn. Chojirou Tokumatsu, ran a Cardian deck, and thus, with a few well-placed spells, and effects, he had gotten more than enough materials on the field, and had used the effect of the Cardian: Yanangi and Rainman with Umbrella and Poison Frog to perform a Synchro Summon, resulting in him getting out a level eight Cardian Monster known as Ameshikou. This card proved to be a major problem, as the moment Tokumatsu set two cards, ended his turn, and Yuya started his with a draw, he was dealt fifteen hundred points of direct damage.

Yuya wouldn't lie, the attack hurt quite a bit, but at the same time, he wasn't about to let that get the best of him. Tokumatsu's constant statement that Duels were a sign of pure strength, and nothing more, did nothing to sway him, the man repeating his earlier statement that it was because of his Zodiac sign that he was so impossibly stubborn. Yuya ground his teeth together, and pulled off a Pendulum Summon, wowing those who had never seen it before, Tokumatsu sizing it up, and seeing that his magic coated the summoning mechanic in a thick blanket.

"You created this, did you not?" he probed as Yuya nodded.

"I did, Pendulum Summoning was born from my heart and the heart of the cards. This came to me when I needed it most, and I accepted it wholly…" Tokumatsu smirked.

"Little elf, you're so impossibly naive. It's not good to be so in a world like this… since you summoned out three Monsters with your little heart-to-heart method, I'll be putting you in your place! My Continuous Trap! Fraud Freeze! I can activate this card when my opponent Special Summons Monsters from their hand, and those Monsters are returned to the hand!" he stated as Yuya swore under his breath as Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, Performapal Tettertotter Hopper, and Performapal Sellshell Crab were brought back to his hand.

"Shit!" Dennis tensed.

"My Gods! Yuya's Pendulums are basically being called a cheat!" he stated as Shay sighed.

"Right, and as long as that Trap Card remains in play, Pendulum Summons are all but useless." Yuya took in a steady breath.

"So, what? I've had them be called cheats before, as far as I'm concerned, they can be cosmic cheat codes, and I'll still put my faith in myself and the heart of the cards!" he said as Tokumatsu frowned.

He remembered that saying, once, he had said it as well, swelling the adoration and hopes of many children in the Commons area. However, his belief in the heart of the cards had been shattered many years ago, back when the boy standing before him, with his undying fire present within his eyes, would have only been four years old. Shaking his head, Tokumatsu looked him directly in the eye.

"Little elf, no one's broken my winning streak in here for ten years. You were a toddler when I began climbing to where I am now, and I'll be damned if I let you sit there and preach about something as absurd as the heart of the cards when you're so naïve, you don't even remotely know how the world works! But allow me to show you!"

Tokumatsu wasted no time in laying Yuya flat almost in a matter of moments. The scarlet-eyed boy stood even after having his Defense position monster destroyed, his mind going through a series of plans and how they would play out. There was a lot Yuya was aiming for here, winning to prove _his point,_ to make others see what was going on, and then, his most important goal, was bring something back to Tokumatsu that he had clearly lost at some point in his life. It formed around him like stringy tar-like tendrils, his loss of hope, of belief in the heart of the cards, and the goodness that existed in people if they were given the chance to let it shine through.

" _ **Every time you draw, you'll take fifteen-hundred points of direct damage, how are you gonna get around Ameshikou's effect?"**_ Yuto asked him as Yuya took in a deep breath.

" _For now, I'm gonna have to take it, but I have a plan set up, just sit back and watch me awaken the real him."_ Yuto rose an eyebrow.

" _ **The real him? What do you mean?"**_ he questioned as Yuya smirked a bit.

" _He's experienced a lot in his life, and while he endured it, he tried to remain true to himself… but something got him, and turned off the lights that would help him stay who he used to be…"_

Yuto sighed, not quite being sure of what Yuya meant. It was at times like these, that he wondered what went through the Waking Witch's head as he sat back and did as Yuya suggested he do. He watched, waiting for something to change, and as the Duel progressed, something did indeed begin to do just that. he, and everyone else – including the hundreds of prisoners who were now watching on the other side of the bars – saw Tokumatsu's hard expression soften, his eyes gaining a shine to them as Yuya blocked his combo with an endless loop of Performapal Tettertotter hopper, and Performapal Raingoat.

This, was something Yuto Kisaragi was baffled by when it came to the boy whose body he was sharing. Yuya, as his aunt and even he had stated, seemed to have a gift to connect with the hearts of others, but there was a side of him that just seemed to be able to reach deep within another, and pull out the good in them, almost as if his own light was infectious. A small smile came to the Shadow Witch's face as Tokumatsu broke into a wide smile, calling out to enjoy the duel, his entire demeanor being lifted of its hardness and gloom as Yuya pulled off a move with his Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon in the Pendulum Zone, and with a few quick effects thanks to Performapal Sellshell Crab, Timegazer Magician, and Odd-Eyes himself, Prison Boss Chojirou of the Autumn Rain was defeated in a blaze of glory.

As soon as the man hit the tatami mats beneath him, and the counter went to zero, people were left in shock, but he only laughed, Yuya coming to help him up as the older man looked into the eyes of the child that had annoyed him because of his stubbornness, and saw him in a new light. Chojirou Tokumatsu, was a simple, orderly man who preferred things to be straight to the point, but at this exact moment, things for him were in chaos, and he was laughing, realizing that Yuya Sakaki, had somehow lifted the fog that had clung to him for these last ten years, and finally, he was free to be Enjoy Chojirou once more.

 **{…..}**

 _In the evil's heart, in the evil's soul…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** I know, some of you are going to complain that I didn't show the Duel between Yuya and Tokumatsu, but I feel that right now character development is more important than killing you with duels seeing as we're not to far off from the Friendship Cup and there will be a boatload of Duels. You also may want to hold on tight, because we're about to jump into one of the darker parts of this arc, so, be prepared. Tell me what you think.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

The word Demon is used 5 times in this chapter, each time being pointed at Yuya.

The F-word was used seven times in this chapter. Whoops…

Yuya had a Sorcerer's Apprentice moment in the showers.

The word enjoy/enjoyed was used 8 times in this chapter.

The chapter title: Obstacles and Ordinance, refers to the challenges the group is facing, and the rules that are going to have to change now and in the near future in not only the prison, but for each Lancer personally on how they will go about this struggle, in addition to the overarching structure of Neo City as it is.

Cardian cards are actually pretty interesting, they actually were put into print, they are known as _Flower Cardian_ in the English OCG & TCG, and are inspired by the Hanafuda Cards played in Japan.

Ameshikou means – Light Shower. Right -_-


	68. Chapter 68: Plight

Chapter 68: Plight

 **{Detention Center: August 6** **th** **, 2014: 9:40am}**

Yuya and the others were sitting at a table with Tokumatsu as he ate, talking with them all and enjoying the conversation they'd picked up. The Cardian Duelist had happily picked up the topic of summoning formats with them, learning that the man actually was aware of the different forms, and mentioned that before settling down in Neo City, he had traveled quite a bit, and seen and learned about the other means of summoning, save for Pendulum Summoning, due to it only being a few months old. Shay was seated next to Dennis, Gongenzaka on his left, followed by Sylvio, Yuya, Max and Rent – the two who followed Gongenzaka around – Crow, and finally Shinji.

"I see, so you were serious when you said that you created Pendulum Summoning with your magic, if I think about it, a Witch of your age being able to perform magic of that feat seems almost mythical," Tokumatsu told him.

"What? No! I – I just have a really great teacher." Tokumatsu smiled.

"Little elf, you're to modest. All the same, your friends are quite the interesting sort, are all of you from out of town as well?" he inquired as Crow shook his head.

"Na, Shinji and I are from the Commons area." The man nodded.

"Ah! I understand now, so all of you wearing red jackets are in a group? But what on earth did a bunch of children do to get themselves thrown into the Northern Detention Center of all places?" Tokumatsu asked them as Yuya glanced to the others.

"We may have upset the natural order of things, but I get the feeling that something else is going on here." The man looked them over at Dennis's explanation.

"Nothing about this city is natural if one were to ask me. People looking down upon one another, thinking themselves better because of a half-assed thing like pedigree," he mentioned as Yuya shrugged.

"I'm a pureblood Witch, but I don't care about who I'm friends with. Besides, I only judge people upon how they treat others." Tokumatsu eyed the boy, shaking his head.

"Ha, if only everyone could see things through the eyes of children. I must admit, even when you were being a little upstart, I did admire the fire in your eyes, and your determination to stay true to your beliefs. However, you need to be careful, it's good to have strong beliefs and be a dreamer, but one must be able not to get lost in that dream and forget the reality of the situations they may face," he told Yuya who nodded.

"I know, my aunt says that a lot. I think it'll be okay though, I'm not trying to make mass change in no time… I just think that if I can make one person happy… if I can help them feel better when they're left feeling broken… then maybe I've done something good... no matter what ultimately happens, if I can help someone heal… by making them smile again, giving them a reason to laugh… then I know I've done right by who I am." Shay smiled a bit to himself, the others giving the boy a few bright grins as Tokumatsu nodded, smiling.

"Well spoken, and I can tell your personality as an Aries is most certainly a greater help than anything else," he said as Sylvio frowned.

"Wait, Yuya, you said you were born on May first, wouldn't that make you the bull-thing?" the boy laughed a bit.

"You mean the Taurus, well… technically yes, but Witches have a different astrological calendar than mortals do," he explained.

"Eh?" Dennis laughed as well at the confused look on the faces of the mortals at their table.

"There are thirteen Zodiac Signs according to our astrological calendar. You know how there are twelve usually, and they start with Aries, and goes all the way down to Sagittarius, right?" the mortals nodded.

"Yea, I mean, even we know some astrology." Dennis smiled.

"True, but the Witch's calendar starts with _Capricorn_ , which is January twentieth, to February sixteenth, then _Aquarius_ , which ends on _March_ eleventh, followed by that is _Pisces_ , which ends on April eighteenth, then _Aries_ , which ends on May thirteenth. From there, we have _Taurus_ , ending on June twenty first, _Gemini_ that stops on July twentieth, _Cancer,_ ending on August tenth, _Leo,_ rounding up on September sixteenth, followed by _Virgo_ on October thirtieth _, Libra,_ on November twenty-third, _Scorpio_ , ending on November twenty-ninth, and then, we have the thirteenth Zodiac sign," he stated.

"Which is what? A snake or somethin'?" Yuya glanced to Sylvio.

"Actually, it is. Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer, November twenty-ninth to December seventeenth. So, yea, I'm an Aries," he stated as the blonde dropped his spoon, causing Tokumatsu to sigh, nodding to Arro and Torii who were quick to pull away everyone's trays and place far more appetizing meals in front of them.

"That's mind blowing… and are you sure this is okay?" Tokumatsu nodded to them.

"Its fine, I must thank you all for helping give me my spirit back! And little elf?" Yuya jolted, looking at the man.

"U-Um… yes?" Tokumatsu smiled, pushing some grilled chicken towards the boy alongside rice, and a few randomized vegetables.

"Eat up, you need to put some meat on that scrawny body of yours," he said as Yuya sunk a bit.

"I was premature, okay? I can't help that I'm small…" some of the group laughed a bit at his putout expression while Tokumatsu joined in, reaching over to pat the boy on the head in a grandfatherly way.

"Just try and keep your strength up, alright?" Yuya sighed, smiling.

"If you say so…" the boy took to eating a few things off the plate he'd been given while Dennis rose an eyebrow suddenly.

"I was wondering, why do you call Yuya little elf?" Tokumatsu looked to him and then glanced to Yuya.

"Because, he reminds me of an adorable little Christmas elf." Yuya let out a squeak at that, turning a shade of red that rivaled his hair, causing the group to laugh, not being able to keep it in despite their efforts. Shay smiled, chuckling to himself as he recalled Yuto and Yuma having some similar situations happen when it came to Astral.

" _You chose right, in putting your trust in him, Nakama… I see that now…"_

 **{West Wing Showers: 11:02am}**

"If we use these brooms here, we can get the cleaning done quicker," Yuya said to Shay as he nodded, the two of them getting to work.

For some reason, Shay and Yuya had been pared together for cleaning the wash rooms alongside Dennis and Sylvio. After Tokumatsu had ordered the guards not to put all the work on _his children,_ the group had been given some of the somewhat easier tasks, but all the same didn't mind the work. Yuya and Shay had the left side of the showers while Dennis and Sylvio had taken the right, the four of them on the outer area before meeting in the center. The Lancers had hung their jackets up nearby them, and with Arro and Torii not far from them, they knew the red symbols for their group wouldn't be going anywhere.

Sighing, Shay glanced to Yuya who was on the tips of his toes to get the higher part of the wall, eyeing him as the boy stretched as best he could to get to the places he needed to on his part of the wall. It made him smile a bit, only because Yuya and Yuto had a great deal in common, but the thing that got him the most, was that funnily enough, he was certain Yuto was taller than the Odd-Eyes Duelist. blowing his bangs out of his eyes, Yuya struggled to reach up high enough, and found himself trying to use wind spells to give himself a push, but was unable to keep it up due to the anti-magic bands on his wrists.

Huffing, blowing his bangs out of his eyes once more, Yuya jumped once more, hoping to get enough time with his magic to reach where he needed to when suddenly a pair of hands grabbed him around the waist and he jumped, nearly bashing the person over the head only to find it was Shay, who gave him a somewhat sheepish look before crouching down, tilting his head to Yuya to get on his back. The boy gave him a somewhat unsure look before slowly, he climbed onto the other's shoulders and Shay stood, causing Yuya to yelp a bit in surprise as Shay looked to him.

"Can you reach now?" Yuya found himself turning pink in the face.

"You didn't have to help…" he mentioned.

"Well, if I didn't, it would be likely you'd be there all day trying to get these few spots. Besides, your basically a hobbit with how tiny you are." Yuya puffed out his cheeks, finding an indignant expression appearing on his face.

"I'm not that short…" Shay shook his head.

"Just get it done, okay?" he asked as Yuya nodded, starting to reach the areas he needed to with this part of the showers.

Shay stood in place, being sure to hold onto Yuya's legs while the boy tried to get his task done quickly, the Risulian Witch recalling a few times he had to do this with Yuto – even after the Invasion had started – due to his lack in the height department. The Raidraptor Duelist shifted his grasp on the boy's legs, holding him by the knees this time as Yuya kept working, his mind thinking back to Yuto and the times they'd had to do this as well when they had been helping to set up things for the school festival.

It was a fond memory, and while things were crazy that day, it had all been worth it, and he was grateful that the work had been put in to make it what it was. However, he would admit one thing, Yuya was far lighter in weight than Yuto was, but also, the boy currently on his shoulders was only around four-foot eleven, to five-foot tall maximum, while Yuto topped off at five-foot three. Soon, the task was done, and instead of getting off like a normal person, Yuya merely got his legs free and cartwheeled off of Shay's shoulders, landing firmly on his feet as he thanked Shay and started to get back to work while the Risulian gaped momentarily.

"You look a little surprised, you alright there Shay?" Dennis asked.

"Sakaki is… a very confusing person." Sylvio laughed.

"No shit, you've only just reached the tip of the proverbial iceberg here. I've been around him since we were in nursery school… he was an odd-ball then too," he mentioned, taking a momentary break while Yuya kept working on the floor, wanting to get done quickly.

"Really? He doesn't talk about his childhood much." Sylvio shrugged.

"Mostly because he doesn't like too, but it's also because he got bullied a lot growing up. Yuya was always picked on because he looked different, and acted different too… his aunt and uncle sheltered him a lot too from what I know… but, what got me was some of the things he told me not to long ago," he admitted.

"And what was that?" Sylvio shook his head.

"If you wanna know, ask him, the things he told me are really personal, and it connects to his resolve to protect Yuzu. Personally, that changed everything I ever thought about the person known as Yuya Sakaki… and even now, I'm still learning, but I'm doing it because I really want to have his back and be his friend. He gave me a chance, when I honest to God didn't deserve it, so, I figure I owe him my friendship and trust if nothing else, and if he needs me, I'm sure as hell gonna help him," Sylvio said before he started back to work, bumping shoulders with Yuya who smiled his way, laughing a bit as the two got to work.

"Seems like he's quite the special person, huh Shay?" tawny eyes met denim blue ones.

"Yea, I just wonder… how special exactly…" Dennis bit the inside of his cheek.

"Let me guess, the whole deal with Sky being so gun-ho to have his six got you thinkin' Yuya's one of them?" he worded it carefully, not willing to let Yuya overhear the conversation.

"Exactly, call me crazy, but… I've been getting the feeling that Reiji Akaba isn't keeping his promise to Sakaki about being truthful, and even when we learn more about these Pillars, he isn't going to tell us everything." Dennis hummed.

"But I've also noticed that Reiji seems extremely subservient towards Yuya's whims as well. Every time Yuya requested something of him, Reiji immediately complied," he mentioned as Shay glanced to him.

"You have a point there… so you think the same thing I do?" Dennis nodded at Shay's question.

"Uhuh, it won't surprise me if that bomb drops out of the blue too… do you think Yuya knows?" he questioned.

"No, I doubt Sakaki knows anything about it, and Akaba and Shuinin are pushing to keep that quiet until it's the right time." The Performage Duelist frowned.

"But, will there ever be a _right time_ to drop life altering information on someone?" Shay shrugged.

"Yuto always said that it was better late than never, but hell if I know whether or not he was right. I mean, Yuto was more intune with things than I am, that's one of the reasons I went to Katmandu for my year away training," he said as Dennis smiled.

"Oh, I would love to hear that story!" Shay sighed.

"We'll talk while we're cleaning, come on clown."

 **{Lancer Cell: 6:45pm}**

The day had been long, and tiring, leaving the group resting in their cell, laid back on their beds, taking it easy while they waited for seven-thirty to come so they could eat. Tokumatsu had requested that they eat with him from now on, and they had agreed, liking the older man's company now that he had stopped being such a stony person. Lying towards the middle of the room, Yuya was leaning back on his bed, eyes closed and arms behind his head as he took in a deep breath, relaxing his tired muscles for the time being while within his head, Yuto and he were conversing over a few things that had happened over the day. Just after lunch time, a couple of guys had cornered Yuya in one of the corridors that lead back up to the main catwalks, striking up a conversation with him, asking about where he was from and the like.

At first, Yuya had assumed it was just friendly chatter, but the longer the conversation dragged on, the more uncomfortable he got. They had stayed in the same spot, just at the entrance of the corridor, and had been unwilling to let him leave when Yuya had tried to drop the subject and tell them to have a good day. The next time he tried to leave though, one of the men slammed their hand next to his head, coming far to close for comfort as they got closer, talking with him and making a few remarks about how they just wanted to have a conversation with him.

That was when the man had been tapped on the shoulder, and had turned around to see Gongenzaka behind him, and Shay right next to him. Between the two of them, the men had been merely thrown out of the corridor, and Yuya had been escorted back to their cell area. Tokumatsu had been informed, and several of his men had taken up to having a conversation with the two men, and that was what had ultimately landed him where he was now, stuck in the cell, not allowed to leave on his own.

" _Gods! I'm getting sick of being made to stay put!"_ Yuya fidgeted a bit.

" _ **It's for your own good. Even if you have been here for four hours,"**_ Yuto mentioned.

" _The others get to come and go, and two guys decide they want to get to close, and I'm suddenly under house arrest while being under arrest! How the fuck does that make sense?"_ Yuto chuckled at Yuya's putout tone.

" _ **Yuya, they're just trying to protect you. Even I'm not in a good mood after that… the vibe I got off those guys wasn't the good kind**_ …"

" _Then what kind was it?"_ Yuto took in a deep breath.

" _ **You know that Law and Order TV show?"**_ Yuya nodded as he thought about where this was most likely going.

" _My aunt watches it a lot… wait… your not talking about the spin off? the one about the…"_ Yuto glanced his way.

" _ **Like I said, we're just trying to protect you… besides, Christmas elves are supposed to be constantly jolly little things…"**_

" _YUTO!"_

Some time later, the Lancers had gathered with Tokumatsu for dinner, the group talking amongst themselves, eating without disturbing anyone around them as they spoke of a few things they'd experienced in their lives, ranging from a few randomized moments of hilarity, to a few surprising lessons they'd learned. Serena was able to stop by, being introduced to Tokumatsu and once he recognized the Lancer jacket, he quickly had her joining them for dinner, assuring the officer that things were perfectly fine without them buzzing about them like flies as he had put it. Yuya was listening to a recount of a rather comical event that had happened in Dennis's life in New York City.

Yuto threw in commits here and there about the details and facts, having Yuya mentally swat at him, convincing the over protective spirit to let the boy be for now as he resorted to listening to a recount of his street performances growing up in lower Manhattan, and how he and Gongenzaka had been doing a few performances before the promoter named Gallager had come along, and how that had been how they'd ended up reuniting with Shay, and that had resulted in them ending up here. Yuya sighed, almost unbelieving when he thought about the bad luck everyone had experienced thus far in the Synchro Dimension.

Tokumatsu began to discuss his time traveling, and a friend named Yanagi who was an explorer and ran a Treasure Deck, and how he'd went all over the world in search of ancient artifacts. The Lancers listened to his stories, curious about the things he'd seen, and wanting to distract themselves from their current situation if not for just a few moments. Shay rolled his eyes as Dennis jumped into questioning about some of the place he'd seen and things he'd experienced, Tokumatsu happily responded as the group continued their meal, and around half way through to them cleaning up and being finished, someone came over to them, capturing their attention.

"Hey, you're the kid who dueled Boss Tokumatsu, that was a really cool Duel yesterday," he said as he came a bit closer to Yuya.

"Um… thanks." The man smiled.

"I've been wondering, where did you come from? I've never seen Pendulum Summoning before so, is it common where you're from?" he inquired, seeming to want to pick up a conversation with the red-green-haired boy.

"Actually, Yuya invented it." The guy standing next to the scarlet eyed boy gawked.

"S-Seriously?! That's awesome! So, are you the only one who can use them?" Yuya shook his head.

"No, I um… have a deal worked out with a friend of mine who helps distribute them," he told him, being careful not to mention any names or specifics.

"Pretty cool, you're like what? Thirteen or so?" Yuya frowned.

"I'm fourteen, actually." The guy smiled.

"Really? My mistake, your just so petite I kinda assumed you were younger," he said, looking him over.

"Its fine, you're not the first one who thought I was younger than I am." The guy shrugged.

"Honestly, that's not a bad thing, looking younger as you get older. Must mean you've got good genetics… say, I was kinda wondering… your hair color is it, real?" he asked, smiling as he looked the boy over again, reaching out to grab a piece of Yuya's hair, messing with the dark green strand of his bangs that fell near his jaw.

"Um… y-yea… my mom had this kind of coloring so…" the guy moved a bit closer, messing with the strand of hair in his grasp.

"It's really pretty… kinda like those eyes of yours…" it was at that instant that the guy was grabbed by the arm, and his hand was removed.

"Look, don't touch, got it bitch?" Sylvio snapped as he shoved the man back.

"Hey, I was just trying to be nice. I can't help that he's a looker, I mean, you and that blue-haired guy are too, and that girl, but I know better than to try and compliment that yellow eyed psycho, and if I get to close to that girl, I bet all of you would jump me." Serena narrowed her eyes.

"No, I would castrate you with a spoon. They're my comrades, but I can more than handle myself," she stated, taking a sip of her drink calmly as the man flinched.

"Oh, come on, I'm not tryin' to do anything! I just was giving him a compliment, so…" Sylvio frowned.

"You need to walk away before we give you an express ticket to the infirmary. No one messes with or makes passes at any of us with that kind of look in their eyes without being told to keep their hands to themselves, and piss off!" he sharply stated as the guy stepped back.

"Fine, I'll leave. You guys are way to over protective, shesh." Yuya sighed, feeling relieved that the person was gone. Tokumatsu narrowed his eyes as he watched the person leave before turning his attention to Yuya.

"How often has that happened?" he inquired as the boy gave him a questioning look.

"I think that's the fourth time someone's acted like that. Honestly, I'm starting to feel paranoid…" the others sighed.

"Maybe you should be. I mean, there are dangerous people here," Crow stated as Yuya shook his head.

"If I get overly anxious I start having problems with controlling my magic. High stress, anxiety, or becoming overly emotional, causes me to lose control over it." Tokumatsu hummed.

"Yuya, if I was a gambling man, I would bet that you were actually a Waking Witch," he stated as the boy gave him a startled look.

"W-What?! No way, like I said, I'm a Pendulum Witch, and that's a branch off of the Crystal Witch skillset. Honest…" Tokumatsu smiled.

"Very well, after all, the probability of you being a Waking Witch is about zero. There aren't many of them around anyways, and I guess you know why?" Yuya nodded.

"Hecate cursed the inheritance of the magic to be that only two of them can be born in every so many generations," he explained.

"Indeed, your Overseer must be a very intelligent person." He smiled.

"My aunt raised me with her husband, and she taught me witchcraft, and my uncle taught me dueling." Tokumatsu rose an eyebrow.

"But what about your parents?" Yuya shook his head.

"They passed away when I was only a few months old. My dad died in a car crash when I was about six months old, and my mom wasn't in very good health and struggled with a long-standing illness… I was born early because of that, and she passed when I was eight months old due to complications from her illness. So, per their request, my aunt and uncle raised me," he stated, causing Crow and Shinji to look at the boy in questioning.

Shinji had assumed by looking at him, that Yuya was well off, having not suffered any real trials or trauma, but that seemed to not be the case. Hearing that his mother and father had died before he had even had the chance to know them, was a fairly painful thing to hear coming from someone so young, but it wasn't a story people from the Commons weren't unaccustomed to hearing. Tokumatsu seemed upset to hear it though, and Yuya had redirected it, saying that he had been loved and treated incredibly well by his aunt and uncle, whom he hadn't even known were so until recently. He said all of these things with a smile, reminding Shinji of a word he'd heard once before.

Yuya was an eccdentesiast, someone who hid the pain he endured with a smile upon his face. It was a type of person Shinji and Crow knew too well, and any time they saw it, the notion of what that person must have experienced, was a sobering feeling that they shook off many times, attempting to help them, just as they did with the children who dealt with those pains. Shinji sighed, knowing that for the time being, Yuya would continue to be that way until he chose to become stronger, and for that, he honestly wasn't sure what would have to happen.

 **{Northern Detention Center: August 7** **th** **, 2014: 11:20am}**

Chores had been assigned this morning in rapid succession, the group being put in pairs to get their work done swiftly while the Lancers and their newfound comrades had begun discussing that they had been here for four days – going on five for Shay, Dennis, and Gongenzaka – and they needed to get out in order to find the other Lancers, and continue their mission before things got bad. Yuya had been set on attempting to find the other Lancers so they could locate Yuzu, and shortly after begin seeking out the Pillar, which the others agreed with, knowing that by now, it had been a little over a week since the pink-haired girl had been in the Synchro Dimension, and while Crow assured them that Hugo wouldn't let anything happen to her, none of them were comfortable with leaving it to chance though.

It had been when Yuya and Crow were sweeping the catwalks that one of their friends named Damon had approached them, discussing a plan to potentially find a way to break out. Crow had explained quickly that if they were caught they'd be put in the underground prisons, stripped of their magic, and that'd be the end of it. Yuya had nodded, keeping with his work alongside Crow while Damon, a dark skinned man with purple hair and elongated earlobes bearing blue jewels, discussed the few plans that had come up until he'd spotted Yuya.

The man instantly came up to him, asking where his girl was that he had been hanging up strange posters about an invasion of some kind, and asked if she had been caught as well. Crow watched as Yuya's expression remained as one of shock before Damon sighed, mentioning that they had been chased by security, and that he hoped she was safe at least. Crow didn't get the chance to explain that Yuya wasn't the same person as the boy he was thinking about before he left, but that completely left his mind when he saw the fearful and panicked look on Yuya's face.

He sat his broom down, placing his hands upon Yuya's shoulders, catching his attention as he saw the boy's eyes grow glassy, his breathing somewhat erratic. He'd seen Yuya angry, concerned, and worried, but this was a whole new emotion when it came to this fairly stubborn, and fiery youth: fear. Yuya was scared, for Yuzu's safety, and Crow understood why as he knew Security was no laughing matter. The orange-haired Blackwing Duelist took in a deep breath, shaking the boy a bit to get his attention before those fearful red eyes looked to him.

"Yuya, don't worry. Hugo won't let anything happen to Yuzu, believe me, he'll protect her," he assured the boy as Yuya swallowed around the knot in his throat.

"We've got to get out of here… Yuzu's been here for a while now, and I just want to see her… I need to know she's safe." Crow nodded, placing a hand on the boy's head.

"We'll find a way, okay? Just keep your chin up. until then, believe me and stay calm. Everything will turn out fine," he told him as Yuya nodded slowly, seeming to shake off his discomfort as he started to get back to work.

The day continued somewhat peacefully, the group discussing with Tokumatsu at lunch on what could be done to get out, and the man had agreed that something needed to be done, but he wasn't sure what that would be just yet. They had all decided to try and bide some time until an opportunity would come up, and at that point, they would attempt to get out of the prison.

As this topic ended and chores were being divided up again, Yuto began discussing that Yuya may want to suggest using his hacking skills to do something about the security system here, and to disable the anti-magic bands. Yuya had agreed to the idea, and went about doing the chores with the others, things going smoothly as they went from area to area, sweeping and mopping up the cells as they went along.

The day continued to be that way until around four in the afternoon, when the group was taking a short break, enjoying the breather from their sweeping and mopping. Sylvio was shaking his hands out, mentioning that he was certain he had blisters while Yuya had brushed it off, used to the rough handles of brooms from using them so much as a witch while Shay had nothing to complain about for various reasons. Dennis was shuffling through his deck, making a comment that he would have to have a duel to pass some of the time when they weren't cleaning, but couldn't because of their Duel Disks having been confiscated.

Yuya laughed a bit, making a mentioning that they would have to have a match against one another when everything was over. Dennis had whole heartedly agreed, the Lancers standing to their feet as they began to head out of the cell room and into another one when they were stopped by one of the guards who began explaining that he needed some help with a couple of the smaller cells further up, and had selected Yuya for the job. Instantly, the group had tried to change the mind of the guard, but he wouldn't budge, at which point, the group was starting to feel a bit irritated.

"Guys, it's fine! It's the small cells three or so floors up, I think I can manage that on my own," Yuya assured them.

"Are you sure?" he nodded, a smile on his face.

"Yea, I'll be fine, don't worry about me," he stated as the guard nodded his head.

"Alright, follow me then." The boy did so, and Shinji let out a heavy sigh.

"Yuya can handle himself, right?" Gongenzaka nodded.

"He is not weak by any means. Even with the restraints to his magic, I believe my friend can definitely handle himself with little difficulty as I have seen many times before," he said firmly.

"Okay, we'll check up on him in a couple of hours, we'll be done by seven, and so should he. The guy said they needed help up top, so there are plenty of guards and people up there working. Odds are, Yuya will be done before us." Dennis's assurances eased their tension, and soon they all got back to work.

 **{Fourth Top Floor: 4:15pm}**

Yuya had been set to handle a series of the smaller, four-person cells alone, being asked to strip the beds, making sure to put the sheets in the basket in the right-hand corner, and sweep the floors. He had nodded, and started on the bed at the front, making sure to fold up the sheets as he worked, his mind on getting done quickly with this and reuniting with his group. Things had been going smoothly, and he had managed to strip the four beds before he started sweeping up the floor, going from the back of the room towards the front.

It was a menial task, and he was done in no time before he moved onto the next one, stripping the beds and sweeping as he was asked to slide all the beds sideways up against the walls and made sure to do so for the others who would come in to mop. Sighing, Yuya stretched a bit, getting the last bed stripped in the fourth of his ten cells as he put the sheets in the large basket, and pushed the bed up against the wall sideways like all the others. Yuto had been chatting with him off and on, the two passing ideas of how to get out of the prison between one another to think up a good plan, which Yuya was thankful for.

Without the others to talk to, it was a fairly boring time, but with Yuto, he had someone to talk to – mentally at least – and it helped pass the time. Yuya smiled at the suggestion of the tiny coin-looking bombs that the guards had foolishly not taken off of them, thinking nothing of it as they let the Lancers into the building. Yuto made up the idea that Yuya, Dennis, Tokumatsu, and Sylvio could do a four-way duel as a means to distract people while the others placed the small bombs around the place, and then Yuya could put his entertainment acting ability to bluff the guards into thinking that he would blow the prison doors wide open if he and those he requested weren't released.

Yuya quickly dismissed it, saying he wouldn't resort to violence like that, but the distraction portion might work. Yuya grabbed the broom and turned, finding himself blocked in by five men that he'd seen around the prison quite a bit, two of which were at the table when he'd been tripped a couple days back.

"Well, looky here. All, alone are you?" asked the biggest of the five men at the front of the group.

"In a way…" the four others began to circle around him.

"So, they stuck you up here too, working away on these matchbox cells, heh…" the man to the left knocked the broom out of Yuya's hand, and he glanced his way, the person having caught his wrist.

"Hey! Let go!" Yuya pulled his arm free, and his heartrate began to pick up.

" _ **Yuya… run!"**_ fear and panic laced in Yuto's voice, Yuya tried to do just that, using the opening they'd left to his advantage to slip by them as quickly as he could, but instead, he was caught and thrown back into the circle, effectively surrounded.

The person who'd caught him moved, dragging him out of the cell and the group of five men tugged him down the hallway, causing him to struggle as he tried to pull lose, only for the clasp on his pendulum crystal's chain to unhook and effectively drop to the ground without his knowing while he continued to try and get free from the people who continued to drag him further away. They said nothing, and panic filled him as he considered that these men might kill him, or who knew what, which made him struggle even more, headbutting one of the men who slapped him, knocking his goggles off as he was grabbed by his hair and kept from effectively being able to move his body to get free.

The stinging pain on his face gave him a moment to think on what he could do, and as the group walked into a cell he turned to see the guard who'd let them into the prison standing nearby. He called out for help, but the officer merely smirked, tucking a card into the pocket of his jacket as he walked by as though he'd heard nothing, and a crippling cold settled into his chest as he was thrown into the cell, the men once more leaving a small gap that he tried to get out of by rushing away from them, only to be caught and thrown back into the center of the five men, anxiety starting to settle into his system as his bangs fell into his face, his breathing becoming erratic while he tried to keep himself calm, hoping to find a way out of the situation. Yuya pushed, trying to get away again, but he was thrown to one of the men behind him, shoulders being caught as he glared at the others.

"Hold on, you're not going anywhere," the man in front of him said.

"Let me by, I don't want to fight you." the group of five laughed.

"Oh no, we wouldn't want to fight you either. Besides…" one of the men grabbed him, pulling him closely by his arms as he pulled to get lose.

"Let go!" the man smiled.

"You've got such soft skin," he stated as Yuya was snatched by another one of them.

"And you have such pretty hair, you smell good too." Yuya shot the man a glare, kicking him in the shin as the next person laughed, snatching him around the waist and pulling him to them as he glared.

"We gotta fighter here. Nice and fiery, for being so delicate, quite a sight," the person told him as he was suddenly snatched again, this time by the person who seemed to be the leader of the group as Yuya's chin was caught, and he looked up into dark, sinister eyes.

He felt his heart racing painfully against his ribs, Yuto calling out to him as he felt his body going cold, his Waking Magic trying to come out to protect him in the face of a threat, but being unable to effectively help him as the anti-magic bands restrained it to a degree, leaving it to where the numbing effect was all that came through as fear began to coil in his body, his form trembling a fraction as the man smirked down to him grabbing the belt that rested near his hips, pulling him closer as he took in a startled breath, his lips trembling as the man smiled broader.

"You have beautiful eyes, I can't wait to see what kind of reactions I'll get."

 **{….}**

 _Seven Devils all around you, Seven Devils in your house…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** I don't think I have to go into great details as to what's going to happen, but I'm not going to show anything, so don't worry. This is one of the reasons that the story was rated M, because I wanted to be careful due to the suggestive themes that are in this story, and I know that some of the readers will want to stop reading after this, but let me just say that if you do, all of the incredible things that are coming after this moment, will be lost to you, and believe me, things in that prison are about to get very lively. Tell me what you guys think.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

One of the standing jokes about Yuya is that he's very Christmas-festive due to his red-green hair.

Yes, there actually is supposed to be a 13th Zodiac sign. While mortals use the 12, Magic users have 13 zodiac signs on their calendar. I don't know if that is actually true, but my roommate came across something about it, and so, I decided to add that in.

Crystal Witch is actually a real form a spellcraft and so forth in the practices of witches.

Pendulum Magic is actually a real thing. I own two pendulums myself, one is cut white quartz, and the other is diamond cut onyx. I don't actually use them, I do wear them though.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was sub-referenced in this chapter, and with good reason.

I wrote these kind of events as a means to raise awareness, I feel it's important.

Eccdentesiast is a real word and it means _: Someone who hides pain behind a smile._


	69. Chapter 69: Porcelain

Chapter 69: Porcelain

 **{Northern Detention Center: August 7** **th** **, 2014: 7:25pm}**

The group of Lancers, including Crow and Shinji had been sitting in their shared cell for around an hour, and hadn't seen any traces of Yuya. They'd asked a few of the guards, who'd mentioned that the group was still cleaning, and they needed to just relax. It was as the current time rolled around though, that at least an hour-and-a-half had passed, and still Yuya had not returned. Some of them thought that perhaps he had decided to get a shower to clean off the dirt and grime that would be on him after doing the cleaning much like they had, but that also didn't explain why he hadn't shown up yet. Finally, Crow took in a deep breath and stood, not willing to sit around anymore.

"I'm going to look for him," he said.

"You want us to come too?" Crow shook his head.

"Na, the kid probably took up someone else's chores for them. Knowing what I do about him, that sounds like the kinda thing he'd do," he mentioned.

"Alright, we'll see you soon." Crow nodded and left the cell, walking down the way and towards the hallway where a flight of stairs were located.

He hadn't said it out loud, but a side of him was fearful that something had happened. As a Sage, Crow knew a positive attitude in situations was vital, as it could shift things in one's favor, but he also knew that they lived in a dangerous world. Taking in a deep breath, Crow made it to the stairwell's top and went to searching the floor, checking into the cells which were still empty as everyone had started to head down for dinner, which left him to search in peace. The orange-haired Blackwing Duelist sighed as he rounded off the entire circle and found no sign of Yuya, leaving him to head up the next flight of stairs to go searching for the boy.

Crow began frowning, thinking that maybe he was searching the wrong place, the prison was big, meaning that it could take a single person a while to actually find anything they were looking for. He wanted to head back and tell the others they needed to come help, but again, he figured doing it alone would be the quickest, and he didn't want anyone getting worried or worked up over nothing. He continued looking, checking every single cell, and still finding nothing as he explored, unsure of how high up the guard had even taken Yuya to help, for all he knew, the boy could be on the top floor.

After double checking a few of the cells on the floor he was currently on, Crow went up the stairs and towards the next one, exploring the cells to his right first, making sure to check for any signs of the boy before he started to get to the left side and saw something gleaming on the ground in the florescent light. Raising an eyebrow, Crow approached it, and felt his eyes grow wide. Lying on the floor, was the pendulum crystal that Yuya always wore, as if it had just been taken off and left there. Unsure, Crow picked it up, looking at the chain it was on before taking in a deep breath as he watched it swing to and fro, gleaming in a manner that it honestly shouldn't have as he looked at it swing strongly towards the stairwell.

"Okay… I'll take the hint," he said as he pocketed the crystal and started up the stairwell.

Being a magic user, the fact that a pendulum crystal started swinging in order to find its owner, didn't surprise him. Any person who could use magic, knew crystals tended to store it up and would form a connection with the person who wore it the most. Crow took in a deep breath, taking a moment to calm his sudden anxiety at finding the crystal lying on the ground with Yuya nowhere in sight as he paused on one of the landings before he headed out of the stairwell and went to looking around. The moment he stepped out, he looked down on the ground, searching out for anything, and instantly, he found the boy's goggles lying on the ground just near the door.

By now, Crow was starting to get worried, and he quickly grabbed up the goggles, pocketing them as he started looking around the cells, finding no sign of anyone present. Worried, Crow searched a few of the cells, and then he heard someone swearing, and the scuffling of people running out of a nearby area. Fossil gray eyes turned in the direction of the sound and he was greeted by the sight of four men rushing towards the stairwell, one of them holding their hand over their mouth, blood seeping through his fingers, another clutching his ear with similar results while another had blood forming through the clothes he had on at his shoulder, and another was rushing forward, his hand wrapped in a blood set of fabrics.

"Screw this shit! I didn't agree to fuck a demon!" one of them said as they ran out of the floor, and down the stairwell.

Heart pumping frantically, Crow started walking closer to where they had come from, the stench of blood permeating the air as he resisted the urge to gag as he started to come closer to the cell door and finally made it to the entrance. The sight that greeted him, was one Crow had no doubt he would ever forget. The room was trashed, blood smears in randomized areas, one of the beds splashed with it on the mattress, while in the middle of the room, stood Yuya. His hands were splattered with red smudges, his form standing unnaturally still.

Crow gave the sight a confused look as he stepped forward, seeing that Yuya appeared to be dressed, but his belt and jacket were thrown onto the floor alongside his shoes and socks, leaving him barefoot. The boy looked almost as though he was barely breathing as he stood there, the overhead light swinging as Crow looked around the room and he stepped forward.

"Yuya…"

The boy almost didn't move, but slowly he turned, and looked to Crow, causing the man's heart to sink. Bruising at the corners of his lips alongside blood was present, his skin was ghostly white, and his eyes were a hollow, lifeless red that looked cold and distant, lacking all signs of recognition as tears slipped down the boy's cheeks and a second later, his body swayed, falling to the side. Crow wasn't sure how he had done it, but he'd rushed forward, and managed to catch the boy before he hit the ground, cradling him to him as he took in a deep breath, looking at the child in his arms as he felt his heart pounding furiously in his chest as he brushed the boy's dampened bangs away from his face.

"Yuya, Gods what –"

"H-Help… me…" fossil gray eyes looked forward, seeing a man against the wall in the room. His clothes were askew, half on his body, which had deep cuts and gashes in it, blood splayed around him and his eyes pleading as he looked to Crow who looked him over, and then to the boy in his arms, how his form barely trembled, his breathing was shallow, and the faintest signs of bite-like bruises were on his throat.

"You son of a bitch! I'm gonna kill you!" Crow stated sharply, gray eyes turning icy as the man reached forward, holding a hand to the wound on his chest.

"H-Help! H-He tried to kill me!" Crow ground his teeth together, body shaking in restrained rage as he moved, grabbing Yuya's jacket, and lying it over the boy as he grabbed his belt, slipping it into his pocket before he gathered the boy's shoes, putting his socks away as he held them in his hands, adjusting his grip on Yuya before he stood, the man giving him a desperate look.

"Please… have m-mercy…" unforgiving eyes narrowed at the man.

"Don't you dare beg for mercy from me… you won't get any, because you sure as hell didn't give him any, no matter how much I'm sure he begged for it," Crow stated as the man coughed, blood coming from his mouth.

"P-Please!" those cold gray eyes narrowed as the man reached forward and Crow gave him a disgusted look.

"Die and rot in hell for all I care, you scum," he said as he turned his back and walked away, leaving the man where he was, unable to escape due to his injuries as Crow rushed towards the stairwell.

" _Hang on Yuya, I'm gonna get you help…"_

 **{Lancer's Cell: 8:01pm}**

It had been quite some time since Crow had departed, making the others equally worried that something had gone amiss. The first thought that came to mind, was that someone had found out that they were going to escape, and had taken Yuya and Crow to be an example, meaning the Lancers would be rounded up very soon; however, that was proven wrong when they heard the sound of feet hitting the ground hard, and someone shouting for help. Shinji was on his feet instantly, rushing out with the others at the sound of Crow's voice as they looked onward at the sight of the orange haired young man standing there, sweating and out of breath, while cradled in his arms, was their missing friend.

"Crow? What happened?!" Shinji asked as the other rushed forward, pushing by them as the made space for him to get by and moving too quickly lay the unconscious boy on the bed as he threw the boy's shoes down, quickly putting his belt on the ground next to them as he crouched, feeling of the boy's pulse and touching his feverish, but icy skin.

"I need you guys to get me a medical kit, the biggest one they've got, right now! Go and ask the guards!" Crow ordered them with a frantic look in his eyes as the others almost froze before Sylvio and Dennis nodded, rushing away to do as asked as Shinji looked to Crow as he gently felt along the boy's throat, checking for signs of any damage.

"Crow! What happened!" he demanded as the other glared.

"Later, we need to help him right now!" Shinji nodded.

"I'll get him some clothes," he said as he rushed away and Shay looked to the boy and Crow.

"What can we do?" Crow looked to them.

"We're going to need help. Get Tokumatsu," he said as Shay and Gongenzaka ran from the room, leaving him momentarily alone with the boy.

It was as he took in the silence, keeping a watch on the boy's breathing, that he felt his heart hammering against his ribs, his body shaking as tears welled up in his eyes and he took the boy's hand, seeing a series of rope-like burns on the skin of his wrist as he closed his eyes, tears falling as he let the sudden sense of regret wash over him. Crow felt horrible, because he knew what had happened, and if he had insisted on going with the boy, he wouldn't have had to endure what he knew he just had. He took in a deep breath, nodding to himself as he took Yuya's jacket off him, laying it on the headboard of the bed as he steadily pulled up the boy's shirt.

Fossil gray eyes widened before closing at the sight of bites and red scratches mixed in with garish purple bruises. Crow had to take in a few deep breaths, steeling himself as he turned his attention back to the boy and felt carefully along his ribs and abdomen, checking for any signs of broken bones or internal damage as the boy flinched under his touch, causing him to sigh as he looked at his discomforted expression despite him being unconscious still. Crow reached forward, gently running his hands through the boy's hair as he leaned his head carefully against the child's, curling him up into his arms a fraction.

"I'm sorry, this shouldn't have happened. I'm so sorry, Yuya…" he muttered, running his fingers through the boy's hair before he moved back, sitting by the boy's bed as he kept a continuous check on his pulse, his other hand over his face, regret and anger coursing through him as he considered what had happened, and what could be done to help him.

Meanwhile, the Lancers were making attempts to gather the things that Crow had requested for their friend, but kept being turned down by the guards. They told them that the medical kits were for emergencies only, that extra clothes were worked for, and so on and so forth. However, Sylvio and Dennis's misfortune ended when a set of footsteps came up behind them, and the shadow of one Chojirou Tokumatsu appeared, glaring at the guard who could only stand there, pale and terrified as the man narrowed his gaze and was soon joined by Shay and Gongenzaka who had thankfully seen the man approaching Sylvio and Dennis at the medical wing.

It gave the four Lancers some relief, when Tokumatsu demanded that the guard give Sylvio and Dennis the medical kit they had asked for, and were soon granted a large red and white bag that was honestly quite heavy, but not unmovable as the four Lancers thanked him profusely. Sylvio and Dennis took off not a second later, rushing back towards the cell, leaving Tokumatsu with the other two Lancers whom he now turned to, confused as they were about the current situation, but a bit more knowledgeable about why the medical kit was desired.

"Has something happened?" he inquired.

"We're not sure what exactly, but Crow just showed up with Yuya, and… he's in bad shape. Crow asked that we find you, so we can have some help if needs be." Shay's statement had the man's eyes looking to the guard who was holding two cards before he nodded.

"Guard!" the man jumped.

"Y-Yes sir?" he asked nervously.

"Give me three extra sets of blankets." The man nodded and Tokumatsu handed him three cards before taking the blankets from him as he turned to Shay and Gongenzaka.

"Lead the way, I will help however I can."

"Right!"

Things were going smoother for Shinji after a few moments and him handing over two cards to get two sets of clean clothes for the boy. The blue-haired Moriac Witch bit the inside of his cheek, eyes clenching as he took the bag the clothes were in, having guessed Yuya's size as he started to walk back towards the cell. It had taken one look at the boy to know what had been done to him, and it caused a whole to form in his chest at the notion of the pain and terror that fourteen-year-old child had just endured while they had just sat there waiting.

Shinji didn't want to say it, he didn't want to admit it had happened when they were supposed to be looking out for the youngest in their group, but it had. He kept walking, form tense and face in a scowl as he heard four men in the infirmary nearby receiving treatment and his gaze narrowed, something about the situation not sitting right with him as he continued by and someone called out to him.

"Shinji!" the blue-haired man turned to see Serena coming up to him.

"What are you doing out of your cell?" she looked to him.

"I was doing a divining with shells I keep on hand and something felt wrong, so I demanded to see the others, and they let me out when I gave them a card," she explained.

"Good, you need to come with me." She nodded.

"What's happened?" Shinji ground his teeth together.

"Yuya… had something happen…" turquoise eyes grew wide.

"Gods… how did – "Shinji shook his head.

"You'll see when we get there… come on." Serena nodded, fist clenching as she kept moving.

 **{Lancer's Cell: 9:00pm}**

As everyone got back to the cell, Dennis explained that Sylvio had left with Max and Rent to get something, and Crow waited, not leaving Yuya's side as the others returned, bringing more of their group with them. Shinji having brought Serena, who stood off to the side with a spooked expression as she looked at the red-green-haired boy who was lying not far from her, barely breathing as he was covered with a blanket by Shay who was thanked by Crow as he ran a hand through the boy's hair as he kept sleeping. It was scary, how quiet the place was as they waited around until at long last Sylvio, Max, and Rent returned, bringing a hospital privacy shade with them which was quickly placed around Yuya's bed and a small table brought from Tokumatsu's room for them to set things on for him. Crow took in a deep breath, looking to the others as he grabbed the medical kit and swallowed around the knot in his throat.

"Do any of you have medical experience or training?" he asked, his voice sounding strained as Dennis stepped forward alongside Shay.

"I took a few classes on the off side, and Shay has combat medical experience I'm sure. We can help you." Crow nodded as Shinji joined them.

"Me too, the more of us working the quicker it'll go," he explained as Crow smiled a bit.

"Thanks, the rest of you wait out here okay? Don't come back here." With that the others took seats on the other beds, and waited as Dennis, Shay, Crow, and Shinji stepped behind the privacy screen and began to work.

Dennis and Shay weren't sure what had happened, but the moment Crow had Shinji help him hold Yuya up to get the boy's shirt off, the two teenagers had wanted nothing more than to look away. Yuya's upper body was covered in scratches, bites, and bruises of all shapes and sizes that scared the living daylights out of them as Crow removed the boy's choker, setting it on the bedside table Tokumatsu had brought in before he took out the boy's goggles and pendulum crystal to sit there as well from his pocket. Crow then set to getting the rest of the boy's clothes off, and began telling Shay and Dennis what they needed to do in treating in bites that looked as though they'd broken the skin, and any additional scratches or abrasions that looked like they needed to be cleaned up before being patched.

While the sight was discomforting, and Crow had put forth the effort to protect the boy's modesty, it still sent their stomachs churning when they saw the bruises on Yuya's legs and hips in the shape of hand prints. Before to long they had managed to get him cleaned up, the abrasions treated and bandaged, and new clothes on him, but it didn't change the sickened feeling that they felt, even when Crow threw away the used medical products, and folded up Yuya's clothes to have them washed, setting them on the table and his shoes nearby it to keep things in order, it didn't change anything.

The four of them exited the area behind the blind and sat down on the bed next to them, causing the others to look up to them as Crow rubbed his tired eyes, and glanced to the clock on the wall, showing it to be almost ten and night by this point before he sat down on the end of one of the beds, Dennis and Shay doing much the same while Shinji took in a deep breath. All of them were quiet, to the point that it was so uncomfortable, that it made their skin crawl with the sense of insecurity, and dread that had covered the area. Taking a moment to gather their thoughts, the group glanced to one another, and Tokumatsu looked at Crow.

"Do you know what happened?" he asked in a calm voice.

"I didn't see it happen, but I know. The room I found him in… there was so much blood everywhere, like someone had been attacking the people in there, but Yuya wasn't the one who had those injuries… there were five men in there with him before I got there… and four of them left with injuries…." Crow swallowed around the knot in his throat.

"What did you see?" Sylvio inquired as Crow shook his head.

"Like something out of hell. Yuya was just standing there in the middle of the room… I called out to him, and he… Gods… his eyes… they were just these hollow pits… completely lifeless… and he collapsed before he could tell me anything, but… there was one of the men in the back against the wall… he was hurt bad… and he asked for my help but… Gods…" he put his hands over his face, unable to help the images that came to his mind and the pain that entered with them.

"Crow… do you… know what happened to Yuya?" Shinji clenched his hands into fists.

"He has bite marks all over him, scratches, and bruises… some of them look like _fucking hand prints…_ it doesn't take a vivid imagination to put the pieces together. Those five sons of bitches… they… they…" the eyes of those present grew wide, faces going unnaturally white as Tokumatsu felt his eyes burn as Serena put a hand to her mouth, tears welling into her own eyes as she shook her head, not wanting to believe what she had heard.

"Are you… sure they…" Crow nodded, taking in a deep breath as he rested his hands in his lap.

"I've seen it before, but on adults… those kinds of marks and wounds… they come from the other party being brutal towards the person whom they're doing this to… it's insane… and repulsive, but I've never seen it done to a child before, that was just…" he closed his eyes tightly, swallowing back the bile that threatened to rise.

"What do we do though? I mean… is he…" Crow looked to Gongenzaka and took in a deep breath.

"There's not much that can be done at this point. Making sure he doesn't get an infection is the main priority… if we aren't careful, he'll get really sick… and then there's the other main problem," he stated.

"Other problem? Yuya was just…" Serena looked down, unable to say it.

"I know, but what I'm talking about is his mental state. There's no telling how he's going to respond to this, and I noticed something when we were tending to his wounds." Tokumatsu rose an eyebrow.

"And what would that be?" he inquired as Crow rubbed his hands over his face.

"Yuya has self-harm scars on his wrists. He told me that he tried to commit suicide just before he turned fourteen, and now atop whatever else has happened before this… he's been…" Sylvio ground his teeth together.

"Why don't you just say it?! _He was raped, right?!_ We get it! God, just…" he took in a deep breath, tears threatening to spill from his eyes as he rubbed them with the sleeve of his shirt.

He hated it, being the one to have to say it, but no one else was willing to. It was painful, and sounded so horribly wrong and twisted to even place the bright and warm boy he knew, and such a sick, vile, and evil word in the same sentence, but here they were, and it had happened, there was no denying it and avoiding it like not saying anything about it would make it magically disappear wasn't going to change that. Sylvio knew better, he remembered one of his conversations with Yuya the day before they left, and that he had been told to remember that magic, couldn't fix everything, and ignoring something, didn't make it vanish, some things were just the way they were, no getting around it.

Those words felt like a knife right now, and Sylvio knew the others felt the same way, and they wanted to not think about it, they wanted to avoid the word, but that wasn't how things worked. They all knew that so well, and yet they wanted to deny it, because it was to horrible, but it wouldn't change the fact that it had happened, and it didn't matter how much they wished or prayed, it couldn't be taken back. Serena crouched against the wall, tears slipping down her cheeks as her mind went to the boy, what he had just suffered through, and then, she thought of Yuzu, and how she would take learning of such a thing. Shaking her head, Serena shot to her feet, and started towards the cell door.

"Where are you going?" asked Gongenzaka.

"I'm going to find those bastards and grind their bones into dust. It'll make a damn nice addition to my collection." Her teeth were ground together, body trembling and tense as she stood there, wanting to storm out and find the people who dared to do such a thing to her friend, but a gentle hand was placed upon her shoulder, and she looked to see Dennis there, a sad, yet comforting smile on his face.

"Serena, I understand, and I want to do something about this too, but right now… Yuya needs us here," he told her as she shivered, clenching her hands tightly as she looked to Crow.

"I didn't know he'd tried to kill himself before… I'll bet half of us didn't know! But what difference does that make? Huh? What does it… really…" Dennis put his arms around the girl and Crow took in a deep breath.

"He could relapse into wanting to harm himself or commit suicide, develop mental disorders from the trauma, or even just shut off completely… his personality could even change. There's just no way of knowing at this point though…" Gongenzaka looked at Tokumatsu.

"Do they have a doctor on staff?" the man shook his head.

"No, if someone needs hospital attention, they send them out to one. Doctors don't come in here because of the safety risks, and most doctors are Topsiders as it is… and someone who could help him mentally isn't available either," he said as Sylvio took in a shaky breath.

"Those fuckers… I'm gonna send them to meet their maker, and God have mercy on their souls, because I sure as hell am not!" Shay looked to him.

"You think finding these people is going to be that easy?" he asked. Sylvio shook his head.

"No! but I'm not just going to let it slide dammit! He's our friend, right? We promised we'd have his back no matter what, and if this had happened to one of us, you know he'd be looking for those fuckers to put them in their places!" Shinji looked to Crow again.

"Didn't you say four of those men left, and they were injured?" he inquired, capturing everyone's attention.

"Well, yea." Dark eyes narrowed.

"You get a look at those wounds by some chance?" Crow nodded.

"One of them seemed to have a mouth injury, another a hand wound, another guy seemed to have an injury to his ear, and the last one had a wound on his left shoulder," he stated as Shinji leveled a dangerous look at the ground.

"I saw the four of them, in the infirmary having one of the other inmates tend to their wounds. They seemed like they were chatting up a storm." Tokumatsu looked to the privacy blind.

"Then it's settled, I will have my men find out who they are, and once we do, we shall begin to find a means to return the favor unto them," he stated.

"W-What? Your seriously saying we should go after these guys? What can we do?" Shay looked to the others, his mind having been made up long before this, but he had wanted to be sure that he alone wouldn't be going after them. This wasn't just his comrade, Yuya was _their comrade,_ and he would not be made to seek justice alone when they had all sworn to have his back should he need them.

"For starters, we can teach them a lesson that they'll be sure not to forget," he explained.

"Agreed, we're Lancers… brothers and sisters, and we protect our own. They hurt one of our friends, so now… they're going to experience their own personal hells." The group took a moment and soon collectively nodded, all knowing that they needed to do this, for their friend, and so these people would learn the art of pain and misery that they had just put someone precious to them through.

 **{Northern Detention Center: August 8** **th** **, 2014: 9:01am}**

It had been a long, and emotional night for all of them, leaving them completely drained as the sun rose. The group had woken to being informed by Arro that they had been freed from chores for the time being, and that they needed to focus on what their plan was, and helping Yuya recover. For now, the prison break had been postponed, but that was fine with them, as none of the Lancers or their comrades were willing to depart without clearing the air with the four men. The night before, a few of them had gone up to see if the man was still in the room, but they had found blood pooled where he had been and no sign of him nor a struggle, just a strange print near the blood that looked as though it belonged to an animal of some kind.

With the breaking of day, the group had gone to split up, getting breakfast to bring back to the cell, and the rest staying behind. Crow had left instructions with Shay, Dennis, and Sylvio to keep watch on Yuya while they were gone, and that was currently what the trio was doing, settled behind and around the privacy screen while Gongenzaka stood near the door, sending scathing glares that could have killed at anyone who dared to try and get a look at what was going on in the cell.

Sylvio took in a deep breath reaching forward to check on the boy's temperature, and found him to still be fairly warm as he made a faint noise of discomfort and Dennis swallowed nervously, looking to the boy's bandaged wrists, having been lathered with an aloe antibacterial ointment before being wrapped in order to help it ease the pain from the rope-like burns there. Shay was the only one who seemed to be the calmest, but the other two knew that the older teen was nothing but.

"Be honest… how bad is his body?" Sylvio asked as Shay tightened his grip upon his jacket sleeve.

"He's got marks everywhere, and his mouth has bruises too… there's no telling what they really put him through… but I know what I'm going to put them through…" Dennis nodded.

"Tokumatsu said he would have the information at lunch time today. He's taken this seriously… but, after his outburst about how children are to be protected at that joke Torii made, it doesn't surprise me," Dennis explained.

"Can we do this? I want to, but are we capable?" Shay looked to the sleeping boy.

"More than capable I'd say. Find it within yourself to think of what Yuya's just been put through, and think about what we need to do in order to make sure these people learn that they've gone to far, and will be made to pay for it," he stated as Sylvio took in a steadying breath, his mind trying to contemplate everything before he looked to his friend.

" _I can't imagine the pain and fear he experienced… but… I can imagine what I want to do to at least one of those bastards for even thinking this was something that was okay to do…"_ Sylvio looked to Dennis and Shay, nodding his head.

"Alright, I'm thinking clearer now, and I know what I want to do, and that's make these bastards repent until dooms day," he said.

"Good, you're going to need to…" the trio looked to see Serena standing near the edge of the screen, her arms folded over her chest.

"Serena, glad to see you here," Dennis stated as she sighed, looking to Yuya.

"He looks like he's sleeping peacefully at least. But, I just got told by Crow that we're splitting up into groups in order to handle the four pieces of trash." Shay smirked, chuckling just a bit.

"That sounds like an excellent plan to me. When are we enacting this?" he asked her.

"Tomorrow, one by one those bastards will be taught what it feels like to taste real fear. So, rest easy Yuya, we'll get your revenge for you." Serena came over to the boy and leaned down, placing a gentle kiss to his forehead, her mind focusing on a single desire that he would recover, and be okay for his and Yuzu's sakes before she stood straight and took in a deep breath, the three boys choosing to say nothing on the matter.

"By the way, did anyone find out what happened to that last guy?" Serena nodded.

"I went and got some help from Damon, one of Shinji and Crow's friends. We found the recording of what happened last night in the cell room… the tape of what happened to Yuya was there as well, and we took both of them under Tokumatsu's orders. It was hard watching it, and I've honestly lost my appetite for probably the next few weeks, if not indefinitely… but what that fifth guy had happen to him was pretty horrible," she said.

"What happened though?" Serena looked to them and then glanced to Yuya.

"Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon devoured him alive," she told them as they felt their eyes grow wide.

"Wait… Odd-Eyes?! How?" Dennis looked to Sylvio.

"Yuya said they were his familiars, remember? Magic fully active or not, when their master has been harmed, a familiar can bring themselves to the person who did it and claim vengeance. I guess that guy was the first one, and that's why Odd-Eyes went after him," he mentioned as Shay nodded.

"I don't doubt that… but with one of those fucks out of the way, we have four of them left to handle, so for now, let's remain focused on what happened and thank Odd-Eyes later."

 **{…..}**

 _See, I was dead when I woke up this morning…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Remember how I would say certain prior chapters were hard to write? I lied, this chapter and the previous one, were hard to get through for me. I wrote this in here to help with awareness, and as I said, this story was rated M for its suggestive and mature themes, and this I think tops it off. I know I'll probably lose readers, or people will want to flame me for it, but the thing is, I never show it, it's not given details, and you never outright will hear a recount of what took place, it just happened, and now it's a step in the struggle that our Lancers are facing, and is another obstacle they need to learn to help one of their teammates overcome. Tell me what you think.

Sincerely

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

The chapter's first portion's imagery of the cell, was inspired by the Silent Hill games.

Yes, there will be revenge.

Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon got his vengeance for his master, I'm satisfied with that fifth man's death.

This was actually a major plot point that was decided upon from the get go, though I did have to really consider the best way to approach it, I just hope I managed to do so without making it to hard to read through.

There was a great deal of foreshadowing and callbacks to the earlier chapters in this story here.


	70. Chapter 70: Judgement

Chapter 70: Judgment

 **{Detention Center: August 9** **th** **, 2014: 9:50am}**

"PLEASE! NO!"

The morning had been greeted to the sound of a man with a chunk of his ear missing, and a patch of gauze over the damaged area being threatened with death as he was dangled from the ninth floor of the tower by his ankle. The person doing so, was none other than Noburou Gongenzaka, the giant of a teenager standing with a stern grip and a firm hand upon the other as he screamed in terror for his life, pleading with the other not to drop him as he looked at the ground below him. It had all been part of the plan that today, just as breakfast was wrapping up, Gongenzaka would be the first of the Lancers to teach the monsters a lesson, starting up, they would deal with a mild case, just terrifying and potentially maiming one of them in order to rattle the cages of the other three.

Currently, the man being hung by his leg over the banister, was their first victim, Orvis Dodson, a man whom they learned was actually in prison for arson, and if anything, he had continued to do his task of lighting fires; however, he had made the misfortune of igniting a fire within the Lancers, and they wanted blood for his troubles. The man screamed as Gongenzaka shook him, and he pleaded for help, but a moment later, he was pulled back over the railing, and dragged by his leg down the corridor to the stairwell, the screams of the man being heard echoing throughout the stairs as Gongenzaka dragged him still, and moments later, he came to the first-floor railing and threw the man over it, sending him crashing into a table and over it onto the ground only for the giant to be before him a moment later.

"N-No more! P-Please!" Orvis begged Gongenzaka as he stared up at the man, his face bruised, teeth and lips bloodied, and nose broken, his entire body in agony.

"You dare to ask for mercy? To the likes I me?! When you dared to do such a vile thing to my dearest friend?! YOU SHALL BURN IN HELL FOR YOUR ACTIONS!" Gongenzaka picked the man up by his shirt collar and he trembled.

"T-That kid? He was your…" he narrowed his eyes.

"As though you weren't aware. I recall your face, the one who tripped him… if you thought you'd get away with this, you have another thing coming to you!" he punched the man in the face, sending him into another table as he slumped to the ground.

"S-Stop…" the giant stared down at him.

"I have no intention of doing any more to you, but allow that pain to be a lesson. If you desire to ever think of doing such a sadistic thing to another, _then I suggest you remember me,_ " he stated before walking away, leaving the man to lay upon the ground, none of the inmates certain on whether or not they should help him or not.

The other Lancers had stayed clear of the area, awaiting Gongenzaka's return in the cell, cold eyes observing anyone who dared to appear at that point near them, or glanced within their room. If they were to do so, all they would be greeted with, was a series of eyes shining with murderous intent, and it would become clear that running would be their safest chance.

Upon Gongenzaka's return, the young man sat upon the bed not far from where Yuya was still sleeping and closed his eyes, easing his temper as he thought on his actions. If his father knew what he had just done, he believed his response would be mixed, thinking it wrong to attack someone, but upon the discovery of his reason why, Gongenzaka believed his father would agree with his choices, and understand his motives.

"So, that's taken care of. Phase one is complete," stated Dennis.

"Right, so, whose next on the list?" Sylvio looked at the paper in his hands.

"Jason Reeves, has a missing finger. Shinji, Crow, Dennis? I believe that's you three after lunch," he said.

"Sounds good to me…" Dennis glanced towards Yuya, the boy sleeping peacefully.

"Did you give him a bunch of pain meds?" he inquired as Crow nodded.

"Yea, I think it's better if he's not in a lot of pain and can rest. Sleep is the best way for the body to recover, and he desperately needs that. by the way, what's with the little braided band on his left wrist?" a few of the others looked to the item that held three charms on it consisting of a broom, a hat, and a red feather.

"No clue, maybe it's something his aunt gave him," Sylvio mentioned as Crow sighed.

"Guess so… I didn't take it off because I thought he had it on there for a reason…." The room fell quiet for a moment longer, and the group left it that way, unwilling to break the sound of their friends steady breathing as the only noise within the area. After another moment, Shay took in a deep breath and nodded.

"Alright, let's get ready for round two." the group looked to one another, standing to their feet in small numbers before leaving the cell one at a time, so not to draw to much attention to themselves.

Their plans were basic, and at the same time extremely detailed. The Lancers and their comrades had stayed up half the night preparing their plans, choosing who would handle what. First and foremost, had been the plan rattle the cages of the four men, seeking out Orvis Dodson, scaring and mildly injuring him in order to let them and anyone else know that the Lancers were out for blood, and they best stay out of their way. Tokumatsu paid off the guards to keep their mouths shut, and turn a blind eye, but warned the others that it may not work for long depending on how severe the punishments were, and if they were willing to potentially go into solitary confinement for it.

Instantly, they had all said solitary would be nothing, and accepted that they could be punished. Gongenzaka had decided he would take first strike, and had done so flawlessly, effectively spooking the inmates, and they knew, the other three men. Next up, would be Dennis, Crow, and Shinji, who had kitchen duty with the man by the name of Jason Reeves, whose punishment they had already methodically planned. After that, during afternoon clean up, Sawatari had bathroom cleaning with Marcus Welling, and lastly, was Shay and Serena who would have final clean up and would be doing so with the final man by the name of Gregory Marlin.

With those four decided, and the plans of punishment decided amongst the group, they chose when people would be out doing their jobs and acting as the appropriate judges, and who would be in the cell, keeping tabs on Yuya. As it would be, Gongenzaka would remain in the cell the entire time, only taking momentary breaks with Shay and a few other members of their group. It was a well thought out plan, something that the group felt proved their capabilities of working together, and that together, they had very solid strategies, knowing the risks and what would need to be done in order to accomplish what they were aiming for. It was with that in mind though, that they prepared their next course of action, and stepped forward to do just as they intended, and leave a lasting impression upon the four men who had dared to lay a hand upon their comrade.

 **{Kitchen Area: 2:15pm}**

Crow, Shinji, and Dennis worked away on the dishes, going from finishing with cleaning up the food from lunch and bringing over, washing, and drying the dishes in a single line while Jason Reeves was cleaning the counter tops and stove tops, not being able to get his hands wet due to his injury. The man was whistling a tune, going about his business as they continued working away; however, he was also unaware that the three people in the room with him, weren't there to make his work load easier, but to carry out phase two of their operation. Jason continued cleaning, keeping to himself as Dennis glanced to Shinji who met his gaze, and then to Crow who nodded, the trio sending a silent agreement to one another.

Dennis reached into the sink, acting as though he was washing dishes, deciding to begin their plan as Crow went to the back of the room, putting up the dried dishes while Shinji continued to stack up the remaining ones. Jason continued his work, ignoring them as they went about normal business, the air feeling lax while the trio felt ice in their veins, keeping them calm as magic worked itself to help them reign in any aggression or strong desires to maul the man who dared to act as though nothing had happened and go about his work with a cheery whistle and a small calm smile on his face.

"Hey, I was wondering, what happened to your hand?" asked Dennis as he glanced at the man who paused.

"Eh? Oh, I got it jammed in one of the machines downstairs. Nasty business that was." Shinji hummed.

"That had to be painful. Couldn't they reattach it?" he inquired.

"Nope, it wasn't a clean enough cut to do so. Unfortunately, it was at the joint to so it really messed it up." Crow walked by him, pausing a bit.

"Sounds like that was an unfortunate accident. But, are you sure that's what happened?" he questioned as Jason laughed.

"Uh, yea, I was there after all." fossil gray eyes narrowed at the ground.

"Are you sure it wasn't because you… _decided to fuck a demon?"_ the man's expression went rigid, face white as he turned to Crow who had settled a menacing glare on him.

"W-What?" Crow turned to fully face him.

"You didn't lose your finger in a machine malfunction… something happened, yesterday afternoon in one of the cells upstairs…" he stated.

"No way man, I was downstairs all day." Dennis reached deeper into the water and grabbed a knife resting in the bottom of it while Shinji did the same with one settled on the counter.

"Sorry, but you can't lie your way out of this one. You were upstairs, in a cell… surrounding a fourteen-year-old boy so you could do what you wanted with him alongside four other people," he snarled. Jason's eyes grew unnaturally wide.

"H-How do you… know about that?" Shinji settled his eyes on the man.

"That kid you decided to mess with… he's our friend," he informed him as he pulled the knife into view, Dennis turning to face him with one as well.

"Hey now… p-put the knives down…" Crow glared at the man, face turned into an expression of hatred.

"And you made a grave mistake by even daring to lay a hand on him. But no, you had to violate him… _a fourteen-year-old child._ So now, you're going to pay for what you've done," he said as Jason started to back away.

"Look, we just were doin' what we were told to…" Crow snatched the man by the front of his clothes.

"I don't care if the Devil himself asked you to do it, you had no right to lay a hand on that child. Now… you're going to pay, and in addition, we want some answers…" Jason was dragged forward by Crow, yelping in shock as Dennis reached over and turned on the front eyes of the stove.

"W-Wait! Don't do this!" Shinji held the knife up to the man's throat.

"Did Yuya ask you that when you decided to take his clothes off? Did he beg you and your buddies to not hurt him? To stop? Did you look in his eyes and see all the fear and pain you caused him as you put him through hell?" he questioned as Jason tensed.

"I-I didn't touch him until way later… man I was the last one!" Crow slammed him into one of the cabinets.

"Like that makes it any fucking better! Tell me how you lost your finger, what were you doing?!" Jason tensed.

"That little shit bit it off and spat it back in my face! He bit the fuck out of Orvis, Gregory and Marcus too!" Dennis smiled.

"You see though, that was something we're quite thankful for. You see, that person you mercilessly assaulted, is also a very powerful witch, and you decided to test him, so he fought back and marked _each, and everyone of you_ ," he stated as Crow dragged Jason forward.

"S-So?! The fucks your problem?! It was just a – "Crow slammed him into the cabinets again.

"What's my fucking problem? You thought it was okay to put your filthy hands on an innocent child… so my fucking problem with you is that somehow, you five shits thought you'd get away with it. But guess what?" he asked, gray eyes shining with bloodlust.

"W-What?" Dennis turned took Shinji's knife as the man grabbed Jason's other arm and the man was turned to face the stove.

"You're not getting away with it… you're going to face judgment, and as of this moment, we declare you as guilty… your punishment…" Shinji snatched the man's wrist as Crow did.

"Is a taste of pain, suffering, and fear that will never amount to a third of what you put him through." Jason began pulling away.

"N-No! Don't do this! No!" Crow and Shinji ignored his pleas and pressed the man's hands upon the eyes, causing him to scream in pain as it seared his flesh, causing the man to attempt desperately to get free as the eyes continued to sear the skin on his hands to the point that he almost passed out when the two men dragged him away and shoved his hands into the sink, steam rising from the burns as he screamed at the pain he'd just experienced, causing him to sink to the floor, tears pouring down his face as Dennis, Crow, and Shinji looked to him as they started to walk away.

"I hope you think about this every time you see your hands. Let it be a reminder that you're filth, and will deserve whatever punishments Hades has waiting for you," Crow stated as he slammed the door of the kitchen, leaving the man there on the ground, sobbing over the severe burns to his hands.

 **{Lancer's Cell: 3:03pm}**

Shay and Sylvio were keeping watch on Yuya alongside Serena while Gongenzaka stood at the entrance of the cell, awaiting the return of Dennis, Crow, and Shinji. Down below, people were in an uproar, confused and terrified as Jason Reeves was escorted on a stretcher out of the prison. Most would feel bad for the man, but most did not know what the man had done, and if they did, there would be no sorrow for him. Sighing, the giant of a teenager waited, Serena sitting nearby, the others having decided to tend to a few chores to ease suspicion while the rest were getting into place for the third phase of their plan.

It was as they waited though, that the Risulian Witch of the group noticed something. Tawny eyes narrowed as he saw Yuya's fingers twitch a bit before the boy shifted, eyebrows scrunched together as he and Sylvio leaned forward, watching as the boy's eyes slowly opened. Serena and Gongenzaka had heard the shifting behind the curtain and had come to see what was happening as well when they saw Yuya's eyes were open for the most part, and he was glancing around, seeming to be trying to get his bearings as they watched him. However, the reaction they got was anything but pleasant as Yuya had shot up, trying to get away from them with a shout of fear, causing Shay to rush towards the boy, grabbing his arms carefully as he struggled, almost falling off the bed as he did so.

"Yuya! Calm down! It's me! Shay!" he said as the boy shook his head, trying to pry himself free from his grasp before the blue-haired witch pulled the boy into his arms, holding him firmly to his body as he tried to calm him down.

"No… let go…" the others found themselves recoiling at the fragile cracking noise of the boy's voice, his lips trembling as he feebly tried to get lose, his body not having the energy to do so.

"It's alright, its just me. No one's going to hurt you, it's just me, Sawatari, Serena, and Gongenzaka right now," Shay told him, placing a gentle hand into the boy's hair, causing him to flinch, body shaking as a choked cry came from him.

"S-Shay?" the other nodded.

"Yea, that's right. Your safe, it's just the Lancers here right now. Dennis, and the others will be back soon… they'll be so happy to see you awake," he stated as the boy coughed, leaning into his hold, bandaged arms and hands wrapping around him and clinging to the blood red jacket the Raidraptor Duelist wore.

"S-Safe… I'm…" his entire form trembled, looking impossibly frail as he clung to the person holding onto him as though they were the only thing keeping him together.

"Right, your safe. Don't worry… now, let me get a look at you, okay?" he said as he slowly moved back to sit on the side of the bed with the boy, finally meeting his gaze.

Yuya's normally vibrant scarlet eyes were hollow, light having been cruelly snatched from them while tears pricked the corners of them and slipped down his cheeks. He had bruises at the corner of his mouth and along his throat, bandages covering him in randomized areas that were white, but almost matched the sallow shade of his skin as Shay felt an ache develop in his chest while he smiled to the boy, taking his hands in his own, rubbing soothing circles on the tops of them with his thumbs in hopes of keeping the boy calm while the others remained silent, not wanting to scare him.

"W-Where… am… I?" Shay looked up at the boy, his voice sounding coarse and weak as he spoke. It was a mockery of his true voice, which was always jovial and strong, but had been reduced into a brittle, broken whisper. The Risulian smiled, reaching forward to place a hand to his cheek where a small bruise had formed, feeling how cold the boy's skin felt at that point.

"In the cell where the Lancers were put. See, Sawatari's here, and Gongenzaka's right there behind me with Serena. The others had to take care of some things, but they'll be here soon, don't worry… they're fine," he assured him as the boy shivered a bit.

"O-Oh… okay…" Serena started to move towards him, and Yuya recoiled from her approach, causing the girl to give him a small smile.

"I'm going to use some of my powders to ease those bruises, okay? It'll help with the pain," she told him as Shay remained where he was while the girl took out a few vials from her pocket and sat them on the small table, opening the cork stoppers before she raised her fingers over them, curling them towards her as the white, blue, and gray powders started to rise from them, coming to her and curving over her hand.

Serena reached forward, careful to be slow in her actions as she placed her hand just above the bruise on his cheek and closed her eyes, focusing on her magic as it flowed into the fine powders made of crushed shells that quickly started to cause the bruise to fade until it was no more before she reached gently to his throat, letting the magic work on the bruises there as well while she watched it spread a bit further, gliding over his skin in a warm flush as the bruises were faded either completely or to the point that they were a pale yellow. Soon, Serena was done and put the powders back into their vials, gathering them up to hide them away in the pocket of her skirt before she looked at the boy.

"Better?" she asked as he slowly nodded.

"Are you thirsty?" the boy swallowed with some difficulty and nodded once more before Sawatari came over and handed him a small cup that Tokumatsu had given them alongside a pitcher with ice water in it.

Yuya took it gratefully, being careful to sip at the cold water that eased the horrible ache in his throat as he felt it slide down and into his stomach, causing him to flinch at the sudden ache that felt like a kick to the gut. Serena reached forward, grabbing his hands to help him keep hold of the cup before he took in a steady breath, shaking away the pain as he went to take another sip from it, his desire to drink the water outweighing the pain that came from it. A few moments went by of him just trying to keep down the water, letting it ease the pain in his throat, and before too long, the others returned, Gongenzaka tilting his head to usher them over as he moved the blind out of the way and the others came forward, being greeted by the sight of Yuya sitting up and being helped by Shay and Serena to drink something while those present felt relief flood them.

"Yuya, your awake!" Dennis said in relief as the boy looked to him, giving him a small smile.

"H-Hey… Dennis…" tired, weak, and dead-looking red eyes looked to the others, Crow smiling a bit as he stepped forward, being careful as he raised a hand and gently placed it upon the boy's head, threading it through his hair.

"Good to see you up, how are ya feelin'?" he questioned as Yuya took in a shaky breath, glancing to the side.

"Not… good…" he sighed.

"I know, you'll need some more medicine in a couple of hours, but for now, how about we take a look at ya and get you a chance to clean up? does a hot bath sound good?" he inquired as the boy nodded.

"Y-Yea…" Crow smiled.

"Then that's what we'll do. Tokumatsu's been helpin' us out, and we got ya some clean clothes and we can get ya time alone in the baths. Do ya wanna go now or get somethin' to eat first?" he asked him as Yuya closed his eyes, biting his bottom lip.

"Bath…" Crow nodded to him, glancing to Dennis.

"Alright, can you and Gongenzaka go and let Tokumatsu know? We'll get him down there," he stated as the two nodded and left, Serena walking away towards the entry way of the cell while Crow and Shay helped Yuya move around a bit.

They quickly learned that Yuya couldn't walk just yet, his body too weak to do so, and thus, it was left to Crow to pull the boy onto his back and carry him down to the shower area, allowing Yuya a moment of reprieve as Shay and Shinji went with him and Crow. Yuya sighed, body shaking a bit as he felt Crow moving, carrying him down to the shower areas in the bottom of the prison and down a hallway, his eyes closing shut as he kept his arms over the orange-haired Blackwing Duelist's shoulders. They hadn't said it, but he remembered what happened, and Yuya couldn't be more grateful that none of them had decided that they wanted to breech the topic with him.

Despite being asleep for who knew how long, he wasn't mentally or physically prepared to talk about what had happened in that cell room, and if he could help it, he wouldn't be saying a word on it for a long time. Taking in a steady breath, Yuya thought about how much worry and fear had been in everyone's eyes, his mind piecing together how they undoubtedly were going to worry over his well-being in light of what had just taken place; however, right now, he didn't want to think about that or anything else. All he wanted to do was ease the pain in his body if not by just a little.

" _ **Yuya?"**_ scarlet eyes opened tiredly at the sound of the familiar voice.

" _Yuto… hey…"_ an exhausted sigh left the other.

" _ **I… I'm sorry… I couldn't help you…"**_ within his mind, Yuya gave the other a small smile, reaching out and intertwining their fingers as he shook his head.

" _Even my magic couldn't. Please… don't blame yourself… just… help me survive…"_ gray eyes widened at the words, the hand Yuya held tightening around his own.

" _ **You know I won't just leave you… I promised to help you, and I intend to. It's my fault you got wrapped up in this mess, and look at what's happened… I'm sorry…"**_ another shake of his head, Yuto being pulled forward into a light embrace, Yuya closing his eyes.

" _No, like I said… you're no to blame. Just… please… help me keep myself from falling apart. I feel it… ebbing into my head… that want to surrender… but I can't… so please… don't let me give in…"_ Yuto returned the hold on him, nodding his head.

" _ **I won't. But you know what? Even with what's happened, it isn't in your blood to give up that easily… just know that you aren't facing any of this alone… we're all here for you, Yuya…"**_ the boy smiled.

" _Thank you…"_

It was roughly fifteen minutes later that Yuya was able to get himself into a tub of hot water and let the pain in his body ease away. The others were waiting outside of the room, standing guard so to speak as he took in a few steady breaths, his mind easing as he gathered the water in his hands and splashed it onto his face, letting his shaking frame start to ease while he tried to reason himself into calming down. However, that wasn't in the cards for him, and before too long he found himself crying, scrubbing at his skin as he caught unfamiliar scents on him. it felt wrong, so terribly wrong and nightmarish to the point that he almost wanted to pretend nothing was wrong.

However, there was no way to pretend this away, and he knew that. Slipping back into the water, Yuya let the heat of it wash over him, holding his breath as he took a second to withhold himself from sitting up, his magic coiling into a tight knot in the center of his chest as he felt his lungs burn for air and a moment later, he sat up and put his hands over his face, shoulders still shaking with suppressed sobs as he shook his head, continuing with trying to clean himself up, finding the horrible scent of someone else on his skin sickening while he finally managed to clean himself up and slowly get out of the tub, shaking as he got himself dressed and used the wall to hold himself up, vision warping a fraction as he dropped to his knees, the black pants he wore and a white t-shirt feeling inadequate in even the warmth of the bathroom as he put his arms around himself.

Everything hurt, his entire body felt like a livewire of pain and nothing more. The scalding hot water had only numbed his skin for a moment, his flesh prickling as he reached up, knotting his left hand in his damp hair as his stomach churned, aching and throbbing to the point that he felt a desire to vomit. This wasn't supposed to happen, none of this should have taken place, and things shouldn't have gone the way they had thus far. He blamed himself, for not being strong enough, for not having a good enough grasp upon his magic, and for thinking to lightly of others' actions.

Yuya clamped his teeth together, fingers still knotting in his hair as his skin broke out in a cold sweat, heart pounding loudly in his ears as he clutched the front of his shirt, trying to calm himself down as he felt his stomach churning once again, the sudden urge to throw upcoming back to him to the point that he couldn't take it anymore and a moment later, he brought up what was in his stomach, using the wall to support himself as his body tried to purge itself of what he'd ingested, his eyes watering as he coughed, spitting to get rid of the vile taste on his tongue while he gasped for air.

"Yuya!" fever bright and confused scarlet eyes glanced up to Crow and Shay who were standing at the door of the shower area.

"S-Stay… back…" he coughed again, unsure if he was going to bring anything else up as the two drew closer, Crow crouching where he could and rubbing circles onto the boy's back.

"It's alright, come on, let's get you out of here," he said as Yuya coughed a few more times.

"A-Am I… is this… my fault?" weary eyes locked with his fossil gray ones, and Crow put his hands on the boy's shoulders to help him stay upright.

"No, none of this is your fault. If anyone is to blame, it's the people who did it… you didn't do anything wrong," he told him as Shay came to his other side and the boy wretched again, coughing as he took in gasping breaths, desperate for air. His skin was slick with sweat, hair matted down with a mixture of dampness and perspiration as he tried to get himself calmed down.

"I was… to… trusting… to… naïve…" Shay looked at the boy, slowly pulling him up to his feet as the two tried to balance him.

"Yuya, listen to me. None of this is your fault, and you did nothing wrong, so please, don't think like that," he said as the boy kept his head down, bangs hanging in his eyes.

"I'm… sorry…" Crow shook his head as Shay helped get the boy onto the other's back as they were quick to wash away the mess before exiting it, having gathered up the boy's clothes before taking him out of the warm room.

"He's delirious from dehydration. We need to get some fluids in him," Shay said as Yuya closed his eyes, too tired to keep them open.

"Good idea… do you think he's going to be okay?" Shay eyed the boy, pale and breathing roughly as he rested his head against the back of Crow's shoulder.

"It's not his body I'm worried about… it's his mind," he answered as the orange-haired Sage took in a deep breath.

"Me too…"

 **{Bathrooms: 4:20pm}**

Sylvio had been set to clean up the bathroom with the third member of the people who had attacked his friend, and that suited him just fine. After Crow and Shay had brought the boy back from his bath, they had laid him down, and focused on bringing his fever down, his skin sticky with a cold sweat, while he was barely awake, and they had been given no choice but to keep him drinking water, and give him medicine, which had effectively put him back to sleep. That was where Yuya was now, being watched by the others as he rested, meanwhile, Sylvio Sawatari, began the third phase of their plan, meaning they had one more piece of trash to take out before the day was done, and they would happily do so.

The person who was helping him, was his target, Marcus Welling, and he had been working on the walls while Sylvio took care of the floors, keeping eyes on the man at all times while he focused on what to do. It had been made clear that they were to spook, if not intimidate the others before issuing their punishment, just as they had learned Crow, Dennis, and Shinji had done. Blowing his bangs from his eyes, Sylvio took in a deep breath, touching a hand to his chest where his rosary was placed under his shirt, mind thinking of how to best approach this situation.

"Et parce mihi Pater ad me peccatum," he muttered, making a cross gesture across himself, effectively gaining the attention of the man nearby him.

"What are you blabberin' about kid?" Sylvio looked to him.

"Oh, sorry, just a quick prayer," he stated as Marcus rose an eyebrow.

"Prayer? For what?" Sylvio gave him a sharp look.

"For the sins I may be about to commit on your sorry ass!" he snapped, abruptly swinging his broom as he nailed the man in the side of the head, knocking him to the ground as he groaned in pain.

"The fuck, kid?! Why the hell did you do that?!" Sylvio narrowed his gaze.

"For what you did to my friend… and the main reason why I'm here." Sylvio slammed the broom over his head again, causing the man to howl in pain.

"Stop it you little shit! Do you know who yer messin' with?!" the Abyss Actor Duelist gave him a disgusted look.

"The disgusting fuck who hurt my friend. What you did, it's unforgiveable, I don't care if it goes against what I've been taught. I am a flawed creation, and by God I am going to make you pay for your transgressions!" he threatened as he swung the broom, hitting the man again and causing him to back away, nose broken, and mouth bloodied as Sawatari walked towards him.

"Think about this, why the hell would you wanna…" Sawatari slammed the broom into the man's sternum.

"Why would I want to? Because you deserve to suffer for what you've done, and I'll make you regret it… just as my friends did," he stated.

"You don't look like the kind to be cruel…." Sylvio took in a deep breath.

"No, I'm not. However, this is a cruel world we live in, and sometimes… you gotta play by its rules," he said as he put the broom into his hands.

"W-What are ya gonna do?" Sawatari raised the broom up.

"I'm gonna take this broom… AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR SORRY ASS YOU BASTARD!"

 **{…}**

 _I'll be dead before the day is done… before the day is done…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Don't worry, Sawatari didn't actually do that, but I will admit what the others did was really scary. This chapter isn't supposed to be a redemption kind of thing, it's just pure revenge because of the actions of those five people. I got my inspiration from a movie that has a few similar themes and premises, and had a revenge plot on one party's side. The thing I wanted to explore in this chapter, is that when there is no justice to be had due to your environment, you have to take it into your own hands at times, and what lengths people – no matter how kind they are – will be willing to go for something to be done and people to be held accountable for their crimes. It's a heavy topic, I know, but don't worry, we'll be getting some more development soon and a bit of a switch on a few things that's happened in this chapter. Tell me what you think, and please, no flames.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

The chapter was inspired by the movie _The Last House on the Left (2009)_

Psychological state is a major component of these first three chapters.

This is the first time we see Serena use her magic to heal.

Gongenzaka actually has the tamest actions, but none of them really what I would consider tame.

Yuya's condition is based upon interpretation of accounts I've heard, and some personal experiences with sickness coming due to mental state.

Sawatari's line was in Latin and states: _Forgive me father for I am about to sin._

The Song used up to this point was _**Seven Devils by Florence + The Machine.**_


	71. Chapter 71: Barbwire

Chapter 71: Barbwire

 **{Lancer Cell: August 9** **th** **, 2014: 6:00pm}**

The group had been left to question how things were going with Sawatari when the other walked back into the room, adjusting his vest and shirt as he sighed, moving to sit down on the edge of the bed as he glanced to his friends, nodding his head to affirm that he'd taken care of his part, and now they had to wait for post dinner clean up to begin. Yuya had woken up a while ago, but hadn't much felt like moving around too much, and therefore, was propped up on several pillows, bundled up into blankets as he listened to the conversation that was starting to take place.

"So, one more is all we've got?" asked Serena.

"Yea, and that's where you and Shay come in." the duo nodded.

"What'cha got planned for him?" the girl shrugged.

"We figured we'd make it up as we go. The plan is to only leaving a lasting impression upon these people in addition to making them feel the things they inflicted… but something does worry me," she stated as Shay looked to the others.

"With him being the last one, he's going to become paranoid and try to avoid doing his chores. That may complicate things, and no matter what Tokumatsu does, it won't change things if he's found a way to keep himself away from us." the group looked down, questioning what to do, when an unlikely voice answered them.

"I might be able to help…" all eyes turned to Yuya, bundled up into the blankets, eyes tired with dark circles under them as he watched them back.

"No, you're too – "he shook his head.

"Yea… I can't do anything physically… but… my magic still works," he told them as the magic users in their group gave him a questioning look.

"What do you have in mind?" Yuya shifted, freeing his arms of the blankets.

"Can I have a chord, string, or rope piece that's about twelve inches long?" he inquired.

"Um… why?" Yuya coughed a bit, shifting.

"Just do it," he answered with a tired glare.

His sudden willingness to both talk and do something somewhat spooked the group, causing them to wonder what had gotten into him. Yuya was weak, and currently not doing very well when it came to how his body was managing with him being in a constant fever-state, and his entire trembling frame showing this clearly to them. However, they suspected that he was attempting to block the memories from his mind, and decided to allow him to do so as they granted him a string at roughly the size he requested. Nodding, Yuya sat there, the blankets over his shoulders and wrapped around him as he held the white string in his hands.

While most of them were unsure of what Yuya would chose to do with string, he seemed to know what he was doing, and thus he wrapped it around his right hand, clenching it in his grasp as he took in a few deep breaths, seeming to brace himself for what he was about to do. Though confused to some degree, the group decided not to worry about the reason for the string to much as Yuya unwrapped it from his hand and stretched it out, holding it in his hand loosely as the group continued to watch him.

"What are you going to do?" Yuya looked at the string.

"You want one of the men who got me… right?" he asked, scarlet eyes piercing them despite their hollow state.

"How did you… know that?" Yuya took in a steady breath, clenching the blankets around him.

"It's… obvious… I can smell their scent on all of you…" the statement raised plenty of eyebrows, but at the moment, none of them truly wanted the answer to that question.

"What's the plan with that string?" Yuya looked to it again, clenching it into his fist before he opened his palm to reveal the string to have changed color to a bright red.

"Your going to curse him?" the group felt a jolt go through most of them at Serena's question while Yuya glanced her way.

"I know two curses, and I… didn't think they'd be usable… but… here we are… so I'll begin… by knot of one, the spell's begun…" a nervous swallow came from the boy as he grabbed the string and started to tie a knot.

"Are you sure?" he nodded.

"By knot of two, it cometh true… by knot of three, so mote it be…" Yuya tied the second and third knot in the string, the color slowly bleeding black as he closed his eyes.

" _This is a really sinister curse… it ensures the person that it's placed on will have what the caster wants done to them is done…"_ Shay thought.

"By knot of four, the power I store… by knot of five, the spell's alive… by knot of six, this spell I fix…" Yuya stated this, eyes closed as he tied the next three knots, the string slowly turning black as each knot was put into the string.

"Yuya…" the boy shook his head when Dennis tried to distract him.

"By knot of seven, events I'll leaven… by knot of eight, it will be fate… and thus by knot of nine, what's done… is mine…" Yuya completed the knotting, the string having turned completely black as he opened his eyes and looked to Serena and Shay.

"And what is it you want?" Shay asked as Yuya sighed, his body relaxing a fraction.

"Teach him not to bite…" the Risulian Witch understood the implication and felt his eyes widen.

"Why are you using curses?" Sylvio questioned as Shay took in a deep breath as he came towards the boy and took the string from him.

"I'm not strong enough to cast a powerful one… but this will help Shay and Serena get to their target… so I want… to help. I was raped, but I'm not an invalid because of it." Scarlet eyes locked onto the half-Italian, causing him to give him a startled look.

"Yuya…" Shay sighed.

"We'll handle it, just rest," he stated as he ruffled Yuya's hair a bit, the boy looking to him slightly, his eyes showing the other how exhausted he was.

"Thank you…" Serena nodded.

"We'll see you later," she said before she and Shay left.

Yuya laid back against the pillows at that point, closing his eyes as he took in a shaky breath. It wasn't something he did, curses and hexes like he just had, but this time, he felt the overwhelming sense that it was right, and while he had debated it, he knew deep down it was within his rights to do so. Yuya shifted himself a bit, feeling the creeping chill of his magic slip over his skin as he felt sleep claim him. His dreams took him to the cell several floors above, where he was amidst the room, the taunting jeers of the men's voices echoing within his mind, causing him to flinch as he saw their gleeful faces before a moment later the sound of thunder seemed to crash through the area, and he was on his feet, blood spilling upon the ground as he tugged on his clothing, skin feeling unnaturally cold.

His body shivered, the force of his magic echoing throughout the area, dancing across his flesh, causing it to prickle as he felt the vibrations of it in the nerves of his fingers and toes while the five men screamed, voices shifting amidst the magic while fear and confusion washed over him. The man nearest to him had been cut as he lashed out when he'd attempted to attack him again, he felt his lips pull back across his teeth, bearing them in a threatening manner as the man was slammed into the wall, blood splattering around the room in randomized areas, the taste of it on his tongue and smudged upon his body.

It was as this memory, painful and confusing replayed in his head, that the familiar terrifying laughter he'd heard in other nightmares and dreams echoed within his mind, and arms coiled around his waist, slipping up his torso and fingers wrapped around his throat, causing him to choke as a vile voice whispered of his own darkness and inability to even protect himself in his ear. The sensation of hot breath causing his skin to prickle again as he shook his head and the creature laughed, uttering horrific things within his ear, telling him of his failures and fears as it held him in place, curling about his body in a manner that made him want to rip his own flesh off if it would keep the thing away from him.

However, just as that horrible voice told him of his failures again, muttering the same things that he was terrified of to him, that someone's hands reached forward, pulling him to safety and away from the hands of the monster, forcing him away as he let out a gasping breath, seeing the others were hovering over him, fearful as he took in a few deep breaths, reaching for whomever was nearby for him to cling to. Yuya was asked questions, but he shook his head, unwilling to speak of the nightmare as he gripped tightly onto Sawatari's vest, him having been the closest person to him at that point. He didn't want them knowing, of whatever darkness was lurking there, whatever nightmares he had, he didn't want anyone to know, and he didn't want them worrying over him, not when so much was at stake.

 **{Cafeteria Area: 8:40pm}**

"Hey! You two better make this floor spotless," stated the man as Serena gave him a long look.

"Uhuh…" the man rose an eyebrow, approaching the girl.

"You gonna give me lip girly?" Shay gave him a glare.

"If you try something with her, I'll break your fucking arm," he warned as Gregory Marlin laughed.

"Alright pretty boy, I'll leave your girl be. But, honestly, I thought that _sweet little thing_ was yours…" tawny eyes narrowed at the man's smirk.

That was the straw that broke the camels back. Shay reared back, socking the man in the face and startling him as Serena nodded to him, opening the supply closet as Shay slammed the broom down atop the man's head as he shot up, swinging wildly before Shay dodged him, catching his hit and nailing him in the sternum as he shoved him into the closet, the two entering the room as they shut the door behind them. Serena looked at the place around them, pinpointing the things they could use as the man gave them a baffled look.

"What do you think your doing?" Serena went over to him, slamming her foot down between his legs.

"You're getting what you deserve for hurting our comrade," she stated with a snarl on her pretty features as the man gave a pained yelp.

"You little bitch!" Shay raised his hand up, electricity crackling around it as he glared.

"Stay down," he stated as the man sat up, reaching for Serena only to be zapped by the Risulian Witch who gave him an indifferent look.

"Mother…" Serena looked at Shay.

"Hand me those pliers Shay, I know exactly what I intend to do with this bastard," she said as he handed them to her.

"I'll make sure he doesn't move to much… remember, he needs to learn not to bite." She nodded as she got atop the man's waist as Shay forced the man's mouth open and he screamed as Serena reached into his mouth with the pliers, affixing it to one of his teeth.

"I remember…"

Outside the door, and up into the cells, the Lancers could hear the tormented screams coming from somewhere below them, somewhat causing them to wonder what Serena and Shay were doing to the man. Yuya was currently curled up in his blankets, trying to get himself back to sleep, Yuto talking to him in a hopes of calming him as he put the pillow over his head, blocking out the noise as he closed his eyes, mind rotating towards what to do about the current situation. He was hurt, meaning that for the time being escape wasn't an option until he started getting a bit stronger, but their group had managed to get a lose plan in mind, and then, there was the overall situation, and that stemmed into another issue.

The Lancers had a job to complete, and at current, they weren't able to do so. Yuya understood that better than he was certain most thought he did, and that was where his problem came in. Because of what had happened, the others were watching him, making sure he was okay, and while he appreciated it, he wasn't sure what it would do once it got to where they could escape. Yuya thought about Yuzu, and if she was safe, his heart pounding loudly in his chest while he thought about what needed to be done in order to get out of this hellhole they were in. He had a good idea, and he was positive the other Lancers were thinking along the same lines of using sleight of hand to stop do something to help them get out.

" _ **Your bands shorted out when you attacked that guy, huh?"**_ Yuya took in a steady breath.

" _I think so. My magic isn't as containable as other kinds, and while it was manageable for the time being, it also didn't help that it possessed me again… I don't even really remember what happened after I pushed that guy away… or how I even managed to do that…"_ he admitted.

" _ **I know, its alright, don't worry about it right now. Recovering needs to be your main focus, and once you do that, we can all focus on getting the hell out of here."**_ Yuya nodded a bit, letting the tug of exhaustion pull on him as he finally fell back asleep.

Roughly twenty minutes passed, the screaming from below becoming greater, and causing distress to several of the inmates, and forcing the officers to get involved. That was when the Lancers knew something was going to happen, and it did, Arro and Torii came to them, stating that Serena and Shay were in a fight with the officers, which caused them to rush to the railing to see the two, the magic users of the group preparing to potentially step in when they managed to catch Serena and pull her out of the supply closet, showing them, a man crawling out, blood pouring from his mouth.

"HEY! LET ME GO! DO YOU HEAR ME?! LET ME THE FUCK GO! I STILL HAVE TEN MORE TEETH LEFT!" Serena screamed as Shay was forced to surrender, the Risulian looking up in their direction as they were cuffed and ordered to be taken to solitary confinement as Shay shook his head, warning them not to get involved as they backed away, the two being led away while the officers sought medical attention for the inmate that Serena and Shay had supposedly just attacked.

"So, that's all of them, right?" asked Sawatari.

"Yea… now we have to focus on making sure all of us are well enough to escape when the time comes…" everyone glanced towards Yuya, sleeping soundly while Crow swallowed around the knot in his throat.

"Plus, we have to get Serena and Shay out of solitary," he stated.

"Agreed, but I think we can handle it. Let's just focus on helping Yuya get better first."

 **{Detention Center: August 10** **th** **, 2014: 10:04am}**

It was early morning, and the Lancers had been speaking with Tokumatsu about the current situation; however, at that point, there wasn't much any of them could do about escaping or getting Shay and Serena out of solitary. Their main focus, the man suggested, should be Yuya's well-being, and making a solid plan, because of things went wrong, it would be a less than pleasant result. Max and Rent had helped everyone get their meals up to the room, once Yuya was awake, they had attempted to give the boy food, but he had refused it, looking sick at the mere suggestion of eating. Crow had wanted to talk with him, hoping to convince him to try and eat, but upon seeing the repulsed look in the boy's eyes, he got the feeling that the boy wouldn't be able to stomach it anyways, and left him be.

Things were quiet in the room, the group eating quickly before a couple of them took the dishes down, rotating into doing chores and keeping tabs on Yuya who mostly spent the morning sipping on water and trying to rest. However, the act of not being able to move around, made him feel restless, and irritated while he curled up in the blankets, trying to sleep, but finding his mind unwilling to let him do so. He had questioned how long he had been sleeping before he'd awoken, and they told him under twenty-four hours, and then he considered the time he'd spent kept in the bed until today, and he'd realized that he'd been bedridden for going on three days.

The notion made him even more irritated, causing him to roll onto his back, sighing deeply as he tried to pinpoint what could be done. Between his magic and the pain medicine, Yuya could barely feel a thing, and he was certain he was in the middle of a drift due to how much he could feel his magic rushing through his veins, and how both tired and full of energy he felt. Closing his eyes, Yuya took in a deep breath, thinking on what to do as he heard a few of the others talking about the plan to escape. It all hinged on how soon he was able to do it, and while he was positive that his body was going to punish him later, Yuya was aware that he could very well manage to do what needed to be done after roughly two or so more days of rest, meaning that they needed to plot this carefully.

"Okay, so how should we try this? There's at least eight of us, so how can we escape?" Yuya huffed at the question.

"Create a diversion…" the group turned to him.

"A diversion would work, but it would have to be pretty big," stated Shinji.

"What about an entertainment duel?" Sylvio rose an eyebrow at Yuya's suggestion.

"Well, I mean… that might be kinda cool and all, but think about it, it would take three if not four of us to do it, and you're not able to – "Yuya gave Sawatari a glare.

"I'm not crippled. Alright? I know what happened, okay? But still, I'll recover quick enough… so, I don't think you need to worry about me being unable to do something." Yuya glanced to the side, the group looking him over.

" _He's still in pain, but he's going through different stages of traumatic response… fearful, and now he's getting agitated easily because he feels bad, but doesn't want people coddling him. Yuya isn't weak, but if we're not careful, he's going to snap,"_ Dennis thought as he watched the boy.

"We know, all we're concerned about is you being in pain or not," he stated as Yuya rolled over to face away from them.

"I'm not worried about that… pain's an old friend…" the others turned their gaze away.

"Recovering is priority one for you, once you're able to move around on your own, then we'll not be as concerned about you," Shinji told him.

"Fine by me… I just want the fuck out of this place as soon as possible." Crow smiled.

"We'll be out before you know it, so just focus on healing, and we'll start working on a plan. But, your idea sounds like a good one, so we'll find a way to work with it, sound good?" he suggested as Yuya shifted a bit.

"Okay… you'll need four duelists, and the rest of us would have to take advantage of the diversion to get Shay and Serena out. Myself, Sawatari, and Dennis should work, and… Tokumatsu…" the group eyed one another.

"Not bad, but that leaves myself, Shinji, and Gongenzaka to do everything else," Crow pointed out.

"Then get your friend… Damon? To help us too… he wants out of here just as much as we do, I'm sure…" Shinji hummed at the suggestion, nodding slowly as he looked to the others.

"No harm in asking I suppose. Alright, I'll go ask him if he's willing to give us a hand," he stated as he walked away.

"We'll continue the conversation once we know more about who we've got helping us…" the others nodded as Crow went over to Yuya, pulling the screen around the bed as he looked at the boy.

He still looked sickly, his skin sallow and marred with bruises, scratches, and gauze in randomized areas. If he looked at him, Crow knew Yuya's eyes would be dull and empty, lacking all of the light and warmth they'd once had, and he didn't blame him for it. He knew Yuya was going through a state in his mind where he wasn't sure how to feel about anything, and couldn't pinpoint what to do. Yuya still felt deep down that what had happened, was somehow related to his nature, and how he had always been to willing to try and see the best in people, and how he didn't feel the need to become overly cautious.

The orange-haired Sage got his attention asking him to sit up so he could check on him, and Yuya complied, being given some help to do so properly before Crow set to removing the bandages he had on his wrists and on places upon his torso and legs, letting the areas breathe for the time being as Yuya allowed him to clean the areas again, his mind focusing on what to do for himself as Crow put antibiotic ointments on the bite marks that had broken the skin, or scratches that had done the same.

"I hate this…" Crow looked to him.

"Yea, I get the feeling anyone would. Look… I know you want to help, but…" the other was made to stop as he watched Yuya bite his lip, eyes hidden by his bangs while he took in a steady breath.

"I'm… just broken, used and worthless… that's it… right? You pity me… because I've… already been damaged before… and you and the others… don't want me involved… because I'm just… made of broken parts… so I'm… no good…" Crow felt his gaze soften at the boy's words and he shook his head, placing gentle hands on the boy's small shoulders.

"No, Yuya… we're just worried about you. What's happened… its… a lot to cope with, and we just don't want you hurt again," he told him this, but the boy merely shook his head.

"That's… part of life though. None of you can protect me from being hurt… or feeling pain… because it happens… life… is pain… anyone who says otherwise… they're selling something… or lying to you." the Sage looked him over, sighing.

"I understand, but please think about what you're considering putting yourself through…" the boy glanced down, expression one of frustration as he took in a deep breath.

"Crow… I tried to end my own life… I'm weak, and even then, I didn't have enough courage to go through with it… so I get why people want to protect me… but please… I'm… trying… to be strong enough… to help the people I care for…" Crow sighed once more, reaching to take the boy's hands, free of gauze and bandages.

"I understand… but remember what I said? You're a phoenix Yuya, you've been burned, now it's time for you to try and rise from the ashes," he said as Yuya bit his lip again, eyes closing tightly.

 **{Baths: 11:45am}**

Yuya had been lead to the baths so he could try and ease the aches in his body again, and had opted for a shower instead, as it would be easier for him to clean himself up and be done with it. It was as he was left alone though, and he turned on the shower head in one of the private stalls, that his anxiety levels started rising. He shook himself out, trying valiantly to keep the choking sensation that threatened to overtake him from winning out, but he knew that wouldn't work as well as he hoped it would. Still dressed in the white t-shirt and black cotton pants, Yuya found himself shivering, eyes closing tightly as he felt the steam begin to fill the area, and he crouched to the ground, the hot water instantly soaking his clothes as he rested there, knees pulled up to his chest as he put his arms around them, attempting to block everything out for just a moment longer, only for the stench of those people to appear, still clinging to his skin.

He scratched at his skin, wanting the smell off him as he found tears well in his eyes, heart racing while he clawed at the places where he could almost feel their hands on him still, the scent appearing strongly as he let out a strangled sob, his breathing becoming irregular as he banged his head against the stall's wall, anxiety rushing through him as his magic simmered in his veins. He wanted to rid himself of this horrible feeling of being unclean, but no matter how many times he tried to get rid of the smell and the sensations of those hands on him, he couldn't.

In front of the others, he tried to remain calm, not wanting to show how scared he truly was. Yuya could admit it, he was terrified, everything about him hurt, his body was marred with marks that showed proof that he was another victim of something that wouldn't leave him alone. He scratched at his skin, his arms, throat, and shoulders, legs curled up to him as he took in rattling breaths, tears burning his eyes as he felt whelps appear upon his skin, burning as he clawed at the areas, a scream building in his chest as he tried to breathe and calm himself down; however, he couldn't, and a moment later, the scream bubbled from his throat, ripping itself free from his bruised lips as he tangled his fingers in his hair, curling in on himself as he shook his head, wanting to erase the sensations, the horrible scent, and the memories that he'd suffered from.

"Yuya! Hey!" scarlet eyes turned to Dennis who had come to check on him, the boy shifting away from him and under the water to the other side where his back was pressed against the tile wall.

"Just go away! Please! Leave me alone!" he screamed at Dennis, tears falling heavily as he slammed his hands down upon the ground, causing a shockwave from his magic to come forth, the tile cracking as Dennis steadied himself.

"I would, but you're my friend, and I have no intention of turning my back on you." teary scarlet eyes looked to him, Yuya feeling his body shaking as he brought his hands over his face, covering his eyes as he curled in on himself, legs pulled up to his chest as he found himself unable to control it anymore, the sound of the water being turned off going almost unnoticed as Dennis came to him, and rested in front of him.

"Dennis… what can… I do? I'm… just…" the Charm Witch smiled as he reached forward, placing a gentle hand on the boy's damp head of hair.

"Yuya, you're you. I know it hurts, but think about it this way… you're still here, so you're stronger than what those people thought you were… that counts for something, right?" he offered as Yuya recoiled a bit.

"No… I'm not… I'm weak…" Dennis shook his head.

"Weak? Yuya, I don't think you see how strong you really are, or how much your worth to us. You're our friend, and comrade… no matter what happens, we'll be here for you… so it's okay to breakdown if you have to… you won't be alone, and when you're ready, we'll help pull you back up," he stated as he reached his hand out to the boy who looked up to him.

"Am I… worth saving?" Dennis smiled.

"Of course, you are, Yuya… the world just wouldn't be the same without you," he said as he reached down, taking the boy's hand before slowly helping the boy stand up.

Dennis put his arms around the boy to keep him from falling, not caring that his clothes were being soaked by the boy's own wet ones while he smiled, embracing his friend as he rested a hand atop his head. While he wasn't the greatest at comforting people, he also wasn't willing to let someone who was in front of him, silently begging for help, just break apart at the seams. Knowing that, he pulled the boy into a tighter hold, feeling his tiny frame shake with suppressed cries as Dennis let out a sigh, closing his eyes as he let the boy do what he needed to in order to vent the things he felt, his small hands clutching at his jacket and shirt while he did.

Some time later, Dennis emerged, having cradled Yuya in his arms as he came out of the bathroom, the boy having cried to the point that he'd lost consciousness, forcing him to pull him up into his arms and head out of the room. Crow had joined him, the two of them taking Yuya back to the cell where they got him into some dry clothes, and bundled him up into his blankets, being quick to make sure he didn't get chilled while Dennis removed his Lancer jacket to let it dry and sat his glove down as well on his bed, and the footboard, sighing as he took a seat, mind thinking over what he had seen in the bathroom.

He had kept his distance from Yuya after this had happened, unsure of how he could help the boy, but had found himself in a position where he hadn't been given a choice. When he had seen Yuya curled up in the shower, fully dressed and looking as though he was on the verge of fully shattering past the point of restoration, he hadn't known what to do, but he had decided then and there that even if he wasn't sure what he could do, he wouldn't let that stop him, and thus, he had come to him, touching him gently, easing his fears as best he could while the boy had fought with himself. However, it hadn't impacted him as much as he'd expected it to until he'd put his arms around the boy.

Yuya was incredibly tiny, his body felt so frail and meek, his shoulders were small, his frame thin and hands almost spindly. He tried desperately to be strong, but Dennis knew that the pain he was feeling, the immense suffering, stemmed not from him being weak, but from trying to be strong for to long. Dennis wondered how he had managed to hold up so much on those small shoulders of his for so long without buckling under it all.

Yet he had gotten his answer as the boy clung to him, crying, muffling his sobs in his jacket and shirt, letting him know that he was buckling under it now, he was giving into all the things he'd tried to hide, because it was too painful to endure anymore. That was the moment that Dennis MacField realized, that Yuya Sakaki wasn't strong, but he was resilient, and his will was unbending, somewhere deep down inside him, was something that kept him going, and soon, it was going to break free, and he would step forward with a new determination.

"He's got whelps all over his arms… did he do that to himself?" asked Sawatari as Dennis nodded.

"Yea… but he just… guys, do you think he'll recover? Mentally, I mean?" Crow shook his head.

"There's no way to be sure, but he's a lot tougher than I think even he realizes, and because of that… I wouldn't be surprised if he manages to heal, but he's never going to really be free of this… the suffering he was just put through… it'll be there in his head somewhere for the rest of his life," he stated.

"And as a Witch… that's a long time to live with that…" Sawatari rose an eyebrow.

"What do you mean? I mean, I know there are those Magus people and all, but…" Crow looked to him.

"Yuya's gonna be around for several centuries. He's a pureblood Witch, so he's got a long life ahead of him… if nothing happens, Witches can live thousands of years, that's how the Magus came into existence. Some of the oldest living ones are the Midas Witches, they got their name from King Midas, the King who could turn things into gold with just touch… but they kinda keep to themselves," he said as Sawatari felt his eyes widen.

"Man… that's insane. But, what are we gonna do now?" the group heard a series of footsteps, and looked to Shinji who had finally returned.

"Hey, what's the news?" asked Dennis as Shinji smirked.

"We're a go with Damon…" the group smiled, the news finally being something good.

"Excellent."

 **{…..}**

 _I am a nation, I am a million faces…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Whew, these chapters are genuinely taxing on me in a mental way, but also are extremely important. Once more, I hope you guys will keep reading despite what's happened, as I know I might lose readers because of this, and I might be disliked over it, but I wanted to raise awareness, and do it as tastefully as I could on this kind of matter and also go deeper into the relationships and mental states of our Lancers in the face of these events. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the story and keep reading. Tell me what you guys think, and no flames.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

The knot curse from what I know is actually a wishing act that I've both seen people do, and found through research and pinterest. It's actually not a curse, but I guess it could be if you wanted to do that.

Serena and Shay's actions, I don't think need explaining.

Yuya actually quoted _Wesley from the Princess Bride_ when he was talking to Crow.

Things are going to start changing drastically in the next chapter. Just a heads up.


	72. Chapter 72: Fractured Smile

Chapter 72: Fractured Smile

 **{Commons Area: August 11** **th** **, 2014: 8:34am}**

Tourmaline eyes glanced around the area as Hugo attempted to search for Crow Hogan as he started to walk into the place that Crow called home. It was confusing, because he had intended to talk to Crow about helping him and Yuzu find Yuya. However, as he observed the area, he noticed a lack of anyone around, and in addition, there was no sense of magic at all, causing him to feel that something wasn't right. Frowning, Hugo crossed his arms over his chest, thinking about what could have been possibly wrong as he considered that normally, if he came around here, Crow was there with the children.

"Hey! Crow! Where are ya?!" Hugo called out, putting his hands on either side of his mouth, hoping to volumize his voice to reach the other. Hugo sighed, a frustrated and fairly put out expression coming to his face as he looked around, beginning to get the feeling that something was wrong.

"Yo! Hugo" Hugo tensed, turning on his heels as he saw one of the members of the Black Feathers, causing him to relax as he recognized the person.

"Robbie! What's goin' on?" he asked. Robbie was a tall, fairly muscular young man with tan skin, blonde hair, and brown eyes, he wore a white t-shirt, black pants, brown boots, and a black denim vest with two wrist bands. He was the one who had made Crow aware of him and Rin several years ago, and had since formed a close bond with the Tempastus Witch.

"I saw you come this way, and I thought I should chat a sec." Hugo sighed.

"Do you know where Crow is?" he inquired as Robbie gave him a rather displeased expression.

"He got himself shipped off to the Northern Detention Center along with Shinji and a group of kids." Hugo felt his heart skip a beat, a cold sweat breaking out on his skin.

"Gods… why?" he asked this, and Robbie sighed.

"Crow was tryin' ta help those teenagers he and the rest of us picked up almost a week ago. Funny thing is, one of 'em was askin' about you and some girl," he stated as Hugo felt his eyes widen.

"Wait, you said they were asking about me? One of those kids didn't have red-green hair, and scarlet eyes, did they?" Robbie gave him a long look.

"How did ya know? Crow told us you had the kid's girlfriend or somethin' I guess for ya to take another person's girl when you have Rin means you were tryin' to protect her," he stated as Hugo nodded.

"Her name is Yuzu Hiragi, and she came back with me by accident, but considering what was happening, I'm glad she did. The guy who was asking for help in finding us, his name wouldn't happen to be Yuya would it?" Robbie nodded once.

"Yuya Sakaki I think is what he said his name was. Crow told me a bit ago… we were gonna contact ya the day they were taken, but Crow told us that if somethin' went south, to protect you and the girl and find other people wearing red jackets or vests with diamond shaped patches on the chest or arm," he explained as Hugo took in the words, thinking long and hard on what was happening.

"Then, have you had any luck? Did you find any of Yuya's comrades?" Robbie shook his head.

"Not a trace… I think they've all gotten rounded up or somethin' but if that's the case, we gotta get these people outta there… you know how they treat the young ones in there," he said as Hugo bit the inside of his cheek.

"I've heard enough stories… what do we do? How can we help them?" Robbie sighed.

"All we can do right now is help 'em escape. But I want you and that girl to pack up some things and go to the Nest, you've been there before, and you'll be safer there until we can find out what's goin' on," he said as Hugo nodded.

"Okay, I'll go and get Yuzu and myself ready and we'll head to the Nest." Robbie looked Hugo over.

"We'll help them out and get all of ya back together. Don't worry, and just do as your told, m'kay?" he suggested as he reached forward, clapping a hand on Hugo's shoulder.

"Got it, I'll meet you back at the Nest." With that Hugo left and Robbie took in a deep breath, hoping that they could help these two kids and the others out without getting into trouble themselves.

Meanwhile, Hugo had started rushing back towards the orphanage, his mind on how to best break the news to Yuzu. They had find Yuya, and knew he had comrades with him, but he was in one of the Detention Centers that he had told her about, and knew she dreaded. It made him nervous, thinking of how he could talk to her about this as easily as possible, and not cause the pink-haired girl to much panic. Tourmaline eyes narrowed, determination in them as he tried to prepare himself for what was to come.

It hadn't taken him long to arrive at his destination, knowing that Yuzu would still be asleep in Rin's room; however, he wasn't certain how to best handle the situation that had arisen. Taking in a deep breath, Hugo entered his room at the apartment, looking around quickly before he rushed into his room, grabbing a backpack from his closet as he started folding up his clothing and putting the things he would need into the blue backpack. As he did so, he bumped into a small table near his window and stilled, form tensing as he looked at the objects on it and snatched up the brown and blue-stitched book, and another item off it, placing it into his pocket before he swung the backpack over his shoulders and went to gather up a few other things while Yuzu was getting herself dressed in the other room.

She had made the bed, and had just finished getting a pair of denim shorts, white sneakers, and a pink t-shirt on before she took a pink-white jacket that was on a chair off it, placing it on the end of the bed as she took in a deep breath and looked around the room. Rin loved pinks, blues, greens, and yellows, and had blended them with whites, giving her room a bright and airy feel to it. Periwinkle eyes glanced around the room and settled upon a small white table near the window. It had a small silver mirror on it, four candles, two white and two pale green upon it as well as a circle on fabric that seemed to be a spell of some kind. She wondered what it was, and noticed that in the middle of the circle was a stick-like object.

Yuzu edged closer to it, seeing that it was smoothed wood wrapped with wires and laden with green and yellow gems in odd places upon it at the bottom and upper half of the object while at the top, coiled in copper wires, was an amber stone. At the bottom of the object was a single string of leather – which had been wrapped at the very end of it – and a single set of beads followed by a small green crystal that looked suspiciously like emerald. Confused, Yuzu picked it up, and instantly she felt a shock go up her arm and a numb buzzing in her fingers and palm, causing her to give it a confused look as she glanced to the small book on the table that had a worn cover stitched and designed with green thread and wind-like patterns.

"Yuzu!" the girl jumped in shock as Hugo opened the door, causing the girl to look to him.

"Hugo? What's wrong?" she asked as the boy looked her over.

"I need you to pack up some clothes, okay? I heard from one of Crow's guys, and they need us to come stay with them at their place." Yuzu gave him a worried expression.

"Why?" she questioned him, and Hugo took in a deep breath, throwing his backpack onto the bed before going into the closet to gather up some clothes, folding them up and putting them into a pale green backpack that was in Rin's closet while Yuzu sat down the object in her hand reluctantly and took over for Hugo while he waited, arms folded as she set to packing up her belongings into the backpack and a few extra items.

"Listen, I met with one of my friends in Crow's gang named Robbie, and he told me that Yuya is here in Neo City." Yuzu felt her eyes grow wide, turning to look at the blue-blonde-haired fifteen-year-old in shock.

"He is? Do they know where?" she inquired, stilling in what she was doing as Hugo sighed, going over to the table near the window where he picked up the book in his hands.

"Crow, Shinji, Yuya, and two others got caught by Security, and they were thrown in the Northern Detention Center…" he heard the sound of the backpack in Yuzu's hands dropping to the ground, and he turned to her as she put a hand to her mouth, tears starting to well up in her eyes.

"Then we've gotta get them out of there! Hugo! We've got to – "he came over to her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Yuzu, I understand, but right now, I need you to remain calm and focus, okay?" he asked as she slowly nodded.

"O-Okay… but…" Hugo smiled.

"Robbie and the others are already workin' on getting everyone out of the slammer. And as for Yuya, don't worry about him or the others, Crow and Shinji will look after them. Now, let's finish getting packed up," he told her as she nodded once more and picked up the backpack, preparing to zip it up when she was presented with the leather-bound book.

"W-What?" Hugo gave her a sincere look.

"This is Rin's grimoire. Take it and start reading up on it, okay? Trust me, you'll be glad you did," he stated as Yuzu carefully took it and put it into the backpack and then, she glanced to the small table.

"Um… Hugo? What is that table exactly?" Hugo glanced towards it, picking up the object Yuzu had earlier.

"Rin's altar… witches and other magic users do pray from time to time, and we also have a deity we wish to focus those prayers too. Like most religions I guess… some witches don't really use altars though, guess they're kind of old school, but for Fae half-bloods like us, its part of our nature to be a bit old fashioned in some practices.

"Oh… I saw one like this in Yuya's house, but I think it was his mother's…. but what is that stick thing?" Hugo smiled a bit at Yuzu's confusion, but suspected it made sense.

"It's a wand. Magic users, particularly Witches use wands during ceremonies or during certain times of the year… we create our own wands, hats, and brooms, and it's part of our experiences as we mature in our practices. But I'll be you've never seen Yuya's broom, hat or wand huh?" Yuzu shook her head.

"No, I didn't think Witches used them," she admitted.

"We do, but… take this… I don't want to leave it here in case something happens." Yuzu looked the wand over and carefully reached out, taking it into her hands.

"What should I do with it?" Hugo hummed.

"Keep it on you, even if your not a Witch, wands protect people, so just hold onto it, and maybe I can help ya make one of yer own while we wait out this mess," he stated as Yuzu looked down at the wand.

"I'm not a Witch though…" Hugo shrugged.

"You're in love with one though, and doing a few of their customs will help you to get used to it, so by making your own wand, hat, and broom, it'll make you feel a bit closer to Yuya. Anyhow, put it away in the backpack, grab your jacket and let's book it, we can chat more about creating things later once everyone's back together," he told her as Yuzu nodded.

"Alright, let's go."

 **{Detention Center: 9:50am}**

Yuya sighed as he looked at his left wrist where the hemp and unicorn hair braided bracelet was, scanning the three charms on it before he frowned. He had just noticed it earlier, but the broom charm wasn't quite right and seemed to have another object behind it, crossing with it, and it didn't take Yuya long to piece the entire ordeal together. Blowing his bangs out of his eyes, he rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling as the others went in shifts to get something to eat while he was made to stay put. It had been four days since the incident had taken place, and he was startling to get restless; which, hadn't done wonders on his temperament. Huffing, Yuya sat up and started to move, swinging his legs over the side of the bed before his bare feet touched the cold tile floor and he took in a deep breath before standing up.

Though he was a bit wobbly from not being able to walk correctly, he soon found his footing and picked his legs up and placed his feet back down on the ground in a slight hop-like stepping motion while he sighed, working the stiffness from his legs as he rotated his neck a bit, stretching his arms despite the twinging and protest of his still bruised body. He wanted to move around and try and get himself to where he could be productive and accomplish something instead of being a mere liability. As he continued to stretch a bit, being careful not to overdo it, he heard someone walk over to him and glanced towards Sawatari who gave him a disbelieving look as he stood there, flexing his hands and fingers, rotating his shoulders a bit while he moved his legs a bit, balancing them one at a time on the balls of his feet before sighing.

"W-What are you doing up?" he asked.

"Stretching a bit, my body is getting all stiff." Sawatari sighed.

"Yuya, shouldn't you be resting?" he inquired as Yuya glanced his way.

"No, I'll be fine… I don't want to rest anymore…" the other gave him a once over.

"Um… are you sure? I mean…" the boy sent him a scathing look.

" _Yes, I'm sure._ Gods, I'm recovered enough to walk around and do something, okay?" scarlet eyes narrowed, the color gaining a faint shine to it that sent a chill down Sylvio's spine.

"A-Alright…" he said carefully as Yuya sighed, looking at the small bedside table before he grabbed his pendulum crystal and slipped it over his head, the faint thrum of anxiety that had been pulling at his insides finally starting to ease up as Sylvio watched him.

"Hey! Sawatari we – oh, Yuya… your up…" the boy looked to Shinji and nodded a bit.

"I need to move around, my body feels really tense and achy from being made to lay down so much," he admitted as Shinji sighed.

"Well… Crow and the others are going down now, but if you wanna come and eat something that might be a good idea… it'll give you somethin' to do." Yuya gave him a small smile.

"Can I? Admittedly, I'm really sick and tired of sitting around… I'm a pretty physical person so… not doing anything for days makes me feel weird," he said as Shinji gave him a shake of his head.

"Okay, we'll go. Sawatari, let's head on down with Yuya." The other nodded, and the trio soon left the cell, heading down from the stairwell and towards the cafeteria.

Shinji wasn't certain what Crow would do once he saw Yuya, but he was positive by the sudden thrumming of the boy's magic, that it had started healing him and he felt the overwhelming desire to move because of it. He knew that all kinds of magic healed their bearer, but some worked quicker than others, which led him to question what Yuya Sakaki's was exactly. After the abuse his body had gone through, he should have been at least partially out of commission for the rest of this week and the next, but he wanted to walk and move, and start trying to be active again within just four days.

It sent up alarms in his mind, as he considered that Yuya was trying to forget what had happened to him, and while he knew it wasn't possible, he supposed it was better for him to try and move past this ordeal, rather than sit there and dwell heavily on it. Sighing, Shinji, Sylvio, and Yuya entered into the room, several people glancing to the trio as the others started to take notice and soon Crow was on his feet, a look of confusion and slight anger on his features as Yuya found himself ducking behind the other two at the look on the older magic user's face.

Sylvio and Shinji had known Crow would be angry, and somewhat frustrated at them, but he couldn't help but bend towards Yuya's desire to get out of that cell and walk around after being practically trapped for the better part of four days. Still, it didn't change the fact that Yuya technically wasn't supposed to be out and moving on his own feet for the time being, which brought Shinji back to his questioning of what Yuya's magic was exactly for it to heal that quick. Tokumatsu eyed the boy who gave them a slightly unsure look, wondering if perhaps this had been a bad idea when Crow finally spoke.

"What is he doing here?" he asked.

"He said he wanted to get up and move around. He's been cooped up in that cell for four days, so what did you expect?" the orange-haired Sage huffed.

"I really don't think this is a good idea…" Tokumatsu smiled to Crow.

"Now, I know you want to make sure he's okay, but think about this Crow. Yuya is the one who decided to do this, and personally, I think it'll be good for him to move around and eat something," he pointed out as Crow gave him a quick look before turning his gaze onto Yuya who moved out from behind Sylvio and Shinji.

"Yuya, are you sure?" the boy sighed.

"Oh, for the love of… I'm not half as fragile as I look! I recover quick, and I've been resting for four days, and I finally feel like eating something, so I thought it would be better to… be with all of you instead of by myself…" Yuya admitted this with faint discomfort in his voice, his expression becoming a blend of irritation and unsureness.

"Alright, fine, come on."

Yuya took a seat next to Dennis, who smiled and handed him some food which he gratefully took, being careful to take his time in eating so not to upset his stomach while the group ate in peace, most of them shooting Yuya glances from time to time in order to make sure he was doing alright. Crow sighed, noticing the faint pulse of energy that seemed to have returned to the boy, the color to his cheeks returning and the light in his eyes slowly taking form again as he ate and picked up a small conversation with the others in order to find out how Shay and Serena were doing. From what they'd heard, the two of them were violent towards the guards, and had already threatened to break the vow of harming none due to them having pushed the line with them both.

The group had heard the boy laugh a bit, a tiny smile that had barely reached his eyes appearing on his still bruised and split lips as the others began discussing what they would do from there on the matter of getting out. Damon had found a way to get a message to some of the others via a few dream spells, which had instantly caused concern, those with magic knowing that lucid dream spells were dangerous, and only certain witches were gifted in the ability. Sighing, Tokumatsu turned his attention to Yuya who was picking at a few items that he'd been given, seeming to gain more of his color back as he continued to give his body much needed nourishment while the warmth and vibrancy he had around him remained somewhat dimmed, but seemed to be returning as well.

"So, are you starting to feel better?" Tokumatsu inquired as Yuya glanced his way.

"I guess… I mean… what happened isn't something you just… walk away from. It's still there in my head, what took place… and… I can still feel a lot of it… at times I think I can still smell their scents on my skin even though I know it's not there. So, I'm…. _trying_ but… it's not going away…" Crow sighed.

"Your right, and none of us expect you to just get over it. What happened shouldn't have, and I blame myself for not being more persistent in light of what had already happened… and I'm sorry I didn't go sooner to look for you," he said as Yuya shook his head.

"N-No! This was… my fault. I was way to willing to trust people… I should have kept my guard up and have been more cautious… this was my own mistake…" Dennis looked to the boy.

"Yuya? Do you really think that? You didn't do anything wrong, those people are at fault here, not you. Your innocence is not something you can be held accountable for. Its not a sin or a crime to be pure of hear and mind, and they were the ones who hurt you," he stated as he placed a hand on the boy's own.

"Maybe… I guess it doesn't really matter now though, huh? You guys took care of them, so – "

"Hey, you!" the group jolted as one of the inmates started coming towards them.

"Yes? Can we help you?" asked Gongenzaka.

"That little fuck right there! He's responsible for one of my bud's kickin' the bucket. Ya know him? Nelson?" Yuya gave the man a steady look.

"No, I don't know him…" he answered as the man glared.

"The fuck ya don't! I saw it, on that damn tape the chick took, ya sliced into him with some kinda spell! What the shit did you do you little slut?!" he snarled as he reached for the boy and Yuya settled a cold glare on him as he snagged him by the shirt.

"Yuya! Hey! Put him down!" the man glared.

"Stay outta this you little fucks. Now, I want you to pay for it, got it? Nelson was my bud, ya owe me for makin' me lose'im," he snapped as Yuya gave him a passive look.

"Put me down…" the man gave him a confused look.

"Whassat? Ya little shit, don't ya talk back to me!" Yuya ground his teeth together.

"I said… _put me down!_ " red energy sparked around him, fire seeming to form as the man dropped him, and Yuya landed somewhat shakily on the ground while he watched the others stare in confusion and the man hiss at the pain in his hand from the heat.

" _ **Your body isn't fully healed, don't overdo yourself, okay?"**_ Yuya nodded to Yuto's words and slowly got to his feet.

"Little fucker! I'm gonna make you regret that," he stated as Yuya took in a steady breath.

"No, but if you don't leave us alone… I'll make you regret even waking up this morning…" a fairly cold smirk came to Yuya's features, the boy's eyes gaining a cold crimson shade to them as the man glared.

"Oh really? What can somethin' like you do? All you are is a used up little toy, nothin' more and nothin less!" he stated as Yuya tilted his head to the side, his magic coiling around him affectionately as he smiled, lips pulling back over his teeth.

"Hmm…"

The action was so swift, the others and those present were certain they'd have missed it should they have blinked. The man had made to reach for Yuya, and the boy had moved his arms forward, a spell lashing the man swiftly, knocking him on his feet with a deep cut to his palm and arm as the boy kept his right arm raised forward and tilted slightly to his left side, expression calm and eyes cold and calculating as he kept a steady glare upon his features, the man screaming in pain as Yuya slowly lowered his hands while the others gaped in disbelief.

"M-My hand!" Yuya sighed.

"It seems you weren't taught very well. Not surprising, seeing as you seem like you're bottom of the barrel kind of scum… so allow me to teach you something…" Yuya stepped towards him, crouching nearby the man, balancing himself with the tips of his fingers as the man stared in pain and terror at his cut hand.

"S-Stay back! You're a fucking demon!" he said as he started moving back as best he could, the others watching not daring to move at the fairly cold smile on the boy's face.

"Most species bare their teeth as a threat, as a display of aggression, or of leadership… and while humans don't have half the bite-strength of animals, and supernatural beings… we are more than capable of doing damage with our teeth alone…" the man backed away, the Lancers and their comrades watching as Yuya followed him, moving along on his feet and hands in a crouch, smirking as he did so.

"Y-You're a demon! Stay away from me!" Yuya smiled, showing his teeth a bit.

"You know why even humans bear their teeth when their angry? Because, we have primal instincts… we're animals too… and it is a reminder that these clenched jaws… can and will open your yielding throat… so remember that the next time you approach someone like you just did me and they _smile at you."_

The man finally mustered the strength up and shot to his feet, running as the several others in the cafeteria left as well, panic clear in their features as the Lancers watched the boy remain where he was, keeping a steady gaze upon those who remained, almost as though he was warning them not to take the risk of approaching them, and any forms of hostility towards their group, would be met with the same kind of aggression. To Sylvio and Gongenzaka, whom had known Yuya the longest out of their group, it was disturbing to see the boy acting in such a feral manner, and to even those who had only known him for a short while, it only made the sight all the more unsettling as the boy slowly rose to his feet, swaying a bit as he put a hand to his head, seeming to block out a rush of vertigo and pain that caused Dennis and the others to wonder what was happening to the boy.

"Yuya?" the boy nodded, keeping his hand over his face.

"Are you alright?" asked Gongenzaka.

"Yea, I'm fine. Just kind of dizzy is all… I didn't think I would have to do that." Crow frowned.

"Who said you had to? Come on, be honest, why did you do that?" he questioned as Yuya's shoulders relaxed.

"Because… he wouldn't stop… and I don't want to leave it all up to you." Scarlet eyes glancing to the others as Tokumatsu saw the shining light in the boy's gaze, full of a fiery that he hadn't seen in the last four days, and right then and there, it had come back full force, something that left him speechless.

" _What power… his soul is on fire…"_

 **{Baths: 11:40am}**

Yuya had just finished with getting himself cleaned up, taking in a few steady breaths as he had gotten dressed and was now trying to dry the water from his hair. The use of a cutting spell had taken quite a bit of energy out of him, but his magic had lovingly embraced him instead of attempting to possess him, which had made his anxiety levels drop, and his control start to ease into place instead of it being overtaken. He hadn't meant to do the amount of damage he had, but some part of him wanted to release that sudden urge to cause the same kind of pain he'd felt. It made him feel a great deal of guilt, but a moment later, it had been washed away as he thought of how the man had attacked him first, and would have done severe damage to him had he not decided to trust his magic and fight.

There was a part of him that still squirmed as he thought of it, but he couldn't bring himself to linger on it for to long, considering the situation, and the relief that his magic hadn't possessed him, but had listened to what he wanted. Yuya felt as though a faint weight had been pulled off him at long last, and while he hadn't been certain as to why the Waking Magic had decided to do something about obeying him for once, he almost didn't want to question it.

However, as his mind thought on the reasons behind it happening, he felt his body shake as he pulled the towel off his head, hair still slightly damp as he took in an unsteady breath, and put his hands on the sink in front of him, glancing at his own reflection for the first time in he wasn't even sure how long, and saw how different he looked, almost to different.

His reflection didn't feel like it belonged to him, but he knew it was indeed him, because of his messy red-green-hair and scarlet eyes, but those eyes were different. They had a glow to them, like fire, but were still the same rich and warm dark red shade they'd always been, and then, there was the haunted look within their depths, that showed him his pains and lingering fears as he took in a shaky breath, a sharp pain coming from his heart as he bit his lip, tears burning his eyes.

"Yuya…" the boy flinched at Yuto's voice.

"Hey… Yuto? Do you… remember what Gongenzaka's father said?" he asked as the spirit nodded.

"I do." Yuya felt tears slip down his face and he took in a deep breath, looking up into the mirror to see blood slipping down his cheeks instead.

"W-What…" Yuto shifted to be beside the other.

"You remember some of the stories about Waking Witches? If they suffer heartbreak, or extreme mental trauma, they sometimes cry tears of blood," he said as Yuya wiped his eyes, blood smearing across his skin as he took in a few deep breaths, looking at his hands while another series of red drops fell.

"R-Right… I'm… okay…" Yuto looked to the boy.

"You don't have to be," he said as Yuya shook his head.

"Yes, I do! I can't stay like this… I'm suffocating… so I have to be okay…" Yuto took in a steady breath.

"That's not how it works," he told him as Yuya bit into his bottom lip.

"As of right now, it does… I'm… a Lancer… I agreed to fight against Academia, for Yuzu, for those I love, and for the sake of our world. I'll be damned if I let the things I might suffer from stop me… I swore I would do this regardless of what the costs were, and I intend to keep that promise." Gray eyes looked the boy's tense form over as Yuya pressed his hands against the sink again.

"Yuya… you don't have to be strong if you're in pain. It's okay to hurt," he told him.

"I know that! it does hurt… to the point that I can barely stand it… but I can't let that stop me… I've been thinking about what Gongenzaka's father said, and he's right! I have to choose when to bend and when to break… and I'm tired of breaking…" Yuto took in a slight breath, eyes softening as he looked at the boy.

"Then what are you going to do?" he asked as Yuya took in a deep breath and looked at his reflection.

"I'm going to bend… I'll stay true to who I am… but I'll let my spirit and heart guide me… I'll stop only using my head and let my mind and instincts help me survive… I'm not… I'm not going to be a victim, not any more…"

 **{….}**

 _Formed together, made for elevation…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Yuya seems to have started to figure out where he needs to go from here, and has found a means to empower himself. While I know a lot of people struggle with depression, and Yuya clearly does as well, it's also obvious that Yuya has started to learn that he has a great deal of power within himself, and he can use that to help those he loves and become stronger: bending instead of breaking. Anyways, tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Robbie was somewhat inspired by Robbie Daymond, who voices _Prompto Argentum from Final Fantasy XV,_ and _Sorey from Tales of Zesteria, and Tales of Zesteria – The X._

I don't really know a lot about actual witch/magic practices, but I did find a documentary online about it, and recalled hearing about the altars and whatnot, so I decided to add that little detail in there as well as the usage of grimoires.

Yes, you actually will see a few wands being used here and there, and most magic users do have them on their person, but well hidden. They aren't used daily, but are more ceremonial, still, they do have their uses.

I found that it's actually true that even humans bear their teeth when showing aggression, meaning that we're actually relying upon an animal instinct, and are reminding the person threatening us, that we are also dangerous.


	73. Chapter 73: Rebirth

Chapter 73: Rebirth

 **{Detention Center: August 12** **th** **, 2014: 9:04am}**

"We need to do it tomorrow." All eyes turned to Crow as he said this, most finding the words shocking.

"Tomorrow? How?" asked Gongenzaka.

"Yuya came up with a clever plan to use an entertainment duel as a diversion. If we had three to four people willing to participate." The group glanced to one another.

"But would it work? I mean, how do we do that even?" Tokumatsu smiled.

"I believe I can assist in that with little difficulty. Putting on a show shouldn't be too hard, and I will gladly perform, so long as Yuya does as well," he said as he looked to the boy who felt his eyes grow wide.

It hadn't been something he'd thought of, but now that he did, a sudden whirl of nausea hit him hard. When he was younger, he'd gotten stage fright something fierce and had nearly gotten sick in front of the audience, but he had soon gotten himself more comfortable and had grown to love being on stage and putting on a performance for those watching; however, as the thoughts came to him, the creeping sickly feeling started to bubble up and he looked to the side, expression one of worry and faint alarm as his mind replayed recent events and he started to panic, recalling words from those people that he didn't want to.

"Yuya?" the boy closed his eyes, biting into his bottom lip before taking in a steady breath, forcing the anxiety down.

"Okay… I can do that," he told Tokumatsu, his voice sounding slightly tense.

"Excellent, I will go and speak with a few people and get things started once we know who will also be performing, and how to do this." Sylvio smiled.

"I'll volunteer, I would love to have a good duel," he stated.

"You sure?" the other nodded.

"Yup, besides, I think Yuya and I can wow the crowds with Enjoy Chojirou on our sides, right, Yuya?" the boy asked him and Yuya gave him a tense smile, nodding.

"Yea, we can do it no problem." Crow eyed the boy, sighing as the others looked to him.

"Did Damon hear back from his friends?" asked Gongenzaka.

"He did, and they'll be preparing a meeting point for us tomorrow night in order for us to go to the Black Feather's turf. And they said they got a special surprise." Everyone gave him a confused look.

"What are you talking about?" Dennis questioned as Crow looked to Yuya.

"Yuzu and Hugo are at the Nest, our main base. They're both safe and sound and will be waiting for us there."

The look on Yuya's face was something they hadn't expected, but were all the same over the moon to see. Scarlet eyes lit up, a look of unsureness and yet barely withheld joy and relief upon his features as his body visibly relaxed, a mass amount of anxiety and stress suddenly having been pulled off of him as he bowed his head a fraction, feeling his eyes burn with tears again as he found himself feeling relief to hear that Yuzu was safe, and admittedly, that Hugo was still with her and also in the Black Feather's protection.

"I'm glad… thank you, Crow," Yuya told him, the boy's eyes shining in the same way that they had before that entire mess had taken place.

"Don't mention it, I told ya I would help, didn't I? once we're outta here, we can find your friends and get you red-jacket invaders back together." Dennis looked to him.

"We're not invaders, we're heroes. Think of us as Millennium's version of the Avengers," he said as some of the group laughed.

"If that's the case, then whose Cap? And where do we place bets?" the group started laughing, Yuya not being able to help himself and he joined in, feeling some of the oppressive depression letting up.

"Shay I think takes the place of Hawkeye," Yuya said with a great deal of mirth in his voice.

"Then Serena's Black Widow…" Tokumatsu hummed, knowing that the humorous comment was being continued for the sake of easing the groups anxiety and tension, which also, seemed to be helping Yuya quite a bit.

"And… G-Gon's the hulk!" Dennis mentioned the giant of a teenager smiling.

"Then I would presume you're what? Cap?" the other shrugged.

"Well, I am American, and I am from New York," he mentioned as Shinji did his best to keep a straight face, thankful for the sudden levity.

"How does this help our current situation, exactly? We need a plan!" Yuya glanced to Sawatari.

"Alright Ant-Man, take a breather," he said as the other gaped.

"W-What?! I am not an ant!" Dennis smiled.

"The masses have spoken Sawatari, you're Ant-Man," he stated while Yuya started laughing, unable to stop himself as he covered his mouth to muffle the noise a bit.

"I-I am… why am I an ant?!" Yuya smiled.

"Come on, it's just a joke. Think about it, we're pretty similar to them, huh? It's kind of silly… we're just a bunch of kids," he mentioned as Shinji hummed.

"Spider-Man is a teenager… come to think of it… you would be a pretty good– "Yuya shook his head, waving his hands.

"Oh no! Don't go there… its funny and all, but I am not interested in us picking out Super Hero counterparts instead of coming up with a plan," he said admitting that Sylvio had a point just as Crow smirked.

"You, Sawatari, and Tokumatsu are gonna put on a duel, got it Spidey?" Yuya gave him a bland look.

"I am sorely tempted to use an arachnid spell and shut your mouth with some webs," he told Crow as the others chuckled a bit while Dennis hummed.

"That would mean Reiji would either be Fury or Stark, which one though?" Yuya gave him a blunt look.

"He's not particularly sarcastic, so Fury would fit, but… wealth, tech, and intelligence wise… he's Stark… hmm… he's a bit of both I guess… not that it's surprising, seeing as he's pretty much a master of technology, and atop that organized all of us… I swear… I wonder what he's doing now… probably thinking of ways to tell us off for not busting out sooner…" he thought, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I gotta meet this guy if he can baffle the great Yuya Sakaki." Scarlet eyes narrowed.

"Oh yea, I'm definitely gonna seal your mouth shut, but now I'm thinking super glue might be more effective," he stated as Crow laughed.

" _ **I personally find your sass on equal parts Spider-Man and Deadpool."**_ Yuya mentally hummed.

" _Then you're the Ghost Rider…"_ he mentioned as Yuto threw his hands in the air.

" _ **Seriously?! I can't fucking escape it even now!"**_ Yuya chuckled to himself at Yuto's outburst.

Within an hour of breakfast being done though, Tokumatsu had already gotten the all clear from the guards, and had started to get the other inmates to build a sort of three tier stage for them to Duel on, leaving the Lancers to deal with the other part of their plan. Crow, Shinji, and Damon had decided upon the air-ducts being their best bet, but that leading a small number of them through the sewers and waterways would be better, so they weren't bunched up at once. Dennis had agreed with the decision, and had voted to not duel, but be the one to get Serena out of her cell while Gongenzaka was to go and be backup for Shay. Meanwhile, Damon would split up with a couple of the Lancers and lead them to the waterways, while Crow and Shinji would do the same, except with the airducts.

It was a simple plan, one that if done properly, would be fool proof; however, Yuya knew that fool proof plans could be easily messed up as well. Knowing that, made him feel tense, wondering how this plan could go wrong, and realizing it could turn sour in thousands of different ways. Sighing, he put his hands in his hair, rested his head in his palms while his mind contemplated what they could possibly do to better their chances, and then, a thought occurred to him, one that had clearly given him a rather owlish look on his face, because the others had started to question him.

He had shook his head and asked for a series of tools, and a map of the prison. While it had gathered some confused looks, Yuya remained silent as he was gotten what he needed, and took the map and the pencil that had been part of his requested tools and started to map out certain portions of the map. It was difficult, pinpointing what he needed, but he continued his work, everyone watching him as he started writing small notes on the map, doing it in a series of strange symbols that confused them to no end as he took in a deep breath and nodded a bit, having the pencil between his first and middle finger, allowing him to shift it back and forth as he looked it over again, causing some of them to be rather confused.

"Um? Excuse me, I don't mean to pry, but what did you want this for?" asked Max while Yuya smirked.

"I'm gonna fry a few circuits." Crow felt his eyes grow wide.

"Can you hack into the system here?" he inquired as Yuya sighed, taking the pencil to point out an area on the map.

"See this maintenance area here? There's a series of computer-based circuit systems there, and if I can slip in there at some point before the match, I can have the lights, alarms, door releases, and everything else on a timer within about ten to fifteen minutes… but… that's the problem…" Tokumatsu hummed.

"You need a distraction for fifteen minutes or more, something we can't guarantee," he stated as Yuya nodded.

"Right, however, I'm more than capable of hiding should I desperately need to. I can use a spirit spell to hide myself, but I can only do those for a few minutes." The others gave him a questioning look.

"Yuya, how can you possibly manage that when you've got those cuffs on you?" questioned Damon, who had recently been filled in on Yuya and Hugo not being the same person. The red-green-haired boy merely held his wrists out, turned up, which displayed his scars, but also that the small red gem on the clasp of the bands had turned gray, indicating that whatever had been on it to block his magic, was completely broken.

"My magic fried it when I lost control with that fifth guy. So, as it stands, my magic is fully usable, and if I can get into this place, I can short-circuit the cuffs on everyone else and get it to where you guys can fight with your magic." Shinji smirked.

"Seriously? Well, aren't you a clever little devil," he mentioned as Yuya gave him a long look.

"Witch, I'm a Witch… and a Hacker. So, can some of you help distract the guards for about fifteen minutes?" the group looked to one another and Max smiled, and Rent did the same.

"We can cause a fight, that'll get the guards off ya back for about fifteen or more minutes," Rent told them.

"Are you sure? There's a chance you'll get thrown in solitary." The two shrugged.

"Think of it as a way of helpin' out the people who helped us. Besides, ya said you guys had a super important mission to do, right? So ya gotta get outta here and find the rest of ya pals so ya can do it," Max said as Yuya took in a steady breath.

"Alright then, let's do it! I'll do it tomorrow afternoon just before everyone eats dinner and the duel begins. That'll be your chance to start the distraction." The two nodded.

"Gotcha, we won't let ya down," they told him.

 **{Commons Area: 2:40pm}**

Yuzu sighed as she looked out her window in the living room of the apartment she and Hugo had been given, finding herself rather bored while Hugo had left to get a few things and had promised to be back later. The pink-haired girl felt frustrated, knowing that Yuya was here, but was in a situation that he needed help to get out of, and she was completely powerless to do anything. Periwinkle eyes glanced towards the book lying across from her on the small table near the window: Rin's Grimoire. Yuya had his own, and had read through it countless times, but she had never really taken a look into one before, which piqued her interest greatly. Carefully, Yuzu picked up the book and opened it, finding that Rin had neat handwriting, and had very organized notes and information on different things.

At first, it was a fairly basic bit of information on how to make a proper wand, broom, and hat, which she didn't think much of, and then it went into subjects of palmistry, astrology, fortunetelling, potions, and many different spells. Rin had also done something a bit unique with her grimoire, having made it to where basic information and how-to kind of things were in black ink, while spells, were in green ink, potions in blue, and rituals, and other things were in red, pink, or purple ink. It was colorful, but also surprisingly helpful, and allowed Yuzu to begin reviewing the information within it.

 _How to make a Wand:_

 _The process is different for everyone, and it revolves around who they are as a person. Their likes and dislikes, colors their drawn to, gems, metals, and even symbolism for it, in many ways, its just as though one were to paint a self portrait and their wand is the end result. When I started making my wand, I decided to go for specific types of wood and leather as well as copper, as iron burns Fae types, and I fused malachite and amber together as well as green aventurine to form the gems within my wand._

 _Doing this, gave me a means to feel myself reflected upon the object I was putting an effort into making. By choosing cedar wood, I felt more intune with the earth and winds, while the stones I chose are each helpful in their own way. Amber represents the resolve of fears, malachite is protection, and aventurine is serenity. In choosing metals, copper supports energy flow, which is why most witches use it for wrapping or holstering of the crystals on their wands._

 _When you begin making your own, remember what each thing you put into it means, and in doing so, you can learn to empower yourself, and allow it to reflect your soul. A Witch's Wand is a reflection of their inner power, a broom the freedom of their soul, and a hat, though traditional, means we understand that secrecy is required. Magic stems from the soul and heart of a Magi, thus we as a whole, learn how to best show who we are and –_

"Yuzu, I'm back!" the girl jumped and looked to Hugo who was holding several bags in his hands.

"Oh, hey… glad your back," she said as he smiled and went over to the small coffee table, setting the bags down next to it.

"Yup, and I brought us some stress relief." The girl rose an eyebrow as he started pulling different items out of the bags. Fabric, stones, metal, wires, leather, wood, and many other things were splayed out on the table, somewhat surprising the pink-haired girl as she watched him, and he crossed his arms over his chest while she gaped at the items.

"What is all this?" she asked him, and Hugo smiled.

"Supplies for you to build a wand, duh. I thought it would help you relax a bit, I can see how tense you are, and I know you're worried about Yuya, so I figured why not help you with this?" Yuzu eyed all the things and sighed, smiling sadly.

"Hugo, thank you, but I… I'm not a Witch or anything, so how could I put so much effort into something that'll be nothing more than a Halloween prop?" she questioned as Hugo frowned.

"How do you know it will be? Remember, magic comes from within, not from outside of you. Personally, I think you have your own special kind of magic, and a wand is a conduit for that, and much more." Yuzu glanced to the grimoire on the sofa.

"Rin's grimoire talked about how to make a wand and what needed to be done in order for it to work," she mentioned.

"Yup, Rin is super thorough too. I gotta admit, hers is better than my own… but anyways, I think you should do it. Even if it doesn't work, the distraction will be helpful."

Yuzu sighed, relenting as she looked at the items around her, and finally picked up a type of bleached wood that was sturdy but smooth and slender. Hugo watched her as she sat it aside, having chosen it before she went to look at the leather and chose a pink kind before resting upon silver wire, and finally, she looked at the strange case-like caps made of silver, one of which had a fairy on it. She grabbed it and then she started looking at the stones. Hugo sat down on the other sofa and watched as Yuzu moved a few of them around, finally grasping a rough rose quartz crystal, what seemed to be pre-drilled pearls, a few red stones, and a misty rainbow stone.

"Rose quartz, pearl, red jade, and opal. Interesting choices, but not bad, now, let me help you put the cap on once you get the rest of it wrapped how you want," Hugo stated.

"Okay…"

Without a further bit of waiting, Yuzu started wrapping the pink leather across the base to form a grip and coiled it around and up to the top before she took the silver wire and started to thread the pearls through, coiling them around it towards the top of the grip while she did the same with the opal at the top and then took the red jade and threaded the pink leather through the drilled, round stones and tied it firmly around the base of the wand.

After that, she picked up the silver and pearl strand and finished tying it off and did the same at the top with the opal before she took the rough rose quartz crystal and the silver cap, giving it to Hugo as he closed his eyes, clasping his hand around it to use a fusing spell which would put the crystal's bottom half firmly into the metal casing before he would put it on the wand. A moment later, Hugo handed it back to Yuzu and she held it in her hands before tying the knots at the end to finish with the red jade at the bottom of the wand.

It had taken here around forty minutes to complete it, she knew that by the clock on the wall, but now that she held it in her hands, the stones seemed to shimmer with warmth and light, which caused her to smile as she looked to Hugo who had started to clean up the items on the table, putting them back in their respective pouches before setting it all aside as Yuzu looked to the wand again, somewhat amazed at how attached to it she felt even though it had just been made.

"Feels strange, huh? Being connected to something you made like that," Hugo mentioned as he took a seat.

"Yea… is this how you guys feel all the time?" the other shrugged, reaching into his pocket to pull out something somewhat similar to Yuzu's wand.

"I made my wand when I was nine, alongside Rin, and it took me a freakin' long time because I couldn't find how to make it perfect… and then, as I sat there, I realized somethin'…" Yuzu looked to the wand in Hugo's hand.

It was faded wood, wrapped with blue leather, and blended with shells and what seemed to be blue and green stones and smooth black ones. It looked natural and had a wild and carefree feel to it. It had shells at the bottom as a small tassel, the blue leather was wrapped tightly around the base and tip, and had a rough stone embedded into the top while the smaller stones clustered around it. Yuzu sat her wand down upon the table and Hugo did the same as he smiled.

"And what did you realize?" she asked.

"Perfection is a bunch of bullshit. There's no such thing… at least not for mortal beings… our lives are short, and we're horribly imperfect beings striving for something that doesn't exist in our world. Perfection is a figment of the imagination, we only think somethin' is perfect by our own opinions… the wand I got, made me realize that I didn't have to be perfect, I just had to be myself… I had to be what was in my soul." Yuzu gave him a confused look.

"That's a great deal to realize so young, but I guess its part of who you are, huh? But, what do you mean by you had to be what was in your soul?" Hugo hummed, thinking for a moment.

"Well… a Witch will eventually become the true personality of their soul. So, as our magic matures, we're posed with a lot of questions, and one of the biggest ones is if we know our spirit, and how to let go of what we _think is us_ in order for us to become who we really are… if we accomplish this, we gain control on our magic, and our spirits that are wild and restless, are tamed under our own wills, finding peace and balance in a way…" Yuzu stared at him.

"I wonder… if that's what's wrong with Yuya," she thought aloud.

"It could be, he's fourteen, right? He's just started to really learn who he is. Most Witches don't figure this kinda thing out until we're about sixteen to eighteen years old. Sages learn it pretty quickly, Wizards are the same, but they've always known who and what they are… they get off easy, and then there are the Warlocks and Sorcerers, whose magical influence upon their hearts normally turns them evil." The pink-haired girl gave him a startled look.

I was wondering, why do Warlocks and Sorcerers seem to get such a bad wrap?" she probed as Hugo sighed.

"Warlocks are just evil, they're cold hearted and crave the pleasures of the world, much like a Sorcerer does, but at times, they're at least capable of being nice and easy to get along with. Warlocks, nope, they will manipulate and use you until they can't anymore… the scary thing is… it's not hard to fall into place with them." Periwinkle eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" Hugo looked their wands over.

"A Witch is the standard name of those who practice magic under Skills and many other branches of magic, Sages are natural healers and makers, Alchemists create medicine and poisons, Sorcerers aren't the greatest, but they kind of fall between an Alchemist and a Witch, Wizards are bookish and don't go under Skills, and then, Warlocks are the result of Witches beginning to practice Black Magic. it's not pretty… they break their wands, making a special potion from the ashes in order to make a way for their rebirth into the Black Arts… their closest cousins are Necromancers," he explained.

"But, Rin's grimoire said that a wand is a reflection of a Witch's spirit, so how could they…" Hugo looked to the girl.

"That's the point of burning the wand and devouring the ashes in that mixture. It's the destruction of their former selves, and their rebirth into darkness. That kind of spell and ritual is ancient magic, the kind that our ancestors would have been disgusted at seeing done," he said as Yuzu took in a deep breath.

"So, what happens if the wand is broken by accident?" Hugo frowned.

"Black Fire is the only thing that can destroy a Magi's wand. It's a rare spell, a Black Magic one at that, and it's cast by Dark and dangerous Witches, Hags, or those who have already become Warlocks. However, there aren't many Warlocks now-a-days… because of that, we have a bit of a fortunate occurrence that those spells are lost. Merlin made sure of that, but Black Fire is dangerous… they say it came from the lowest rings of the underworld, Tartarus, and slowly was changed into a form of Black Magic used by only the darkest of Magi," he stated as Yuzu sighed.

"Magical communities have so much in them. Warlocks are Witches who have lost their hearts to their own dark desires, Corruption Curses are big trouble, but what's a Hag?" Hugo looked her over.

"The result of a completed Corruption Curse. Ya know about the Hansel and Gretel fairytale, yea? That, is one of the most famous cases of a Hag, or Beldam – meaning child eater. They're the epidimy, of what pop culture portrays us as, simple as that," he told her as Yuzu took in the information.

"So, what's more likely? A Warlock being created, or a Beldam?" Hugo glanced out the window.

"Unfortunately, no one is really sure," he admitted as Yuzu picked up her wand.

"Are… Magi just magic users in general?" Hugo nodded.

"Yea, it's our mass name, Witches, Wizards, Alchemists, Sages, Sorcerers, Magicians, Necromancers, Warlocks, and the like are all Magi. But a Magician, uses summoning magic, remember that, okay?" Yuzu nodded.

"Got it… um… so, I guess the lines are kinda blurred when it comes to magical practices huh?" she asked as Hugo shrugged.

"Now a days, yea. But back in the olden days, there were distinct differences, and there still kind of are… I mean, Alchemists don't use spells really, Magicians only summon things… Necromancers mess with the dead, Warlocks are evil jackasses, Sages are healers, makers, and fixers, so yea, they use a wide variety of magic types, and so do Sorcerers… but Wizards and Witches are the closest magically. Now a days, we don't really use the whole classification thing until we're way older, but Witches, are the most common of Magi." Yuzu sighed.

"Alright, I think I understand," she said as Hugo looked to the wand in her hand.

"How about I teach ya some spells?" Yuzu rose an eyebrow.

"Can I learn some?" she questioned as he nodded.

"You bet, we'll start off with something simple… how about a motion spell?"

 **{…}**

 _I am a Soldier, I won't surrender…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Mainly an exposition chapter with some humor to lighten the mood a bit. Yuzu building her wand was inspired by a fun Halloween craft I found online and a bit of research. Also, I got a few questions about how there were both differences and similarties in the different magic user types, so I hope this helped. If not, Trivia below will assist. Tell me what you thought!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Magi – A Person who uses Magic.

Witches – those who use a wide variety of spellcraft and other magical arts, but are often named under a Skill type.

Wizards – Bookish, using memorization as a key assistant to their spellcraft and other magical arts.

Alchemists – They make medicines, poisons, and reconstruct and deconstruct matter, that is their kind of magic. they can do what they want with forming and reforming things, but that's with practice.

Magicians – Summoners and fairly good at controlling what they call forth. They tend to do cheap tricks and are mostly fun loving.

Sages – Healers, Makers, and Fixers, they are very craft-oriented, and are good at healing people and things not physically, but emotionally.

Sorcerers – Uses a blend of magics, but is more reclusive, cold, and oppressive. They can conjure storms and forces of nature, such as the Mistress of Darkness, Maleficent can.

Warlocks – Having only their own desires in mind, these magic users are the underbelly of the magical community and aren't friendly.

Necromancer – messes with the dead, spirits, and the like. Need I say more.

Yuzu's Stone Choices: _Rose Quartz: Love, Opal: Harmony/Communication, Pearl: Grace, and Red Jade: Strength._


	74. Chapter 74: Escape Artist

Chapter 74: Escape Artist

 **{Detention Center: August 13** **th** **, 2014: 10:20am}**

Yuya swept along the walkway near the cell he and the other Lancers shared, his eyes glancing around occasionally as down below people got to work on finishing up the stage for tonight's performance. He took in a deep breath, leaning over the railing as he watched everyone down below, his mind thinking of what had to be done between then and now while he felt his magic humming under his skin, seeming to desire being released at some point. Taking in the area around him once more, Yuya huffed, snapping his fingers as the broom shot to life and started sweeping by itself as he thought about what to do.

There was going to come a point soon, that his magic was going to completely take over again, and he had the terrible feeling that it would be tonight. It wasn't writhing to get free, but he could feel the simmering rush of it in his body, letting him know that it was going to need an outlet, and it would jump at any chance it got. Yuya knew though, that he needed to keep his magic in check for as long as humanly possible if this escape plan was going to work, which meant choking down the sensation of wanting to submit to it would be required of him atop his sudden resurgence of anxiety when it came to mass numbers of people.

At the sheer notion of it, Yuya shivered, curling his arms around himself as he ground his teeth together. He had chosen not to let these things consume him, and instead, Yuya wanted it to empower him, give him an even greater reason to fight instead of being passive as he had been in the past. After what he'd had to endure, Yuya had no doubts that complete recovery wasn't an option, at least, not for him; however, that didn't mean he couldn't take something that had scarred him, and make it a source of power for himself. Instead of being the victim, he would be the warrior everyone needed him to be.

"Enjoying the view or somethin'?" Yuya turned his gaze to Crow and he sighed.

"No, just taking a quick breather," he admitted as the other smiled.

"Well, there's no shame in that. How ya holdin' up though?" Yuya shrugged at the Sage's question.

"If I think about it or a trace of the memories come up… I feel like I'm going to pass out… it really… makes me feel sick. Like I've been used… I feel dirty and tainted… guess I'll have to overcome it though," he said as Crow hummed a bit.

"Yuya, listen… you don't gotta be strong right now if ya don't wanna. No one here is gonna blame you for feeling busted up or torn down… anyone would in that situation… but you don't gotta act like your okay." Yuya closed his eyes, bangs falling into his face.

"Crow, I've been a victim for so long… I'm tired of it. I'm stronger than people think I am, and I know I'm capable of doing what needs to be done in order to stop Academia. There's no reason for me not to stand up and fight instead of this destroying me like I so desperately want it too…" Crow looked at the boy as tears started falling, but instead of them being clear, they were red.

"Gods… Yuya! Your…" the boy shook his head, wiping his face with the back of his hand.

"I'm a Waking Witch Crow, and… my heart… is so full of… _pain and misery._ I want to surrender, to the point that its tearing me to pieces… but I just… it isn't in my blood to give up like that… I can't do it… even though I…" Yuya's voice broke off, body shaking as he opened his eyes, looking at his hands as bloody tears fell.

"Yuya…" the boy slowly sunk to his knees.

"Even though… I'm drowning… I'm in the deepest, darkest ocean, and I can't get up and catch my breath. It hurts, that feeling of suffocating when nothing is doing it… the sensation that you're about to drown when your on dry land, and that you've been shackled in place even though your making your body move… it hurts… to the point that I just want to break and let it be over with…" Crow looked him over, crouching down as Yuya took in a few deep breaths, the tears changing slowly, a clear one rolling down his cheek as he tried to wipe the blood off his face.

"You don't have to give up, I'm just saying that this right here… it's okay. No one will think differently of you for submitting to what your heart feels right now," Crow told him as Yuya steadied himself on his knees.

"I decided… that I'm not going to let this defeat me. My heart is stronger than that… my _spirit is tougher than this…_ this won't end me… whatever kind of punishment I have to experience, I'll swallow that pain and keep moving… because there's no way in hell I'm going to give up… no matter what… _I'll never stop fighting…_ " the other looked to him and then reached out, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Then stand up and do it. I know you can, like I said… you're a phoenix Yuya, and you'll rise from the ashes… you're doing it right now," he said as the boy looked to him, giving him a small smile as he wiped his face clean of the blood.

"Thank you… I feel better now…" Crow smiled, helping the boy to his feet.

"Any time, we're friends, so you better expect me to have your six, got it?" he asked as Yuya wiped the last bit of blood out of the corner of his eye as a smile came to his features.

"You better expect me to do the same then." Crow nodded.

"Wouldn't have it any other way. Now come on, let's get these chores done, and we'll get ready for tonight's festivities," he stated as he and Yuya walked away to finish up with the sweeping, the broom following them as the scarlet-eyed boy took it, and started to clean while in a corner nearby, Shinji stood, his face unnaturally white while he watched the boy.

" _Dear Gods… he's… one of them?"_

 **{Lancer's Cell: 2:14pm}**

" _ **Are you sure this is something we can do?"**_ Yuto asked, floating around Yuya as the boy started to check over his plans on the map.

"Well, we can't know if we don't try. As it stands, this is one of our only chances of literally tripping the system." The attached spirit sighed, looking a bit unconvinced.

" _ **Remember what I said way back? Right after you learned about your parents? I didn't want to go to jail, and yet… look where we are! I knew somehow, we'd get thrown in the slammer,"**_ Yuto remarked as Yuya hummed.

"Then you should have been a Fortuna Witch instead…" the spirit made a putout expression, features forming into a bland frown and his eyes closing.

" _ **Yuya, I know you're like a freakishly good hacker, but this is a super tough task. Are you sure we can do this in fifteen minutes?"**_ he questioned as Yuya glanced his way.

"Pretty sure, just gotta work quick. You'll be my lookout, right?" Yuto sighed, slumping just a bit.

" _ **Yea, I got it. Let's just let Rent and Max know that they can start."**_ As Yuya got his things together, and pocketed them, a person stepped into the room, the scarlet-eyed boy's hearing picking up on the sound in a far sharper manner than it once did.

"Hey, Yuya?" asked a familiar voice, causing the boy to turn as he relaxed.

"Shinji? What's up?" the blue-haired young man gave the boy a once over.

"Nothing much, I just was wonderin' if you were ready to head on out?" he inquired as the boy crossed his arms over his chest, nodding.

"Yea, I've got everything I need. Just about to head on to give the signal." Shinji hummed in thought.

"Are you sure this'll work?" he questioned him as he looked to the boy who hummed in thought.

"It'll work, don't worry about it." Shinji sighed.

"Alright, look… Yuya, listen, I didn't want to press this issue considering what's happened, but… I think its time that we have a talk," he stated as Yuya eyed him.

"M'kay, what did you want to talk to me about?" Shinji glanced to the side.

"Yuya, I want to know about your abilities as a Witch. I want you to be honest with me and not keep a bunch of that bullshit up… who or… what are you exactly?" Shinji questioned him and Yuya sighed, running a hand through his hair, his goggles sitting next to him on the small table.

It wasn't a situation he could admittedly be glad for, but he supposed that it would come at some point. Shinji wasn't foolish, and Yuya was well aware that there were inconsistencies in his lies – he supposed it would be something he needed to work on – and that it eventually would lead to someone asking him for the truth. Pendulum Witches didn't technically exist, because it was a category that fell under the ability of Crystal Witches and a handful of other Skills, in knowing that though, Yuya could only find the best way to break it to Shinji and hopefully convince him to keep it quiet.

"Um… well, if I tell you… I just want you to promise me that you'll at least not tell anyone else…" Shinji stared into those sharp scarlet eyes, having regained their warmth and light to a degree where they were finally starting to look like the eyes of the person he'd met before this entire mess had taken place.

"Okay, I'll keep my mouth shut, I swear," he said as Yuya nodded slowly.

"I… I'm a… Waking Witch…" Shinji took a step away from the boy.

"A… Waking Witch? You're a…." he stammered, and the boy could only look down.

"Yea, I am. Just… listen to me though… I'm not in control of my magic, not by a long shot… its only barely behaving from time to time… I have to be careful, otherwise, I might end up hurting someone. Right now, I'm just trying to learn how to best handle it… but most people don't know… the Lancers do… but that's about it… so please… don't tell anyone," Yuya told him this as he looked at his hands, clenching them a bit as he spoke while Shinji stared at him in disbelief.

Shinji Webber, was twenty-two years old, and he had seen many things growing up in the slums; however, a Waking Witch was something that was viewed as more mythology than fact, seeing as most of them steered clear of mass populations, and tended to be on their own. Yet, here one stood, and he could honestly admit that his mind had conjured the image of a beautiful, yet terrifying person with a porcelain look and cold eyes. Instead, there was this sweet, innocent, warm-hearted boy whom was definitely attractive, but his light and the kindness in his soul shined brighter than his physical appeal. Sighing, the blue-haired man shook his head, unbelieving of what he'd just heard.

"Waking Witch… damn, you're nothin' like what I expected. Honestly, I assumed someone like yourself would have been powerful, regal, and almost… unnatural and untouchable in appearance. Instead, I get something cute and pretty, like a little elf." Yuya puffed out his cheeks a bit, giving him an annoyed look.

"Don't call me that… I'm not any of those things, okay?" he defended as Shinji smiled, reaching forward to ruffle the boy's hair.

"I get it, now go and let's get this show started, m'kay?" Yuya nodded, smiling as he grabbed his goggles, slipping them on as he walked away, and Shinji sighed soon following him out.

It took a grand total of a minute for Yuya to give Rent and Max the all go alongside the other Lancers as the two began to make a ruckus, getting into a fight with another two inmates, and soon starting a multi-person brawl while Shinji watched Yuya slip the hood of his jacket up, and go right past the guards as they focused on breaking up the fight. It was rather interesting, but he soon went down to get in on helping the other Lancers start a few fires to buy Yuya as much time as they could, being careful not to make it obvious as Yuya entered the control room.

Within, Yuya quickly set to work on removing the main panel, tweaking a few things as he started to use some of his magic to find access codes and put his hacking skills to work as he rushed to set the entire system of the prison to shut off upon his signal. Luckily, Yuya had already been given his Duel Disk for the event, and with having that done – Tokumatsu somehow convincing the guards to give him and Sawatari their own Duel Disks – he had access to a few of his programs, and had almost finished his programming when the doorknob started to jostle, causing him to freeze as he heard a faint beep go off, signaling the completion of the first half of the set up; however, he had another problem.

Yuya was now crouched as far back as he could get under the operating desk, knowing that there was, still things to be done, but with the security guard in the room, he couldn't do it. Scarlet eyes looked around, well aware that there were two options available to him as of now, and neither were exactly ones he was fond of. He could continue to hide, hoping he could hack the system from his Duel Disk, and not be found, or he could do something about the guard.

Swallowing nervously, his mind searched frantically for a better option, but wasting the time given to him by the riot going on outside, would only increase the chances of things going to hell, and he wasn't willing to let that happen. Gritting his teeth, he waited for the guard to stand up to check on one of the other monitors, and Yuya slipped out from under the counter, silent as he rose to fully height, keeping his hood up as he pulled his goggles down over his eyes.

"Alright, I guess I should – who the fuck, are you?" asked the guard as Yuya took no time to act and rushed forward, balling magic into his palm before he slammed it into the man's chest, knocking the air from his lungs as he went to the ground, and Yuya pivoted on the ball of his left foot and round-house kicked the man in the head, knocking him out as he flopped to the floor and Yuya shook himself out, returning to his work and not three minutes later, he finished up, resetting everything, pushing the man's chair into an odd angle and toppling it as he exited the room and walked calmly back to the cell, his heart hammering in his chest.

" _That was way to close…"_ Yuto hummed.

" _ **True, but that was a nice kick,"**_ he mentioned as they entered the cell and Yuya sat down, thankful that phase one of this plan was no over.

 **{Council Complex: 4:55pm}**

Reiji Akaba stood at the window of his room, overlooking the bustling city below and the ruined slums even further down, his entire body feeling a shudder of disgust go through it as he thought about what was happening in the Synchro Dimension. Darkness had its grip on this place, and the hearts of its people so firmly, that he quite honestly was fearful of letting this vileness merge back with the Synchro Zone; however, he knew it had to happen, but to do so, they would have to find a way to fix the problems with the Synchro Dimension first. Sighing, a sudden surge of discontent rose up within him, his hand going into the pocket of his pants as he pulled out a silver-gray crystal that was strung on a purple leather chord and he clenched his hand around it, feeling the pulse of magic that hummed through it, as though something was trying to tell him something.

A knock at his door came, and he responded, the person entering being Sky who reported that they'd seen nothing about the others, but he and Tsukikage had overheard some interesting information that pertained to Hugo Matsumoto and Yuzu's whereabouts, as well as a bit on their comrades and what had happened to them. Reiji had turned on his heels instantly, Sky swallowing nervously, his small, rough cut fluorite stone strung on a blue leather chord hanging around his neck as he wringed his hands, alerting Reiji to the severity of the situation.

"What's happened?" he asked.

"It seems that the others are in the Northern Detention Center, and have been making plans to escape. Tsukikage went on search for the people we heard this from, and was able to eavesdrop and determine that they're planning a prison break tonight." Reiji thought over the information, stuffing the silver-toned crystal back into his pocket.

"Then we need to be prepared to help our comrades and whomever has sided with them," Reiji explained.

"But they're in a prison! What about the laws here or – "the silver-haired teenager adjusted his glasses.

"Honestly, I couldn't give a damn about their laws or regulations. These are my Lancers, more importantly, our Pillar is there, and I am not keen on letting anything happen to Yuya Sakaki so long as I am able to do anything about it," he stated as Sky sighed.

"Figured you say that, but what should we do?" the Leo Corp President looked fully to Sky and then turned, staring out the window.

"I'll inform the Council of what is taking place, meanwhile, I want you to take Frightfur Raven out and use the night as a cloak to circle the prison and wait for any signs of our comrades' escape… in addition, I will have Tsukikage station himself near the prison. We will assist in their escape should needs be," he told the other as Sky nodded.

"Sounds good, but what if we can just ask the Council to release our friends?" Reiji shook his head.

"They won't do it, merely because they'll want to see a taste what our group is capable of as a team. In addition, if I could convince them, they'd merely let out the Lancers only, not anyone whom they've gained as allies from within the prison who may be of help to us," he explained this, and Sky took in a deep breath.

"Alright then, I'll let Tsukikage know, and I guess we'll leave the gang of old folks to you. Until then, we'll hang tight as close to the prison as we can." Reiji nodded.

"That will be sufficient. I'll radio in with the headsets we were given when the time comes for the two of you to make your moves," he said as Sky glanced him over.

"Got it, see ya later."

With that, Sky left, and Reiji narrowed his eyes, not liking the vibe he was getting that hardly a soul within this corrupt city could even be barely trusted. It boded ill for their efforts, if they had to battle everyone in order to do their job when they'd expected someone would have done something to help them instead. Sighing, the D/D/D Duelist wrapped his hand around the rough-cut crystal in his pocket before pulling it out as he slipped it over his head finally, it being hidden by his scarf while he took in a steady breath once more, worry flooding him for the safety of the others and his Pillar.

"Seems we're going to have to harden our tactics. No one here will be kind to us without their own agenda… such is the behavior of a city whom thrives upon competitiveness," Reiji thought aloud as he adjusted his glasses and prepared to speak with the Council, knowing that this would be a potentially hard sell, but he was prepared to do it regardless.

 **{Detention Center: 8:01pm}**

Despite his efforts, Yuya fidgeted as he waited down in the cafeteria area near the wall, his anxiety levels starting to shoot up as he saw everyone swarming into watch the Duel that was coming up. Yuya was an Entertainer, it wasn't in his nature to be terrified of performances – especially when he'd overcome it when he was much younger – but his heart was hammering against his ribs to the point that it hurt almost unbearably. He felt his hands twitching, his legs shaking, and his breathing becoming erratic, causing him to pull his goggles down over his eyes, tugging up the hood of his jacket as he crouched down against the wall, curling his knees up to his chest.

He put his hands over his ears, blocking everything out as the Duel was about to begin, and amidst it, the Lancers were beginning to get into place, Crow, Damon, and Shinji working on getting the vent system open and ready, Dennis and Gongenzaka preparing to assist Serena and Shay, while he, Sylvio, and Tokumatsu were to be the distraction. Yuya was prepared to carry out his task as a Lancer, but it didn't change the fact that he suddenly felt dizzy and sick to his stomach at the notion that he would be put on display for people to gawk at. Shaking his head, tears began to burn his eyes as unwanted memories entered his mind, and he attempted to escape them by blocking out what was happening around him.

"Yuya?" the voice was heavily muffled, but he still looked up, seeing Sawatari present, looking at the state he was in as Yuya curled into himself tighter.

"I'm fine… just leave me be for a bit," he said as the blonde-brunette frowned a bit, crouching as he reached out, pulling the boy's hood down, and a moment later, Yuya felt his goggles being tugged up and back onto his head, causing him to stare up into mauve eyes.

"No, you're not fine. What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?" Yuya shook his head, silently protesting the question.

"Dammit, I said just leave me the fuck a lone for a bit! I'll be fine, just…" the pounding of a headache started to appear, causing him to clutch his head a bit as he took in steady breaths.

"Yuya, are you nervous? Maybe even scared?" Sylvio inquired as the boy ground his teeth together.

"I don't want… people staring at me… I'm not there just so people can get a good jab at me…" the other felt his eyes widen.

"Oh… I get it. Well, maybe not exactly… I've never had to deal with what you just did, but… I can see where your coming from. When that happened, you felt like they were getting enjoyment out of it, and you don't want to be used for others pleasure. Entertainment isn't like that though, you know that," he stated as Yuya nodded.

"I do… but that… doesn't change that choking feeling I keep getting… I'm… _terrified…_ to even get up on that stage… I want to… put up a good show for everyone… but its… painful and I'm scared…" Sylvio smiled.

"Me to, I mean hell, think about what we're about to do. We've never had to do anything like this before, I mean we're kids… but here we are, and we're gonna have to adapt to it. You're super good at that kinda thing, better than any of us I think, so listen to your instincts and let the excitement of the audience give you a pump up. Put a smile on your face, and have fun… think about it, and I'll see ya on the stage, okay?" Sylvio stated as Yuya nodded.

"Okay… thank you…" with that the other walked away as Yuya pulled his hood back up.

Within the next ten minutes, Crow, Damon, and Shinji had started working on their part of the plan in the kitchen area, Dennis having already vanished into the upper corridors using a few quick shadow illusions to hide himself as he worked towards Serena's cell while Gongenzaka would be heading out once the Duel started. Sawatari had equipped his Duel Disk, the warmly glowing lanterns overhead casting a dull light upon the area as people crowded up as Yuya shakily stood to his feet while Tokumatsu stood atop the three-tier stage. It was going smoothly, the trio in the kitchen working on dishes at random to guise their actual plan, Gongenzaka standing nearby. Scarlet eyes glanced around the area, seeing Dennis standing near a corridor waiting for the signal for him to head directly to Serena's room while Gongenzaka did the same.

The Lancers had planned it all to go by happenstance signals. Sawatari's job was to be the signal for Dennis, using a means to make the lanterns brighter, Yuya and Tokumatsu were to keep the audience distracted alongside him while the Charm Witch went to one ally, while Damon accidentally breaking something in the kitchen was the signal for Gongenzaka to start heading for Shay, whose information Yuya had been able to get once he'd hacked the system. Now, his job was to set off the signal the program would be watching for: the Spell Card Hippo Carnival.

Knowing this, everyone glanced to each other, only holding eye contact for a split second before Yuya equipped his Duel disk, Tokumatsu doing the same while Crow nodded to the others, Dennis giving Yuya a thumbs up, the audience enthralled by the lanterns and decorations of the tower-like red and white draped structure before them. With their plans set in motion, phase two of the operation was about to begin, and as the lights appeared on Tokumatsu at the top of the tower, Yuya swallowed around the stubborn knot in his throat that didn't want to subside as he knew it was time to start.

"To Duel is to live! You only live once! There are days you win, and days you lose! Don't be ashamed to lose, but don't be haughty when you do win, in other words: LET'S ENJOY!" Tokumatsu spoke aloud, a jovial smile upon his face as he whipped the crowd into applause.

" _ **You ready to do this, Yuya?"**_ the boy bit his lip, body trembling.

"It's really Enjoy Chojirou!"

"He's returned!" those around them cheered as Tokumatsu gathered everyone's attention again.

"It's all thanks to a certain youngster among us. By which I mean, Yuya Sakaki, his determination and belief in the better half of me allowed me to realize what I had long forgotten. Tonight, he, myself, and one of his friends, Sylvio Sawatari, will put on a show for all of you," Tokumatsu stated happily as the lights went to the two teenagers.

All eyes went to Yuya, his entire body going ice cold as he took in a shaky breath and walked forward, preparing to try and put on a front in the face of what he was trying to push down. While he kept his composure externally, internally, he honestly was on the verge of screaming, and his body shook with the sheer effort of having to keep a small smile on his face, gaze forward as the operation the Lancers and their allies had prepared began to take place.

"Come on up, kiddo! I want the two of you to help me bring a smile to everyone's faces right here tonight!" the man said as Yuya took in a deep breath and started towards them while Sawatari looked to him.

"So, it's a three-way Duel huh? Sounds fantastic and all, but how about we add a little jazz to it?" Sawatari suggested.

"And how would we do that?" the boy's mauve eyes shined.

"With the latest and greatest evolution in dueling. I speak of, obviously, an Action Duel! The kind of way we duel from where we come from," he said as Tokumatsu smiled.

"Care to explain an Action Duel?" Sawatari glanced to Yuya who remained quiet, gaze averted as he sighed.

"Fine by me. It's a Duel which deploys an Action Field, and special cards known as _Action Cards_ are dispersed across the field, which we all can use," he explained.

"That sounds rather interesting! Very well, an Action Duel it is!" Sawatari nodded.

"Alrighty! Allow me to set the stage!" he said as he activated the Action Field: Crossover. Within seconds, a glow overtook the area, blue shining blocks appearing in the area around them, a golden ball of cards appearing before it split apart, scattering the contense around as Yuya took in a deep breath.

" _ **Yuya? Are you okay?"**_ Yuto asked him this, but he was ignored.

"Let's get this show started! Gathering in this sacred hall of battle, us powerful Duelists…" Sawatari glanced to Yuya who took in a steady breath.

"Ah… um… ride alongside their M-Monsters, kicking up dirt and soaring through the air!" Tokumatsu noticed the hollow tone in Yuya's voice as Sawatari bit back his concern to keep up the ruse.

"All across the field! Behold! This is the latest and greatest evolution in Dueling! Say it with me everyone!" he called as Yuya felt his energy levels starting to drop from the overwhelming sense of discomfort he was feeling.

"ACTION!" the crowd caught on quickly, getting everyone excited as the three Duelists prepared for their match to begin.

"DUEL!" Sylvio turned and jumped forward, going over the railing and startling the crowds as he landed upon the ground in a crouch, grabbing a card, glancing to Dennis who nodded.

"To start with, I'll show you the essence of Action Cards!" he said as Tokumatsu rose an eyebrow.

"What're you up to all of a sudden?" Sylvio, held up his card, knowing he had gotten the right one.

"I can't draw or battle during my first turn, but I can look for Action Cards. So, I activate an Action Spell! _Illumination!_ We'll decorate our stage with glittering light! By the way, this card, once during this turn, prevents the negation of the Normal Summon or Special Summon of my Monsters. And I'll be showing you some guys you've never seen before," he stated as he jumped back onto the stage. Dennis smiled, glancing around.

"That's my cue, into the shadows I go." Dennis vanished from sight, heading off to get Serena.

"Thanks to my friend Yuya's brilliant creation, I can put on a special show for everyone. I set the Pendulum Scales with my Scale one Devil Heel, and my Scale Eight Funky Comedian! Now I can summon Monsters between Levels two and Seven at the same time! _Sway! Pendulum of the Underworld's Theatre! Pull the curtain back on the show! Pendulum Summon!_ Come forth, my Level Seven! Abyss Actor – Superstar!" Sylvio stated, smiling as he glanced to Yuya, wanting to give him credit and hopefully find a way to break the apparent strangle hold his sudden anxiety and fear had on him.

"So, you use those too, huh? Very well." Sawatari smiled.

"Now, to raise the roof even further! I activate the Continuous Spell, Abyss Stage – Treasure Ship of the Seven Lucky Gods! Each player, once per turn, during their turn, can place a Monster on this ship, and destroy all the Monsters on their field! Superstar! Get on the Treasure Ship! In addition, I can activate an additional effect, once Treasure Ship has a Monster under my control, I can draw an additional equip-spell card, and I chose Abyss Attire: Lucky God Ebisu's Garments!" he said as the giant purple and black pirate ship appeared, and a moment later, dark purple, faded orange, blue, and gold Japanese Nobility clothes formed on Superstar.

"So, far so good," muttered Crow as Sylvio wrapped up his turn while Damon was almost finished with his task of undoing the fan and getting everything ready for the group to get out once Yuya set off the program. However, there was an underlying sense of urgency, as they had already had to deter a guard, and knew they were running out of time.

"I'll end my turn there! So, who will get on the ship with him? I promise something good will come of it!" Tokumatsu laughed.

"Not half bad there, son! My turn! ENJOY! Now, here we go! I'll be taking one of those Action Cards and enjoy this new Dueling style myself! Action Spell: _Heat Up Sound!"_ the man called as he snagged an Action Card, activating it as the lanterns went fire colored, and music started playing as the lanterns swung back and forth. The man landed and saw Yuya standing there, his eyes almost glassy looking.

" _He's switching off… this must be a bit to much for him, but he's got to stay focused,"_ Tokumatsu thought as he carried on his part of the plan.

"Once during this turn, the activation of one of my Spell Cards can't be negated. But such a thing doesn't matter, what's most important to entertainment is a good show! So, I activate Choukoikoi from my hand! With this card, I draw three cards from my Deck!" he stated as Yuya glanced around, seeing Dennis had taken his cue, Gongenzaka was awaiting his own, and Crow, Damon, and Shinji were finishing with their tasks, and he knew the second signal was about to happen.

" _ **Yuya, come on… it's okay. Just take a deep breath and relax… got it? Hey! Are you listening to me? Yuya? YUYA SAKAKI!"**_ the boy flinched against Yuto's outburst, causing him to blink as he heard Tokumatsu begin his trio draw due to Choukoikoi's effect.

" _I heard you… I'm just…"_ Yuto sighed.

" _ **Scared? I get it, but think about it, you'll be okay… you're an entertainer, it's in your blood and part of who you are… take a deep breath and just try, okay?"**_ Yuya swallowed nervously as Tokumatsu set up three Cardians and used their effects to Synchro Summon a Level six Cardian monster known as Inoshikacho, boarding the Treasure Ship a moment later, effectively ending his turn a second afterwards, turning to Yuya who felt his heart nearly leap into his throat.

"Well, Yuya, you're up next. Go on, its okay," Tokumatsu assured him as the boy shakily reached for his deck, drawing a card.

"I draw! I summon Performapal Hip Hippo." The pink hippo came onto the stage, waving and dancing about happily as several people awed at it as it kept a bright smile on its face. Yuya glanced down, closing his eyes as he tried to calm his heart rate, and a moment later, he heard a crash from the kitchen startling him, and causing him to look to the source of the noise where Crow, Damon, and Shinji making a noise to make it seem like an accident as they scrambled to get it up as Gongenzaka walked away, nodding to the others as he went to assist Shay. Yuya felt his anxiety curling up into a tight knot in his abdomen, his magic startling to writhe and slither in a manner that told him he was about to lose control, but in the moment that the thought crossed his mind, something happened.

A flash of Yuzu's smiling face came to his mind's eye, and Yuya felt his fear and anxiety slowly ebb a bit, his body relaxing a fraction as Hip Hippo stretched, preparing to being a fight and put on a show, only to give Yuya a pitiful and sad look as he abruptly ended his turn by placing one card face down, making him feel a bite of guilt as the Duel Monster came to him, seeming to ask what was wrong with him, as he never had done this before. Tokumatsu eyed the boy, seeing confliction in the ruby pools that looked to the Duel Monster beside him. Yuya's heart was becoming conflicted, his fears waxing and waning in the face of what he wanted to accomplish.

"You aren't gonna come enjoy the match with us?" he asked.

"Hey, Yuya! Come on! Put a smile on for us…" the boy felt his body recoil, eyes going wide as he stepped back at Sawatari's statement.

" _Why don't you put a smile on for me, pretty little thing…"_ the boy's normal complexion went white, and Yuya found himself biting into his bottom lip as he resisted the urge to vomit. His body broke out in a cold sweat, heart pounding painfully against his ribs while worry came to his Monster's gaze, Yuto starting to grow concerned while Crow, and Shinji watched from the kitchens.

"Yuya…" Crow resisted the urge to go and help the boy as Shinji took in the boy's sickly appearance.

"What should we do? He's locking up," Shinji mentioned.

"We have to wait for him to activate the program before we can even try to do somethin'. Come on, Yuya snap outta it!" the boy seemed to sway a bit, Sawatari and Tokumatsu watching him, waiting to potentially have to catch him. Yuya shook himself out, sinking his teeth into his bottom lip as he took in a rattling breath.

" _ **Yuya, block it out! Don't focus on that or you'll lose control of yourself!"**_ scarlet eyes widened as Sawatari stepped up, hoping to give Yuya a moment to gather himself.

"Alright, I'm going to make a big show right here and now! I activate the effect of my Treasure Ship of the Seven Lucky Gods! I increase the number of cards I draw, by the number of Monsters I have on the ship. Thus, I draw two cards!" he said as Tokumatsu smiled.

"That's quite the blessin' you got there." Sawatari nodded.

"Yea! But I ain't satisfied with that alone! I've got bigger ambitions!" he told him as he rushed past Yuya and went to seek out an Action Card, Tokumatsu joining him as the other boy felt his body going into a full-blown panic attack, his mind reeling as he tried to keep a firm hold upon his magic and himself.

" _I can't… do this… I can't I – "_ Yuya's thoughts were stopped dead in their tracks as a voice spoke from within his memory.

" _Keep smiling for me, alright?"_ Yuzu's smile returned, her laugh and voice echoing within his mind alongside the scent of magnolia flowers and honey suckles, the smells that he associated with the pink-haired girl. His body relaxed, heartrate easing as his breathing going into a more natural rhythm as he shook himself out, glancing around as a sudden wave of peace overcame him, his gaze going to his teammates as Crow and Shinji nodded, and a smile appeared on his features.

" _ **Yuya?"**_ the warmth and light from within the boy returned, chasing away the cold and darkness as he raised a hand into the air.  
"Here comes the fun part!" he called, giving a smile of relief to those who had heard those words from him before.

"Finally, ready to start enjoyin' yourself?" Tokumatsu felt relief flood him as Yuya smiled brightly.

" _Time to get this party started!"_

"Quick-Play Spell, Hippo Carnival! Here we go!" Yuya stated as the three hippos appeared, dancing and music playing as everyone cheered, Crow giving Sawatari a thumbs up as a guard came back over to them, and a second later, Yuya, Tokumatsu, and Sawatari realized Damon had been spotted in the air vent.

" _ **Fuck!"**_ Yuya nodded.

"Right! Gentlemen! Allow me to put on a few magic tricks for you! All shall be cast into the shadows, the gates shall be opened, and the sirens of freedom shall begin to resound! In three…" Sawatari rushed forward, jumping into the air as he bashed the guard on the back of the head, knocking him out as he slipped against the counter, crouching as he prepared for the next action.

"Two!" Yuya called, raising a hand up into the air as Tokumatsu exited the stage, motioning to Torii and Arro to prepare the secondary distraction as the other guards started to notice something amiss.

"One!"

the Waking Witch snapped his fingers, and everyone was plunged into pitch blackness, nothing resounding in the area as Yuya jumped off the stage, landing fluidly in a crouch with almost no sound as he started towards the kitchen area, knowing that would be where the others would head as Shinji split off with Damon, going to meet Dennis, Gongenzaka, Shay, and Serena. A small smile came to Yuya's lips as he headed closer to the kitchen area, everything was going okay thus far. However, just as he thought that, the sirens started blaring, and the lights flashed back on, almost painfully bright as he crouched amidst the masses, knowing things had just taken a bitter turn at the last second, and now, they were in for quite the fight.

 **{…..}**

 _Faith is like a fire that never burns to embers…._

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Oh yes, the prison break is about to start, and we'll be seeing a bit more of how the Lancers handle situations, we know how this goes in the anime, but don't worry, I hope to make it more enjoyable. Let me know what you guys think!

Sincerely

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

This is the third time the mentioning of a Phoenix's rebirth has been applied to Yuya.

This is the first time the protection crystals have been mentioned, and as for the guns, well… there will be an explanation of that later.

Most of this chapter was based around _Episode 62 – The Great Escape._

This is one of the few moments we see a memory Yuya has from what happened to him.

Yes, shit is about to get real. Yes, Yuya and the others can use their magic, the back-up lights had turned on, that is all.


	75. Chapter 75: Magical Malpractice

Chapter 75: Magical Malpractice

The roaring noise of sirens flooded the entire prison complex, causing a bit of chaos as Torii and Arrow took the next plan Tokumatsu had personally created as a failsafe to assist the Lancers escape; however, this also sent the guards into a frenzy, attempting to get the inmates to behave and return to their cells once they began to notice something was wrong. Yuya had been remaining hidden for the most part amidst the masses, quickly using his small size to his advantage to duck into the kitchen as Damon and Shinji took off through the air ducts to meet up with where Serena, Dennis, Gongenzaka, and Shay were supposed to be.

While trying to go at once would have appeared more logical, hiding away in the kitchen to defuse the belief that all of them would meet up in a mass group or all be in the airducts at once, worked better for them. Yuya was currently curled into a cabinet alongside Crow and Sawatari, Tokumatsu using the chaos to make it even more difficult for the guards to actually catch the Lancers. The trio was to remain hidden for five minutes, giving the others that exact amount of time to complete their parts of the plan before group in the kitchen would be heading out as well.

As chaos unfurled completely within the complex, the guards went to check on the solitary confinement inmates, which consisted of Serena and Shay. One guard, moved swiftly down a long, thin corridor, and to the lone door, where he peered in, finding the person who was supposed to be in there missing. He quickly opened the door, looking around in the dark room while above him, a shadowy figure loomed, pinned between a corner of the walls and the ceiling, leaving the officer greatly confused until he glanced up into glowing tawny eyes.

"H-How did you – "Shay descended, nailing the man in the back of the head before he backflipped, crouching as he took the keys off the man who was barely conscious as Shay stood, dusting of his red coat.

"Apparently, no one ever taught you not to charge into a lions' den. I'm a Risulian Witch, you don't mess with me bitch, I mess with you…" the man turned and started to stand as Shay made it out of the room.

"W-Wait! You can't just – "blood was seeping from the man's forehead, indicating that he'd hit his head hard enough to cause a lesion. Shay glanced him over as the man started forward, and he grabbed the door.

"Game over." The door slammed, locking the man in as he walked away, and started running down the corridors, recalling the item confiscation room that was near where he current was.

Shay rushed down the corridors, taking turns as swiftly as he could until he caught the sense of someone being behind him, and he swung, revealing the person to be none other than Gongenzaka, who quickly explained what was happening, and without further questioning, the two ran to the item room, knocking out a few guards as they went before making it into the room, gathering up the fly-by-night capsules, Duel Disks, and the guns that had been confiscated off of them and the others before rushing to the meeting point that Gongenzaka explained about as they went, knowing they would be meeting Serena, Dennis, Damon, and Shinji when the arrived.

With Serena, the girl had caught the noises, and had stood from her bed, preparing to find a means to bust the door down when she felt someone's presence, and a second later, Dennis appeared, and Serena relaxed, knowing what was more than likely happening as he assisted her in getting through the vent he'd gone through and the two went through and towards their meeting location while in the kitchen area, the riot had spilled into the place that Yuya, Sawatari, and Crow were at, the trio having started to rush into the airducts only to be nearly unable to as the guards tried to stop them and Tokumatsu stood in their way, the guards being distracted by a large quantity of cards that had been thrown into the area.

"Boss! Get going! Watch out for those kids and see the sun again!" Torii called to him as they kept throwing the ten-year card collection around as Tokumatsu smiled.

"Thank you, I'll be sure to remember what you've done." Yuya turned as Tokumatsu went up into the vent, Sawatari and Crow having already gone in as he glanced around, being sure that no one else was there before he followed the group up into the ducts, kicking the latter over, and being quick to use a spell to block the guards from following them there while the riot continued. Yuya began crawling after the group, finding the area dark and the noise below rather disorientating.

"Sawatari? Do you know where your going?" Tokumatsu asked as they continued to crawl.

"For the most part, I mean, we saw the vent system, but let's be honest, it's a fuckin' maze." Yuya glanced around them, seeing a few splitting vent areas.

"We should probably go to the right, that should take us to the trash and laundry area. There's a chute we can take that'll toss us out," he said.

"No, we'll just keep goin' straight, trust me. The Sawatari's have excellent directional sense!" Yuya heard Yuto sigh.

" _ **Daily life, Duel, Inner-World War, Prison Riot; I'd say the ego of the Sawatari family is their most defining feature,"**_ He mentioned as Yuya sighed, trying not to laugh as they kept crawling.

" _Not really the time to put in snide remarks. Save your sarcasm for when we're all reunited."_

However, instead of leading them to the chute areas like Sawatari was supposed to, he pushed open one of the grates, causing the half-Italian to fall onto the ground as they found themselves upon the roof, Crow crawling out just before Tokumatsu, and finally Yuya. The four of them looked around, knowing they were supposed to meet the others in the waterways below the prison, and none of them would be leaving until they arrived, but if they took to long, the risk of capture increased tenfold. Taking in a deep breath, Yuya crossed his arms over his chest, trying to think of a way to get off the roof. Tokumatsu was a Witch, but he was certain the man hadn't used genuine magic for ten years or more, meaning he wouldn't be able to muster up a strong enough spell to support himself most likely.

Sawatari couldn't do magic advanced enough for him to jump from this height, Crow was a Sage, and while he didn't doubt that the orange-haired Blackwing Duelist could handle himself and possibly gather up the magic needed for the jump, there was no guarantee, and then Yuya himself had his broom on hand – sealed inside the charm his aunt gave him - however, it wasn't likely that he would be able to use it for himself and more than one other person, and Yuya refused to leave the others behind just for the sake of himself and one other. Huffing, anxiety starting to spike, he looked around the roof, seeing the area to a stairwell, but that would only put them back in the line of fire so to speak.

"Shit… how do we – " Crow was effectively cut off by the sound noise of others approaching.

"There they are! Don't let them escape!" the sudden voice caused their heads to turn to see three people coming towards them that quite honestly favored Black Ops specialists. The mere sight of the three full-suited, mask wearing men caused the four of them to go on guard, Crow grinding his teeth together as Sawatari smiled.

"We'll bring these guards down with rare cards, it won't be hard!" he said as Tokumatsu shook his head.

"These aren't like those guards. They've been trained… these are Onyx Guards, they're from the tops and trained especially to handle escapees from this particular prison…" Yuto felt a bristle-like sensation rush up his spine, eyes widening as Yuya remained prepared for what could happen.

" _ **They're Witches, powerful ones at that… at least one of them has a Strain, I felt it in their energy!"**_ Yuya nodded.

" _Same here… okay, they may be powerful… but we can stop them."_

"Surrender and all will be well," stated the man on the right as he held his hands out, seeming to form small sparks of purple-blue energy in his palms.

"We will not go easy on those who resist, so obeying us will be a benefit for you." Yuya narrowed his eyes, finding the statement something that rubbed him the wrong way.

"Interesting, if that's the case, I'll gladly be your opponent!" Sawatari said as Yuya looked to him.

"Dumbass! You're not a Witch! Don't get yourself caught up in a Variance when you –" a lash of magic was sent their way and Crow worked quickly, using a shielding spell to block the attack as Tokumatsu prepared to potentially join the fray while Sawatari felt his heart nearly stop at the sheer force of the spell's aftershock, which had knocked him clean off his feet.

"You okay?" the boy nodded as Yuya looked to the three men while Crow kept himself prepared to attack.

"Resistance will result in severe punishment, potentially equaling the removal of your magic. do not resist," stated the center man. Yuya ground his teeth together, standing from where he had crouched to check on Sawatari, a sudden coil tightening in his chest as he clenched his fists.

"Like hell I'm gonna follow your orders!" the man on the left sent another attack their way, this time, Yuya blocked it, using a reflection spell, gathering up the magic which he quickly rebounded, sending it back to the man who took the hit, slamming him into the wall behind him.

"W-What the…" Yuya took in a few deep breaths, preparing for what was coming.

"If you want, I can be your opponent, but I should probably warn you…" Yuya's magical aura swept outwards, red energy appearing in randomized sparks and mist-like spirals, coming and going as he clenched his fist, preparing to attack.

"This boy…" Crow charged up his own magic, Yuya's eyes taking on a shine to them, the color brightening to a crimson as he smirked.

"I'm no ordinary Witch, and if you stand in our way, we won't hesitate to knock you down," he said.

The next thing that happened, resulted in Crow and Yuya sending attacks back at them, and then quickly sending their own. Magic of different colors flashed through the area, Yuya using his smaller size to dodge the attacks he couldn't block and then quickly using his knowledge of elemental spells to catch the Onyx Guard by surprise, and get them with a strong fire or wind spell, while Crow did similar attacks while their attentions were on one or the other. The sight of the three against two Variance, honestly made Sawatari nervous as he watched Crow and Yuya fight back using their magic instead of their cards.

He had heard bits and pieces about Variances, but he hadn't anticipated ever being exposed to one; however, now that he was seeing one, it made him feel almost as though he was going to pass out. A sudden blast spell caused him and Tokumatsu to duck as a medium chunk of the roof's floor came off and nearly hit them while a shout of shock had caught their attention as Yuya fell next to them with Crow not far behind, the two coughing as they got on their knees and struck back, attacking fiercely as Sawatari could only watch.

It showed him, just as he watched Yuya cut a back flip and Crow slide under a spell, firing out his own in the process, that the level of power and sheer class of how advanced these five were, made the few spells he knew and his reliance on fly-by-night capsules to be utterly useless for the most part. A sudden shaking sensation came from the building, a screech meeting them as a torrent of wind covered the area, causing the group to cover themselves as the sound of someone landing came to their attention and a second later, a familiar pulse of magic shot through the area.

"Sing to the winds great Goddess of nature, let your breath cascade over those who defy your children!" a torrent of wind hit the area again, slamming the three Onyx Guard members into the wall or the ground as everyone turned, seeing a familiar head of pale blue hair.

"Sky!" the chartreuse-eyed candy addict grinned as he moved towards them quickly.

"Yuya, Sawatari, hey! I'm so glad I found you guys," he stated as Crow and Tokumatsu looked to him.

"One of your friends?" Yuya nodded.

"This is Sky Shuinin, he's one of my best friends, and a fellow Lancer. Wait, if you found us does that mean that – "Sky cut him off, looking to the guards.

"We gotta jet," he said.

"How? We're on the fucking roof!" Sky looked around them.

"Then we jump!" Yuya stated as he started pushing the group towards the wall's edges as the guards began to get up, moving to attack again.

"J-Jump?! Are you insane?!" Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Just go!" Crow and Tokumatsu jumped, heading straight to the last wall way before the water while Sky, Sawatari, and Yuya jumped not a second later, following them as Sky and Yuya were quick to summon forth two Monsters as Sawatari screamed about how they were going to die.

"I summon Fluffal Taffy from my hand!"

"I summon Performapal Trampolynx! Go! We're counting on you guys!"

The two Monsters stretched themselves as best they could, making sure to catch the four people, bouncing them back onto the walk way as Sky and Yuya cut a back flip each, landing upon their feet as Tokumatsu, Sawatari, and Crow were bounced up, landing on their feet a moment later. It was at that point, that the five of them nodded to each other, Sky and Yuya turning off their Duel Disks and pocketing them as they started towards where the others were supposed to meet them.

 **{Water Ways: 10:00pm}**

The group of four took a moment to catch their breaths, using the shadows to hide themselves in the waterways, knowing they wouldn't have a moment more before they would have to start running to meet up with the others at the exit at the end of the west tunnel, which would lead them directly towards the slums where they could hide and hopefully regroup. Scarlet eyes looked towards the blue-haired boy next to him as Sky took a second to catch his breath, still feeling a bit shaky from the high jump they'd just improvised.

"Good timing," he admitted as Sky nodded.

"Thank Reiji, Tsukikage and I did some eavesdropping and eventually… we found the Black Feathers, and overheard everything. I was asked to circle the prison on Frightfur Raven… until time for me to step in, so… the moment I saw the Variance break out, I decided to find a way to break it up." Sawatari smiled.

"So, you know… where Yuzu and that Hugo guy are?" the other nodded again.

"Yea… once we get everyone back… together… we can make a means to bring them… to us," he stated.

"Alright… but… what about –"

"STOP RIGHT THERE!"

"RUN!"

The group of four took off running into the sewers, the water splashing around them as they rushed through the tunnels, the Onyx Guards following swiftly. It was a less than pleasant situation; however, the deeper into the tunnels they went, the greater the fear of leading them to the others became. Yuya glanced over his shoulder, seeing the purple flare of magic alongside a few more muted shades in the magic of the others, letting him know these Witches were using fly-by-night capsules to boost their magic. tisking, Yuya and the others kept running deeper into the sewers, until they found themselves in an anti-chamber, open and lit by the full moon, but filled with different routes to go.

Crow, Yuya, Sky, Sawatari, and Tokumatsu turned, knowing they would have to fight right here if they wanted to stop these people from finding all of them, and calling for backup, which was a likely possibility. The guards resorted to horrible tactics, using swift spells that were half-complete or far too shaky to be safe to even cast as the group of five went back to dodging, blocking, and attacking back despite the fact that the water did make it more difficult to move.

Yuya fell forward, going into the thankfully clean water as he got on his hands and knees, taking in a few deep breaths as Crow lashed a light spell at them, knocking one of them back as Sawatari swallowed one of his pills, being quick to use a spell he knew to back Crow up as best he could while Sky was using wind and water spells to his advantage, Tokumatsu using a few well-placed water-type spells to toss the Onyx Guard members against the walls and ground, using it to make their movements harder.

Huffing, the red-green-haired boy got shakily to his feet, wobbling as he felt a twinge in his side from a hit he'd received. It wasn't a good situation, when five of them were having trouble against three Witches; however, the three opponents of theirs were Witches using fly-by-night capsules to boost their strength, making the chances of them burning them out rather slim. Yuya made a quick motion to send a fire spell towards one of the guards who had gotten lose, burning his left leg in a nasty manner as he dodged another spell, going into a barrel roll to do so as he crouched near the wall as two of the guards did the one thing he hoped they wouldn't: use an electrical spell.

The reaction, was almost instant, the water conducting the electricity, sending it through the five of them and causing them to sink to their knees, gasping desperately for breath, Tokumatsu and Sawatari having been thrown onto their backs as they struggled to get themselves up, Crow down on his knees, pain evident in his expression alongside Sky while Yuya himself was feeling the same affects of the electrical spell. Gasping for air, the five of them found themselves cornered as one of the men stepped forward, a sense of dread and fear coiling up within Yuya as he felt the biting chill of his magic begin to form.

Once more, the spell was used, sending most of them almost going face down into the water as they struggled to resist it, attempting to use counter spells that they could barely muster, and once the spell stopped, they were drained of their energy, pain ebbing through their bodies as the guards came closer. Heart pounding frantically in his chest, Yuya found himself going almost unnaturally pale, eyes wide as his breaking became increasingly uneven, his mind addled from the shocks, and his fear going up to the point that he knew any second now, he would snap. That moment came when one of the guards kicked Sawatari in the gut, sending him into the wall as he gasped for air, coughing, before another reached down to Sky.

"You'll be returning with us," stated the man.

It was as though someone had flipped a switch on in him. Yuya shot to his feet, balling his magic into his hand as he moved forward, jumping into the air before slamming the raw magic into the man's chest, clawed hands gouging wounds through the fabric as he skirted back, crouched while the man screamed in pain, catching the other's attention as Yuya coughed a bit, his body reeling from the effects of the electrical spell still. His skin prickled, senses feeling heightened in a manner he hadn't experienced before as he felt his magic lovingly embrace him, wrapping around him in a protective manner.

"The shit… this kid again…" Sky struggled to his knees as Yuya smirked.

"The chains on my mood swing just snapped… I suggest you start running!" bright crimson eyes locked onto the three people, Crow forcing himself to stand as he stared at Yuya.

"Yuya! Calm down!" the boy held an arm out, taking in a steady breath as fire formed about his hand.

"I'm going to send you to hell, unless you run and never look back… I will show you a taste of what the underworld has in store for you," he warned.

The men didn't listen, and Yuya unleashed a sweeping fire spell at them, burning through a decent portion of their protective gear, screaming in pain as they tried to deflect it, and barely managed to before Yuya sent another spell there way, taking a moment to try and ease himself down as Sky got to his feet and sent another spell their way, the guards struggling to get back up as they sent a defusing spell towards the two who still stood, and a second later, one of them fired a net at Yuya, who attempted to stop the thing from catching him.

However, it wasn't effected by his magic, knocking him to the ground as he felt a strange pain as he shouted in shock of the material feeling almost as though it was burning him while Sky attempted to get him free, Crow standing to block the spells that were coming their way before, a second later, a thunderous boom went off as a certain Risulian Witch jumped from the catwalk, and hit the guards with a thunder spell, Serena coming down with him as Dennis went to help Sky. Effectively startled, the Kontis Witch of the group took this opportunity to use her power over water and effectively bundle one of the guards up in a twist of it, slamming him hard against the railing, knocking him unconscious as he was left to fall back into the water.

"Shay! Serena! Dennis, you guys…" Yuya breathed a sigh of relief, his body trembling in pain as he finally managed to get the net off him with Sky and Dennis's help.

"It's a big no-no to hurt one of our comrades. We already taught those four sick bastards in the prison that, do we have to do it to you, palookas as well?" Dennis inquired as Shay leapt forward, slamming an electrical spell into one of the other men as Serena finished off the last one, knocking him out as well, the three of them finally not moving, giving the others a moment to catch their breath.

"Everyone okay?" Crow sighed, trying to shake off the pain as Tokumatsu got to his feet, helping Sawatari to do the same while Sky remained crouched in the water with Yuya, who was equally exhausted, a small burn having appeared on the top of his right hand from the net, which did not go unnoticed by Serena.

"The net burned you?" she asked as Yuya looked to her, eyes still shining crimson as his magic continued to simmer under his skin, desperate to help heal him and block as much of the pain as possible.

"I think so… there must have been a chemical on it or something…" Shay nodded.

"Probably, can everyone get to the exit point? The sooner we get out of here, the better off we're going to be," he said.

"Yea, let's move on out." The group of now eight people started walking, Serena looking to Sky who smiled at her as they started down the tunnel where Shinji, Gongenzaka, and Damon awaited them.

"When did you get here?" she questioned.

"Reiji had Tsukikage and I search everywhere for you guys. He's been negotiating with the Council here to give us a hand. Thus far, he's been successful, and we'll be getting everyone back together once we head to the Council's Tower." Crow gaped.

"Your leader did that? The Council is a bunch of stuck up asses, they don't give two fucks about anyone, and yet he's managed to convince them of that whole Zone-Dimension thing?" he inquired.

"Kinda, it's… complicated, but he's got it secure for the most part. Trusting him is what we need to do right now though." Yuya smiled to him.

"Knowing Reiji Akaba, he'll be fine and have it all sorted out when we get back…" he mentioned as they headed down a tunnel the group had to duck through before finally, they heard and saw their three other friends.

Gongenzaka quickly hugged those who would accept it, giving Sky a crushing embrace, telling him how glad he was to see him as Damon explained that one of their teammates, Donny was on the other side with a means of transport to take them to the Nest, where they could reunite with Yuzu and Hugo, and then decide from there what to do. Sky imputed that they would be heading to the Council Tower afterwards, in order to meet up with Reiji, Riley, and Tsukikage. The group came to a fast agreement on how to go about this plan, understanding that some of them would be parting ways once they met up with their other two teammates and headed to the Council Tower.

"So, all we have to do is cross the water? How deep is it?" asked Sawatari.

"Deep enough for fish big enough to eat us, but this is a controlled water system, so no fishies this time." The blonde-brunette swallowed nervously.

"I don't have to fight a mermaid, do I?" Yuya found himself laughing a bit.

"They live in the ocean, not the rivers. It's okay, just pay attention and swim," he told the other.

"I guess I don't have much of a choice." Crow shook his head.

"Nope, so we best get swimming…" Damon and Shinji jumped into the water, followed by Tokumatsu, Gongenzaka, Dennis, Serena, Shay, Crow, Sawatari, Sky, and then Yuya.

"Everyone in?" the group nodded.

"Good, now start swimming," said Shinji as the group started quietly as possible swimming through the waters.

It was cold, perhaps colder than it should have been, but they ignored it as they kept themselves as quiet as possible so that they could hopefully go undetected. As they swam, Yuto began mentioning to Yuya that something felt off about how quiet the area was, which he agreed was strange, and took quick note that the others had also noticed it. However, before anyone could voice their opinion on the matter, large lights flashed on, almost blinding the group as they turned their faces away from them, attempting to avoid the sheer intensity of the lights while the silhouettes of the Sector Security Officers showed through the blaring light in front of them.

The group froze in the waters, thinking of the best way they could handle this situation. The first notion, was to duck under the water and swim away, but that would rely entirely upon how long they could each hold their breath, their strength as swimmers, and the current of the water, which was fairly strong. Their next option would be to circle back, but they were almost certain that more security would be waiting for them, and swimming around to the other side of the cannal would most likely result in the same situation. In the simplest of words, this was a trap, and when Damon saw his friend Donny handcuffed and settled on the ground next to an officer, he knew the other had been forced into talking.

A lone figure laughed a bit, catching their attention as they saw the man's form standing before one of the lights, his features mostly shadowed, but an evident smirk was on his face, causing those in the water to scowl, knowing that this was going to be multiple levels of bad, and as they waited, the man stepped forward, allowing them to see he was dressed in purple attire, was blonde-haired with a slightly beaked nose, and cold blue eyes. His smile was sickly, toxic like poison, and deceptively welcoming, but knowing and smug, the kind of expression that most of the Lancers and the members of the Black Feathers had a strong desire to wipe off his face.

"Goodness gracious. I had heard that there was a small dueling show being put on tonight; however, it seems I was misinformed, and it appears to be a swimming tournament, judging by your current situation," he stated.

"Who in the hell are you?" the man smiled down at the group.

"I am Jean Michel Roger, head of Security for Neo City. The lot of you are under arrest for causing a riot, injuring officers, and escaping the Detention Center," he stated, snapping his fingers as several of the men took out a series of electric shockers.

" _Fucking dammit all!"_

Within a few minutes, the group had been pulled from the waters, and handcuffed, most of them wanting to try and run, but being threatened not to. Roger, watched, a pleased smirk upon his face as he watched the group being loaded into the transport van, starting with Damon and Donny, Crow, Shinji, Tokumatsu, and Gongenzaka before Shay, Dennis, and Sawatari were done the same, Sky trying to get lose as he was thrown into the back of the van, and then, just as Serena and Yuya were going to be loaded in, he held his hand up. The group watched as the man approached, crouching a bit as he looked to Serena, seeing a fierce glare in her turquoise eyes while she sent him a repulsed look, indicating that she most certainly didn't like him.

Then, his gaze turned to the boy, red-green hair, medium complexion, and fiery scarlet eyes. Roger felt a bit of excitement go through him now that he was closer to this rather interesting person. He was a tiny thing, and almost felt as if he had no genuine power, but Roger knew better than to think that he was weak, but he did see the look in the child's eyes, showing exhaustion, confusion, evident hate for him, and the tinges of trauma, a ghostly, haunted look that was deep within his gaze, causing him to catch the boy's chin, turning his head to the left and right a few times.

"You're the boy who bit Kauffman, Yuya Sakaki," he stated.

"He deserved it…" the Frenchman hummed.

"I heard what happened, I am terribly sorry… it was such a great misfortune… what took place there… and then what happened just a few days ago," he mentioned, causing those within the van to shoot him scathing looks, and from Sky a look of confusion and worry.

"They got what they deserved… no skin off my back." Roger smirked.

"You're a very cold-blooded person… perhaps that's a benefit for you though, considering your abilities. Nonetheless, Richardson, take these two to my office, I wish to have a conversation with them separately," he stated as Sky shot to his feet.

"If you take Yuya, I'm coming with him!" Roger looked to him.

"I don't think so, but no need to worry. We shall not lay a hand on anyone… but… only under your cooperation, am I clear?" he stated to Yuya, tracing a finger across his jaw as Yuya resisted the urge to bite his finger off.

"Hey!" Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Fine, but if I find out anyone has been harmed in any way, magic being stripped, anything… you won't get anything out of me. _Do I make myself clear?"_ Roger met the boy's sharp scarlet eyes, seeing a keen shine to them that told him not to take that threat lightly.

"But of course, I wouldn't dream of it. Now, you and this pretty young lady will be coming with me, return the rest of them to the Northern Prison, those who escape need to be placed in solitary… but make sure they're treated well. I wouldn't want my guests to become hostile," he said as he turned to leave, causing the others to move to get up.

"Yuya! No! We gotta –" the boy smiled to them.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me," he said those words, and it set the group from the prison on pins and needles, causing Serena to glower.

"No, not today…" she took in a deep breath, focusing her magic as she slammed her fists into the stomach of the officer holding her, and pulled herself free, reaching outwards and raising her hands into the air as water started to rise, bubbling and bristling in a manner that showed her anger.

"Oh my, you must be a Kontis Witch," Roger stated.

"Like you didn't already know that you, sick fucker. Don't play dumb with me or I'll drown your ass… now, I'm giving you one warning, release everyone and let us go and meet our leader, or I swear by the Gods, I will flood this place, and I will make sure to drown your pathetic ass." Roger hummed in thought.

"Where is your leader?" he probed.

"With your Council, he's already expecting all of us to show up… your Council is too. So, what would you like to do? Go out like a pathetic sewer rat? Or stay dry and meet our demands?" Yuya's words somewhat surprised Roger as he eyed him.

"You are a fascinating creature… within the span of a mere moment, I've seen your personality switch to benefit your means as though it was a skill of yours. Manipulation is something else you seem to be quite talented at," he stated.

"Just do what we said, or she'll swamp you and your little minions." Roger smiled.

"Hmm, should I meet your demands, letting you go free… or – "Roger was cut off as series of white cars pulled up.

Serena maintained her hold on the spell, unwilling to release it as a heated conversation took place between the white garbed men, and Roger, anger clear on the man's features as he relented, the group finding themselves being removed from the van and being placed into the white cars, an angry look upon Roger's face as he watched the Lancers and their teammates be loaded into the cars, and a moment later, they drove off. Being able to get away from a person with clearly ill intentions, should have made all of them feel better, but it didn't because even though Sky admitted this was possibly part of Reiji's plan, none of them could be certain as to what the plan was exactly, and without question, they all knew one thing: the night's events were far from over.

 **{…..}**

 _Who's gonna stand up, who's gonna fight?_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** So, this chapter is pretty fast paced, but I kind of wanted it to be so that I could get this done with and focus on what will come after this nearly botched escape plan. Tell me what you think, and I will look for your reviews.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

This chapter is being finished at like 6:00am, but wasn't started until 2:00am.

Shay had a SAW reference.

This is one of the few Variances we're going to see in the Synchro Dimension Arc, unfortunately.

Yuya actually was in control for the most part in this chapter, but we all know it won't last.

Fluffal Taffy, is a small, pinkish stretchy monster, a Tuner, and is a Level 3 with 500 ATK and DEF. it's literally modeled after those stretchy toys that came out in the 90s.


	76. Chapter 76: Demeaning Heart

Chapter 76: Union

 **{Council Tower Street: 11:45pm}**

"Where do you think they're taking us?" asked Sawatari as the others looked around the car they were in.

"To the Council Tower, that's where Reiji is. I honestly don't doubt that he's already had a long talk with the Council on what's happened." Yuya looked to Sky.

"What about Roger?" he inquired as Sky shook his head.

"There's no way to tell honestly, he's a powerful person…" the Serena frowned, thinking about the information.

"That means he's going to be a problem for us. So, we've gotta be careful about what we're doing… he reminds me of the Professor in how he tries to manipulate people," she told them as Shay glanced Yuya over.

Something about Roger made his skin crawl in a way that most people didn't; however, that man also pointed out that Yuya's temperament could switch flawlessly, moving from compassionate and innocent, to cunning, and calculative. Nonetheless, Shay couldn't see his point of Yuya manipulating them via his ability to change his behavior at almost the drop of a hat. Sighing, the Risulian Witch leaned back in the seat the group awaiting for what would come once they entered the Council's Tower.

"Right now, I think we should be more concerned with whether or not Akaba can do something about the situation going on." Yuya bit his lip as he glanced through the window to see the cars beside and behind them.

"Sky? What are the Council members like?" he questioned as the blue-haired Dyren Witch frowned.

"They're stuck up and self-centered. When Reiji explained the situation to them, they made us some kind of deal that we had to win some upcoming tournament, but if we didn't… they'd side with Academia." Shay scoft.

"Then they're fools. Academia won't be interested in comradery, they'll rip this place to shreds like they did with the Xyz Zone," he stated as Serena looked down.

"What does that say for our success rate then? The chances of us loosing a tournament where everyone uses Synchro Summoning, a method most of us have just learned, is pretty high. Not to mention, there's the Duel King, Jack Atlas." Yuya nodded.

"I hate to say it… but our magic may be one of our biggest assets at this point…" Sky gave the boy a look of shock.

"Yuya… are you suggesting we cheat? That's not like you at all," he mentioned as the boy gave him a hard look.

"That's not something I like either, but we have to realize things have to be done if we want to succeed, and if we don't… the Lancers have failed. I'm not saying we resort to methods akin to our enemies, but we have to be willing to forego our own morals at times in order to ensure we're successful…" chartreus eyes widened.

"What happened to you that made you think like that? Last I recall, you were the one saying we have to keep our morals higher than the others, refrain from doing underhanded things and stay true to ourselves… now you're not ruling out cheating and using whatever means necessary to defeat the enemy?" he asked.

"Sky, I think we should still stay true to who we are, as Duelists, as Witches… but sometimes… we have to play by our enemies' rules, it's not something I want to do, but we have to consider that it might be our only option… in war, high morals won't get you very far… you've gotta be willing to get your hands dirty… and beat the enemy down if required."

Sky felt his stomach lurch as he looked the boy over, taking note for the first time that something felt ominously different about him. Yuya's warm, brilliant glow to his aura, had significantly dimmed, his smile was all but gone, and his eyes, though they presented the same sharp, and beautiful scarlet shade, had a haunted, and traumatized undertone to them. His eyes, which were so innocent and overflowing with the stunning light that was in his heart and soul, _had darkness in them._ Yuya looked to him for just a moment, letting him see the shadows under his eyes, how his skin had a pale sallow look to it, and his posture seemed slightly defeated, yet amidst that, he sensed something else.

Yuya's demeanor had a different feel to it, not bubbling with innocence and light as it once did, he carried a weight to him now, the same kind of oppressive shadows that those who had experienced trauma and pain had. There had always been the faintest touches of it in the deep recesses of his aura, due to his depression and attempted suicide, but it wasn't omnipresent, unlike this, which felt as though while they were all apart from one another, something horrific had happened to his friend. it made him feel sick, to think that whatever had taken place, changed Yuya that much.

"What happened to you?" the boy glanced his way, a small smile coming to his features.

"Nothing, don't worry about it. I just gave it some thought, and decided that Shay had a point about having to be willing to do what I normally wouldn't. No other reason really," he admitted, an innocent, and bone chillingly false smile came to his features.

" _Gods… Yuya… what did they do to you? What caused you to become like this all of the sudden?"_ Sky thought these things just as he glanced to Shay, Serena, and Sawatari, all of whom had a horribly ill look to them, eyes looking at the boy with apparent disbelief as Yuya just smiled and looked out the window, closing the conversation without another word. However, Sky knew better, and once he had the chance, he knew he would have to ask for the truth, because he was positive, Yuya wouldn't give it to him.

Several minutes passed, the car traveling in silence, and then, in a matter of moments, the cars pulled around to a brilliantly lit, crystal-like series of towers, gardens alight with warm glows and waters that rushed slightly in the distance as the Lancers were taken from the cars, letting them see the sheer opulence and powerful air that the entire place seemed to emit. Roger pulled around a moment later, causing the Lancers to send a glare his way as he merely smiled, and the group of ten were ushered into the building, and through to an elevator, which was soon taken up.

It was nerve wracking, being led into such a strange place, that quite honestly felt as though it was almost vibrating with magical energy. Yuya felt his heart racing, mind working on what was happening as the others remained equally tense, eyes scanning the area while Yuto seemed to be just as uncomfortable with the entire air of this place. However, at this point, none of them could do much against their captors, and with Sky's information, the Lancers were just eager to be reunited with the last of their group after the ordeal of the prison and everything else before and after it. Finally, the elevator dinged, and the group was taken out and into the floor, displaying the same crystalline kind of appearance, lined with gold and silvers, a few magical circles apparent here and there, causing the Witches a bit of discomfort.

Places such as this, reminded them of the history of their kind, and the elegance of the Witch Council's tower and chambers. The beauty of the place, hid its horrors though, revealing a less than pleasant experience once those in charge were made known. It let the Witches know, that the Council may have been naïve and self-absorbed, but that didn't make them any less dangerous, and for the mortals, they got a very similar feeling as they were lead into a grand chamber-like room, filled with a stunning interior that seemed to be carved from crystal and marble, gold and silver lined certain areas, and made up a magic circle in the center of the room, while the council members themselves, were in a high standing area, seats taken with a curious expression upon their faces.

The Lancers were lined up in an area, kept in place and shackled while they looked around the room, and a moment later, Reiji Akaba, Tsukikage, and Riley walked into the room, the seventeen-year-old giving them a relieved expression while Riley sent Yuya a tiny smile that he returned, thankful that the boy was indeed safe while Roger came in a moment later, and the anxiety returned a new. Jean Michel-Roger was not someone to be taken lightly, not by any means, and without question, they knew he was a Witch of some kind, but there was an underlying stench of a person who used darker magics, which didn't set well with them one bit. A loud noise came through the area, causing them all to jump as the Council gathered their attention.

"Well, it seems that at long last, all of your Lancers are together, Mr. Akaba," stated Azul. Reiji adjusted his glasses.

"Indeed, and within your time constraints as well." Roger hummed.

"Your Lancers? My, so you're the ring leader of this little gang of criminals?" he inquired.

"Criminals? Hardly Mr… forgive me, but I didn't get your name." the man frowned.

"I am Jean Michel-Roger, head of Sector Security. These people whom were brought in, were captured during a prison escape, which is a violation of law… or do you not have that from where you're from?" Reiji looked to him.

"We do, so long as the charges are accurate. What were my comrades indicted for?" he questioned.

"Destruction of property, illegal gambling, use of violent magic on an officer, violence against an officer which resulted in bodily harm, disturbing the populous, and aiding criminal activity." Reiji hummed in thought.

"I see, so explain unto me, why upon entrance of the city, you had my comrades attacked, ordered someone to lead them into an illegal gambling ring, of which you paid the leader off for the capture of three of my comrades…" Roger felt his jaw lock.

"I did no such things." Reiji adjusted his glasses.

"In addition, none of my Lancers were disrupting the peoples' daily lives, they did not aid in criminal activity, because they had remained in the sole location, to remain away from you. Post that, you had your officers arrest my Lancers, using brute force when it was not required, and then one of your officers, attempted to molest one of my comrades, whom is a minor, am I mistaken on this as well, Mr. Roger?" he questioned as one of the Council members cleared their throat.

"Roger, I believe these youths haven't done what you've accused them of. There is no need for them to be arrested." Roger scoft a bit, quickly regaining his composure.

"Sir, if I may, these youths, seem to be plotting to stir up the commons into a revolt. Three of the people standing here, are members of the Black Feather gang, the orange-haired youth with the gray eyes, is Crow Hogan, their leader. Now, you inform me that these red-jacket wearing heathens are comrades to this young man here? Whom is their leader? What is their purpose of being here, I ask you," he stated as those who hadn't known much about the Lancers looked at the youths.

"Yuya? What does he mean by this whole thing of Lancers and comrades?" Reiji looked to him and then cleared his throat.

"Allow me to explain, for those of you who are not aware. My name, is Reiji Akaba, and I am the founder and leader, of the Lancers, a specialized group of Duelists, some of whom are indeed Witches, who have been trained to combat a militaristic force known as Academia whom plans to invade this, the Synchro Dimension, so it cannot reform with the Synchro Zone, it's origin point, so that they may reunite our world, known as Millennium. If this is to be done, our world will fall into darkness, and be destroyed…" those present, both Lancer and newfound friends of them, carried expressions of disbelief, and of concern.

"So, you are a militia force? That would make you practically terrorists, and how can we trust you?" Yuya ground his teeth together.

"Terrorists? We're anything but! Our job is to stop those who would fit that moniker all to well," he snapped, causing Roger to give him a questioning look.

"I see… and this comes from the mouth of the boy who brutally tore a chunk of flesh and muscle from the face of one of my officers." Scarlet eyes narrowed.

" _ **Keep calm, he's trying to get you to lose control. Keep your mouth shut, don't give him the satisfaction."**_ Yuto's warning served him well, allowing Yuya to reign in the flare of anger that had come to him.

"This also comes from the mouth of the man who ordered his men to arrest someone on false charges, and did nothing to stop one of these men from attempting to molest my comrade, whom, need I remind you, is fourteen-years of age," Reiji rebutted, causing Roger to glare at him.

"What I wish to know, is how do a handful of teenagers intend to stop this supposed militaristic force?" the blonde-haired Frenchman changed the subject, letting those who were captured, know that he was most certainly slick, to the point that one could mistake him for a slimy eel.

"We intend to first of all, reunite with two of our teammates whom have been in the Synchro Dimension for quite some time. After we locate and are back with them, we shall be looking for strong Duelists who will be willing to assist us, and in addition to this, we will be seeking the Secondary Pillar, of whom was cast unto this version of the Synchro Zone when it was split a little over a year ago," Reiji explained.

"Pillars, Zones… other worlds… you, my good sir, are what I would deem as insane. There are no such things as other Worlds, our world is whole, not divided into Zones or Dimensions, and the Pillars are an ancient fairytale told by half-blooded mutts to their mongrel children." Shay and Serena sent him a scathing look.

"Watch who you call a mutt and mongrel, Mr. Roger," Shay stated as the man smirked.

"What if I could provide proof? The young man whom just spoke to you, he was an ally against Academia, alongside his Primary and Secondary Pillars. Once his Primary Pillar, Yuma Tsukumo, was murdered by Academia, the Xyz Zone, fell into darkness, becoming a Dimension… you cannot deny that something has been amiss with our world." Roger laughed just a fraction.

"This is babble from a man obsessed with ancient stories. My friend, when you speak of the other worlds, you speak of the warriors of a weapon that appears sentient, and chooses its wielder, taking the form of a key, which is not real, it is a fairytale," he stated as Reiji sighed.

"If that is what one wishes to believe, then by all means, do so. However, I request to go forth to proceed with your offer, Council." Roger looked to them.

"Offer? And what may that be, if I may ask?" he questioned the Council who gave him a calm, yet stern look.

"Mr. Akaba has already explained everything to us before, and we have decided that the Lancers will partake in the annual Friendship Cup, and should they win, we shall side with the Lancers; however, should they lose, we will attempt to side with Academia. Now, you are missing two members of your Lancers? We shall arrange for them to be brought to you, granted that we have their names and appearances." Reiji nodded as Yuya bit his lip, knowing who they were speaking of.

"I see… so, the Lancers are to participate in the Friendship Cup? Very well, it should be very entertaining. Now, if I may, there are a few questions I wish to ask for my own peace of mind," Roger stated as White Taki nodded.

"Very well." The man turned to the Lancers.

"Your, intentions, are to seek allies, find your comrades, and find this… Pillar… what else is there?" he probed as Reiji looked him over.

" _I am not fond of this man, he feels quite slimy and the epidimy of someone I do not want near my Lancers… particularly my Pillar,"_ he thought.

"Once we locate the Pillar, we can place the Synchro Dimension and Zone back together, which will significantly dent Academia's ambitions." Roger nodded.

"Very well, that doesn't seem to be too great of a problem, if these Pillars even exist. Now, where do you all hail from? Its clear you aren't from here," he inquired as Serena frowned.

"I'm from the Fusion Dimension, which should be the Fusion Zone. My friend Sky is also from there." He smiled.

"Interesting, now, what of the rest of you Lancers?" Shay sent him a glare.

"The Xyz Zone, which has also become a Dimension, as was earlier stated." Roger kept his smirk glancing Yuya over momentarily with a faintly curious and somewhat possessive glint in his eyes that caused several of the Lancers to shoot him a look worthy of killing.

"Then, am I to suppose the rest of you are from other… Zones or Dimensions as well?" he questioned as Yuya kept his expression calm.

"The rest of us are from the Pendulum Zone." Roger hummed.

"Ah, named after the Summoning Mechanic that you use?" he asked as Sylvio gave him a disgruntled look.

"Uh, try created. Yuya's the inventor of the Pendulum summoning method." A few of the group gave him an irritated look, and he flinched, realizing his error.

"Created? So, Yuya Sakaki is the inventor? My, that is indeed quite fascinating," he mentioned.

"Anything else? Or are you done?" Roger smiled.

"My last question, and it is to you, Council," he stated, turning to face them.

"What is it Mr. Roger?" the Frenchman kept his expression calm, eyes shining with an intention that none could read.

"Has the King's opponent been selected for the opening ceremony?" he asked politely.

"No, I'm afraid not. Why do you ask?" Roger smiled.

"If that is the case, may I make the suggestion that, one of the Lancers be his opponent?" he queried, causing the group to give him a rather startled look.

"One of the Lancers? Well, that would most certainly allow us to see the power of their Duelists." Roger nodded.

"Not only that, but it would allow us to see this new summoning method, letting us know what it is also capable of. If they are to do this, I will escort their additional allies here after the ceremony; however, if not, I will arrest them, for I believe the two you are looking for are a pink-haired girl and blue-haired boy, correct?" the group couldn't help the faint flinch that came to them.

"Why would you arrest Yuzu and Hugo?" Yuya asked.

"Because, they resisted arrest, and trespassed on Tops property. In addition, they have been causing a bit of a ruckus lately, and while I have held my hand for now, I cannot any more. So, what shall it be, Mr. Akaba?" Reiji took in a deep breath.

"I have no objections; however, I ask that the Black Feathers be the ones to escort Yuzu Hiiragi and Hugo Matsumoto to us post opening ceremony," he stated, causing Roger to frown as the Council nodded.

"Very well, we grant your requests. Mr. Roger, whom do you believe will be the best choice for Mr. Atlas's opponent?" the man smiled.

"None other than the inventor of this Pendulum Summoning method, Yuya Sakaki," he stated, pointing to the scarlet-eyed boy who gave him a rather startled look.

"That should do splendidly. Very well, the opening ceremony is in four days, that should be plenty of time for everyone to rest and prepare. I hope you give us quite the show, Yuya Sakaki," White Taki said as the boy felt a chill go down his spine.

"Might I request that we continue to stay here? However, I wish to state that all of us will be allowed to interact with one another, my Lancers are akin to family to me, and I will not allow you to separate us when we have just been reunited." Reiji's plea was heard, and White Taki nodded.

"That is fine, we have plenty of space for everyone to stay here. Now please, do follow our bellhops, they will be happy to take you to floor thirteen, where you will be residing." The cuffs were disarmed, letting everyone relax a fraction as they started following the red-dressed bellhops out of the room, Roger smiling as he caught Yuya's eyes as they exited.

"Au revoir, petite souris." The door shut as the Odd-Eyes Duelist shot him a sharp glare.

 **{Thirteenth Floor: 1:20am}**

The group had been shown their rooms, and informed of where the dining hall was, where they were offered to go for a much-needed meal, something they all ended up agreeing to as they got themselves cleaned up a bit, washing their faces and hands to shake the exhaustion from most of them before heading to the quant dining area, where a long, white linen covered table was set up with plenty of seats for all of them. Reiji took his seat at the head of the table, the rest taking randomized seats, everyone equally tired and hungry and desperately looking forward to being able to recover their strength before the tournament began.

However, no one was talking, even as the food was brought in for them, they remained oddly silent while they sat there, Reiji sighing as he considered how to break the ice with the small group of people he didn't know anything about. Knowing there wasn't much to say, he decided to await the start of the conversation from someone else in their group, knowing that the tension he felt would be resolved in some manner, and in a few moments, it was as the blue-haired, blue-eyed youth next to the person who had been identified as Crow Hogan finally spoke.

"So, you're not from here at all? You're actually from a different Zone all together?" he asked.

"Yea… that whole thing about the Zones, other worlds, and Pillars… that's more than just a fairytale. It surprised all of us too…" Tokumatsu eyed Yuya.

"And, the intentions that your leader spoke of? Those are genuine as well?" he questioned.

"Indeed, they are. None of the things I have stated, are false." All eyes turned to Reiji.

"Has everything gone well? We haven't seen or heard from you in a while," stated Yuya as he looked to the silver-haired youth.

"Surprisingly, I have been met with little difficulty; however, that only proves to strengthen my doubt in trusting these people. Something about their calmness and ease of accepting the situation… causes me to question what their true intentions are." The group grew quiet momentarily.

"What I want to know is how you knew all of those things and found us," said Sawatari.

"The protection crystals have a homing spell on them. I suspect that during the entire situation that unfurled, you forgot… not that I could blame you, seeing as you were trying to hide. However, I used it to attempt tracking you down, and Tsukikage succeeded, but only as time went on, and the information we found, was via Sky's help in tracking information, and using the hacking program on his Duel Disk." Yuya relaxed a bit.

"I can't believe we forgot about those… I must be a complete idiot, I should have remembered the protection crystals," he mentioned, berating himself as Reiji shook his head.

"No, Yuya. There is no need to chastise yourself over it. The situations everyone was in called for them to be careful in their actions, and using the activation spell upon those crystals could have very easily caused problems for all of you. Considering how this city feels about Witches and other Magi whom hail from the slums… it was wiser that you didn't use magic at all." Once more, the Lancers were drawn to the fact that Reiji was seeming to show a bit of favor towards the scarlet-eyed boy, but for what reasons, they weren't certain.

"You have a point… the prison was bad enough, with those anti-magic cuffs and everything. That caused way more problems than it should have, so there's no telling what would have happened if we had activated one of our crystals," he admitted with a sheepish smile, turning to his food a moment later as everyone else continued to eat.

"So, what will our plans be from this point on?" Gongenzaka's question caused Reiji to turn his attention to him.

"Our first priority, as of this point, is getting Yuzu and Hugo safely back to us. From there, seek out the Pillar and allies will come next. Excuse me, Mr. Hogan? Is there a way you can assist us in retrieving our comrades?" he asked as Crow almost dropped his spoon.

"Uh… just Crow is fine, and I guess so. My gang has 'em safe anyhow… so yea, they can bring 'em to us after the openin' ceremony. "Reiji nodded.

"I thank you in advance, and also ask if you and those present here, would be willing to assist us Lancers. My comrades seem to already trust you, and I feel it would be a waste of your talent and the opportunity not to ask you," he stated as the others stared at him in disbelief.

"Even me? But I'm an old man, the others are a bunch of young whipper snappers." Reiji looked to him.

"My Lancers are excellent judges of skill, if you are here with them, that means to me that you are quite the capable Duelist," he said.

"Well, um… indeed I am! I'm Chojirou Tokumatsu, or Enjoy Chojirou." Reiji smiled.

"A pleasure to meet you. Now, may I have the rest of your names?" he asked as Crow shrugged.

"You know I'm Crow Hogan, the guy next to me is Shinji Webber, and the other two are Damon Blake, and Donny Walters. They're also members of my Black Feathers." Reiji nodded.

"Good, would you be interested in assisting us?" Damon and Donny gave him a quick look before glancing to the Lancers.

"Personally, I don't think I have the skill for this. If Crow and Shinji go and help ya guys, stayin' here and helpin' the kids may be my job," Damon admitted.

"Same for me, I'm not cut out for this war thing. By the way, kiddo? You okay?" the group looked to Yuya who nodded, shaking his head to wake himself up before placing a hand to his forehead.

"Yea, just a headache. I'm probably tired…" he said, seeming to dismiss the concern of the others.

"Maybe you should get some sleep. After what happened in the prison and all you – "Yuya slammed a hand on the table, stopping Dennis dead in his sentence.

"You know, I think you're right. I'm going to head to bed. See everyone in the morning," he said as he stood and walked out of the room quickly, causing concern to come from those who hadn't been present in the prison.

The behavior, had confirmed Sky's concern that something had happened to Yuya that would cause his demeanor to change, and the looks on the others faces also confirmed this suspicion. Chartreus eyes narrowed while he read the auras of the others, showing worry and an air of unsureness on whether or not they should speak about whatever had happened. Reiji seemed to be thinking on the same lines as he was, and as for Damon and Donny, they appeared to be slightly confused, if not worried about Yuya's strange behavior, in addition to his sallow look, and his slightly dim eyes. Sighing, Dennis relaxed a bit, seeming to have gotten over the shock of Yuya's abrupt behavior change and was leaning back in his chair, eating his late dinner while the room remained quiet for a moment longer.

"Is he okay?" Crow gritted his teeth at Donny's question.

"No, he's trying to pretend something didn't happen. I know he's gotten a stronger resolve from it, but if he's hurting or having problems from it, he needs to tell us," he stated.

"From what?" fossil gray eyes looked to Sky and instantly turned away.

"Its not good. I have to admit that… I don't know if it's something the kid should hear either," Crow said as he glanced to Riley who had finished his food.

"Riley, would you mind heading on back to your room?" the boy nodded, being quick to exit the room, Tsukikage keeping a keen eye on the boy to make sure he was safe as he listened, having finished as well, and stood by the door, keeping it open until he saw Riley enter his room, where a moment later the door shut, and he did the same.

"Alright, care to explain what happened to Yuya in the prison?" Reiji asked as the others seemed to grow pale.

"After we arrived, some people were making… offers towards Yuya that he had to refuse…." Sky felt his eyes widen.

"You mean… that they…" Crow nodded.

"And, one day, during cleaning, a guard asked Yuya to clean some of the smaller four person cells a few floors up from us alone, and he agreed, admittedly, none of us thought much about it… but we should have. Five men entered one of the cells and drug him off… before…." Reiji's intertwined hands tightened to the point that his knuckles were white.

"I see… and has any punishment been given to them?" he probed, his voice tight.

"The Lancers and the rest of us took care of them. However, Yuya's magic seemed to have lost control at some point during that, because when I found him… four of the guys had escaped, and the fifth one was propped up against the wall heavily wounded… I'm not certain about what happened to him though." Serena looked to Crow.

"Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon ate him. We have the discs still with the footage of what happened in the cell to Yuya and what happened to the man," she explained.

"So, his familiar sought vengeance for his Master, befitting. I suppose messing with a Witch was their first mistake." Sylvio shook his head.

"No, their first mistake was messing with one of our friends. When we got our hands on them, we made sure they felt the pain and fear they put Yuya through as best we could, but even now I don't feel like it was enough," he said as Reiji and Sky glanced his way.

"What did you guys do to them anyways?" Shay looked to Sky.

"Gongenzaka's was the tamest out of all our punishments. He just gave the guy a few broken bones and a concussion; however, Crow, Shinji, and Dennis did something different to the person they had to take care of," he mentioned.

"And… what did the three of you do?" Crow sighed.

"Yuya had bitten four of the guys, and we had the guy whose finger had been bitten off, and we were cleaning the kitchen, so we freaked him out and then turned the eyes of the stove on and pressed his hands to them," he stated as Reiji nodded.

"Befitting, what of the others?" Sawatari picked at his food.

"I beat the hell outta a guy with a broom in the showers. Honestly, I'm not sure how he was faring once I was done with him, but he's probably blind in one eye at least. Shay and Serena got sent to solitary for what they did though," he told them as Sky gave the two a bewildered look.

"Um… what did you do?" Serena looked to him with a calm expression.

"Yuya put a curse on the guy so he would get what he deserved, and asked that we teach him not to bite. So, Shay held his mouth open, and I pried his teeth out with a pair of priers," she informed him as she took a sip of her drink.

"Okay then… I see where you were coming from, and I don't blame you for what you did… I probably would have done the same things. But, has Yuya had any medical attention?" the group looked down at that.

"We've done what we could. He's been okay, but I don't doubt his body still hurts, and I know he's still covered in bruises, cuts, and bites." Reiji's hands tightened, his face forming into a cold look.

"Then I will see to it that he's given medical attention and made sure that he's physically well enough to participate in his role in the opening ceremony," he told them as he took in a deep breath.

"Are you sure? I mean, Yuya's probably fine by now. His magic heals him pretty quick." Reiji nodded at Sky's question.

"I want to be certain that he's okay. There's no telling what could happen if we aren't careful and cover all our bases," he said as he stood.

"Wait, are you going now?" Reiji shook his head.

"No, first thing in the morning. Sky? Tsukikage, I have an assignment for you right quick, if you will," he stated.

"Alright, what do you need?" he glanced their way.

"Follow me. The rest of you, have a good evening," Reiji said calmly as he, Tsukikage, and Sky left, causing Dennis to hum as he took a sip of the offered tea.

"Something tells me our fearless leader is about to make quite the explosive impression on the council."

 **{…..}**

 _The voice of the unheard…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** So, the Lancers are back together, except for Yuzu and Hugo; however, that will be resolved soon enough. Coming up are a few breather chapters before we get started with the Friendship Cup and everything that will spill out because of that. We're getting pretty close to some major reveals and details, so pay attention to the conversations and hints in some of the characters behaviors and how they react to things, and be prepared for a lot of fun and insanity. I hope everyone is enjoying this story, it's really taking me a lot of effort, so please, help me get it to 100 reviews! Let me know what you think.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

This chapter was pulled partially from _episode 63 – Fight For Freedom, from Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V Season II._

In this chapter, it is the first time Crow, Shinji, and Tokumatsu have heard the mostly full details of what the Lancers are aiming for.

There was a reference to Kingdom Hearts in this chapter.

 _Au revoir, petite souris_ means: Goodbye, little mouse.

There was a hint to the events of the next chapter in the closing line of this one.


	77. Chapter 77: Weaving Webs

Chapter 77: Weaving Webs

 **{Council Towers: August 14** **th** **, 2014: 9:53am}**

The faint warmth of the sun spilling through the open curtains caused Yuya to flinch as he slowly opened his eyes, looking around the room as he moved around in the comforter, letting the comfortable bed give his still bruised and battered body some much needed cushion and comfort as he sighed, leaning his head back into the pillows while he took in a deep breath, glancing to the digital clock to see that it read as almost being ten in the morning. Another sigh left him, and he closed his eyes momentarily, his mind still impossibly exhausted, and his body unwilling to get up while he took in the silence around him, body shivering at the faint coolness of the room despite the heavy duvet over him.

" _ **Are you doing okay?"**_ Yuto asked him this and he nodded a bit.

"I'll be fine. I just need to get myself gathered up." Yuya sat up, rubbing the soreness in his right shoulder as he stretched a bit, having slept in a pair of loose fitting black cotton pants and a matching tank top, wanting to let his body relax for as long as it could before things became chaotic again. Putting his feet over the side of the bed, Yuya rotated his head a bit, working the stiffness out of his body while Yuto appeared beside him.

"You sure that's all? I mean, after what happened…" Yuya looked to the spirit.

"Yuto… I get it. Okay? Its bad, and I'm never going to completely shake it, but I wasn't kidding when I said I'm not playing the part of the victim anymore. I'm going to fight, I don't want to be weak, not anymore…" he told him as the Shadow Witch sighed.

"Alright, I understand. Anyways, you should get something to eat after you clean yourself up a bit. From what I can tell, everyone else slept in today," he said as Yuya nodded and then paused for a moment.

"I just remembered, they took all of our clothes to be washed… so… right now what I have on is all I have…" Yuya glanced towards the mirror, looking at his reflection and sighing.

"What? You're not keen on showing off that you have some muscle to your body or something?" Yuto teased him and Yuya sent him a scathing look.

"Shut up! You don't have any reason to tease me about that kind of crap!" the other laughed just a bit.

"Take it easy… I get it. Your body shy, and probably were even before what happened… just enjoy your day off while you can, okay?" he suggested as Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Fine…"

Yuya grabbed his pendulum crystal, putting it on over his head before he went to the restroom, getting himself ready for the day before he washed his face, and walked out of the room and towards the dining room, meeting Sky on the way, who was wearing a blue t-shirt and black pants, stretching as he greeted him while Gongenzaka fell in place, wearing a similar attire to Sky save for the fact that his shirt was a dull faded gray.

Once they entered the dining room though, they were greeted by the others, taking their seats as they got themselves something to eat while Reiji took his time, seeming to sip on what smelled like coffee to Yuya who twitched his nose a bit, almost like a cat would if they were to sneeze before he turned to his own drink, a type of warmed tea that smelled a lot like it had white tea leaves, oranges, an undertone of roses or some kind of flower, which he for the most part ignored as he took a careful sip of it and started to eat the omelet with a few sparse vegetables that had been given to him.

The room was quiet, everyone either not entirely awake, or to hungry to really talk as Yuya noted everyone was dressed in attire similar to his own or Sky's, making him sigh as he realized everyone's clothing had indeed been taken for washing, which he suspected was fine, even though he was more than capable of doing it himself. Taking a few bites of his breakfast, Yuya thought about what had happened since they had arrived, and he wondered if his aunt was okay, and how she was handling his absence, in a house full of cats and a few dogs. A small smile came to his features as he thought about Florence and Niknak and their antics, wondering if they were bickering as always. He took another bite and suddenly dropped his fork, coughing as he did so, causing Dennis who was sitting next to him to put a hand on his back.  
"Yuya? Are you alright?" the boy nodded quickly, coughing a few more times as his stomach knotted up, his head hurting as he took in a deep breath.

"Hey, Yuya…." Scarlet eyes looked to them.

"I just got strangled a bit, I'll be fine," he assured Sky.

"If you say so…" Yuya sighed.

"Don't worry so much. You act like I'm made of glass or something," he teased, wiping the tears from his eyes as he smiled a bit.

"Hey, you're my friend. I'm supposed to be worried for you." Yuya shook his head, chuckling a bit.

"Okay, just expect me to do the same," he told him as Sky shrugged.

"Fine by me." Reiji glanced the boy over, seeing the bruises and faint scrapes on his arms and peaking out of the collar of his tank top.

It was obvious that Yuya was far from healed, and that concerned him as he noticed the boy was being careful with how he moved, causing him to suspect that his ribs and hips were still heavily bruised like the rest of him. Sighing, Reiji considered what he would have to do later today, and then turned his attention back to Yuya who was talking with some of the others over how they'd slept, seeming to hint that he hadn't personally slept that well despite not outright admitting it. The way he composed his questions and replies, told Reiji that Yuya was having nightmares, or something akin to them that were preventing him from getting a proper sleep, but he knew not much could be done about it.

"Yuya, how are you feeling?" Reiji asked as scarlet eyes turned to him.

"Judging by your question, I'm going to guess that you know what happened." The silver-haired nodded.

"That, and the bruises and other marks on your body give it away," he admitted as Yuya grabbed his upper arm on his left side, rubbing at the area of his shoulder a bit.

"Yea… um…" Reiji sighed.

"At some point, I want to have a doctor look at you, and make sure you're doing okay," he stated as Yuya sent him a withered look.

"I don't need some kind of fucking shrink looking at me. I know I'm messed up in the head, no one has to tell me that." some of the group felt their eyes grow wide.

" _Where did that flare of aggression come from?"_ Reiji frowned.

"Yuya, I'm not saying I want to send you to a psychiatrist, I mean a physical doctor, I want them to make sure nothing is wrong with your body," he admitted as Yuya took in a deep breath, bangs falling into his eyes as he put his hands in his hair.

"That's pretty messed up too. Reiji, I appreciate what you're trying to do… but I'll be fine… my body doesn't work like most peoples… I heal a lot quicker than the average person." The information had gained a few confused looks from the others.

"Like someone with a Strain?" asked Shinji as Yuya glanced his way.

"Kind of, but I'm not really sure if that's the closest thing to it. I slit my own wrists, and I'm practically healed in two weeks… so personally, Reiji… I don't need you to worry yourself over me…" the silver-haired D/D/D Duelist sighed.

"I'd still prefer to see that you are alright. Humor me if nothing else, would you?" he questioned with a pleading look as Yuya frowned, giving him an annoyed look.

"Why are you so worried? It's been nearly a week now, and I've recovered just fine." Reiji looked him over.

"Because, you were assaulted by five people who were twice, if not three times your size. There could be underlying problems that you or the others aren't noticing," he said as Yuya seemed to clench his jaw at the notion, narrowing his eyes.

"If you'll drop the subject, I'll go. Otherwise, you can forget it." Reiji nodded.

"Consider the conversation over, I won't talk about it until we know more," he promised as Yuya let out an exasperated sigh.

"Fine, I can't get you to do anything better, so I guess I'll have to settle for that." Reiji glanced to the side.

"I will do whatever you ask, I swore to be honest and help you, and I will," he stated, causing several of the others to gape at the statement, leaving one question to run through their minds.

" _Just what the fuck is going on here?"_

 **{Council Chamber: 11:41am}**

Reiji entered the Council's main room after making sure he had himself presentable, having found his clothes returned to him once breakfast was over, and had dressed and now stood before the Council's members, hands in his pockets as he looked at the five people who stared down their noses at him as if he was an insect that they tolerated, but weren't overly fond of. Taking that into account, Reiji adjusted his glasses as Azul, the woman of the Council, curled her lip at him, confirming her dislike of him and the other Lancers despite what they were trying to do. Reiji had known from the beginning that proving such things would be nigh impossible without proper evidence, and thus, he had stored a few video feeds of the Obelisk Force and their actions and how his Lancers had handled it, but was retaining that for when it truly called for it.

He had no desire to potentially warrant fear from the Council nor the people of Neo City, and he knew several of their newest additions, felt that something wasn't quite right with how he behaved around Yuya; however, he knew that soon enough he would be divulging the truth, but only after he was certain of the other Pillar and he had Yuzu and Hugo in his custody alongside the aid of the Black Feathers, or at the very least, Crow Hogan, Shinji Webber, and Chojirou Tokumatsu. It was a risk, waiting that long, but he felt it necessary, seeing as one never went into a Duel with only half a deck, and if he played all his aces now, when the time came, he would be left with a practically empty hand.

"You requested to speak with us?" asked Gael.

"Yes, I was informed last night that one of my Lancers, suffered some severe physical trauma, and I wish to have a doctor examine him." Azul frowned.

"Who is it?" Reiji took in a steady breath.

"Yuya Sakaki," he answered as Bordeaux, the dark-haired, red-robed man sent him an imploring look, seeming to question his reasoning.

"And, what happened to him that would require a medical examination?" Reiji took in a steady breath.

"He was sexually assaulted by five individuals at the prison," he answered, not liking that he had to go into details on the matter.

"My goodness, do you know how long ago this was?" Reiji considered this momentarily.

"Nearly a week ago," he informed them and Gray, the silver-robed, bug-eyed man with a wide mouth and very little hair upon his head hummed.

"It's nearly been a week and the boy hasn't shown severe complications. Therefore, I don't see why we should grant such a request." The D/D/D Duelist leveled a sharp glare to them.

"If you want him to compete, he needs to be in top physical condition. I am not going to send my Lancer out there knowing he's been hurt like he has without being given the all clear from a doctor," Reiji explained with a sharp tone as Azul narrowed her gaze.

"I suggest you watch your tone, Mr. Akaba. Least you forget, we are in charge here, and if Yuya Sakaki does not take part in the opening ceremony, then we will arrest the remaining two members of your group. Mr. Roger has already assured us he can have them in custody within the hour."

Glancing to the side, Reiji noticed several of the Lancers seemed to be observing from the doorway, having it cracked just a fraction to listen in on the current subject matter while he redirected his attention to the Council, taking in a deep breath as he stood to full height and settled a cold glare upon them. He hadn't wanted to resort to this method, but he now knew there would be no other choice, and thus removed his hands from his pockets, pulling out a small black remote with three buttons on it in red, blue, and green, which somewhat confused those watching, and the Council themselves.

"What is that?" asked Gale, White Taki just smiling as he always did in that knowing, and fairly frustrating manner.

"A remote control. I ask once more, will you let my Lancer have medical attention, or not?" Bordeaux gave him a repulsed look.

"No, and should you ask again, we will issue an arrest for your two remaining members," he stated as Reiji nodded.

"Then you leave me no choice." Reiji pressed the red button on the control, causing everyone to tense as no sound came from anywhere and the Council glanced around the chamber.

"What was that supposed to do? It seems to not have worked," stated Gray.

"Oh, the red button wasn't for here… observe…" Reiji pulled up a screen via his Duel Disk and sent it towards a broadcast feed within the chamber, causing it to appear on a larger screen, which showed the Northern Detention Center, which was smoking and seemed to be mostly crumbled.

"W-What have you done?!" demanded Azul as Reiji adjusted his glasses.

"The prison was rigged with explosives, and I just detonated them." White Taki hummed.

"Was this truly necessary?" he asked.

"That depends. I'll ask once more, will you let my Lancer have medical treatment?" Gale narrowed his eyes.

"We do not negotiate with terroists," he said as Reiji nodded.

"Understood." He pressed the blue button, and the video feed displayed the bridge to the prison collapsing.

"ENOUGH! Do not dare to toy with us!" Reiji settled a glare upon them.

"Then be certain that you should not dare to toy with us. for I will do whatever I must for my Lancers, and if that means blowing up half of this fucking city, then by the Gods, I will," he stated coldly.

It was quite the predicament, and the Lancers who were watching, most certainly understood that Reiji had backed the Council into a corner; however, they were also quite surprised to see him going to such lengths or swear for that matter. Gongenzaka felt a mixed emotion towards the situation, due to knowing that Reiji's actions weren't ones he could quite agree with, but he at the same time, very much did understand that he was doing this, only as a last resort. The Council, admittedly, looked quite anxious, looking into Reiji's cold violet eyes while he kept a blank expression upon his face, not giving away what he would do next as they seemed to squirm a bit, and glanced to the green button on the remote, wondering what it was connected to.

"Mr. Akaba, I do not agree with your methods, and as was stated prior, we do not negotiate with terrorists," Gray informed him as Reiji took in a steady breath.

"Then I suppose informing you that the explosive of the green button is connected to this room? My Lancers and I will know precisely where to stand in order to prevent ourselves from being harmed; however, the explosives are rigged to your chairs, so answer me this: would you rather be executed upon your lofty thrones? Or do as I request, which is so minute, and grant my Lancer access to a doctor? It is your decision… I grant you ten seconds."

Panic began to appear upon their faces, Reiji keeping himself calm as he started towards the doorway, keeping a finger pressed upon the button, looking towards them as he stood just at the top of the small set of stairs. Silence reigned momentarily as they seemed to debate what to do and whether or not Reiji was bluffing and then, a panicked Azul looked to Reiji, standing to her feet with a angry, yet fearful expression upon her face as she took in a steady breath.

"Very well, we will have a doctor come here at precisely one in the afternoon to your Lancer's room," she stated as Reiji smiled, pocketing the remote.

"See, that wasn't so hard, now was it? I will await the arrival of the doctor." With that he left the room, and the Council visibly relaxed as Gael looked to the others.

"We will have to be more careful around these Lancers, they are capable of more than we first thought," he mentioned.

"Agreed, my one question is how they managed such a feat in so little time…" White Taki smiled.

"They are inventive youths, and use their abilities to their advantage. Such a thing, should make for quite an interesting Friendship Cup this year," he stated, picking up his cup of tea to take a sip.

"Not to mention… that red-eyed boy… they all seem overly protective towards him, do they not? Why do you think that is?" Azul frowned.

"He's their ace, is my suspicion. For now, though, we best be careful not to anger their leader, we aren't certain if he was truly bluffing about the explosives, and attempting to investigate could very well cause him to trigger them," she informed the others.

"Indeed."

 **{Thirteenth Floor: 12:15pm}**

Yuya was trying to review a few of the spells he'd copied into his Duel Disk – something Yuto had suggested as a failsafe – when he'd heard a knock at the door and sighed before with a quick motion of his hand, the door opened, and he went back to where he was, using some randomized stones he'd found in a plant vase in the room to practice boundary lines while he stood in front of the window, occasionally glancing towards the vast city below him while the door shut, and he caught a distinct scent that somewhat confused him. Eyebrows knitting together, Yuya turned to see Reiji standing near the door, watching him as he sighed, and the stones sat themselves on the small table near the window. It was something he quite honestly didn't know why he felt surprised and a bit frustrated to see the other, but supposed nothing much could be done about it.

"What do you want?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"To inform you that a doctor will be coming by at one." Yuya sighed.

"Fine, I guess that works…" Reiji rose an eyebrow.

"Were you practicing a few new spells?" he probed as he came a bit closer towards him and Yuya narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, why do you want to know?" the other smirked.

"It seems your getting stronger. However, I wanted to ask why your behavior seems to have changed," he mentioned as the boy gave him an irritated glare.

"Let me put it this way, if you had something happen to you like what happened to me, I'm pretty sure you'd change your behavior as well." Reiji nodded.

"True, I most certainly would. However, you're displaying quite a bit of aggression… something, I'm not used to seeing in you in this amount," he said as he came to sit on the bed, directly across from Yuya.

"Used to seeing? So, you really were watching me ever since I first Pendulum Summoned. I thought you were just saying that as a powerplay or something." Yuya leaned against the wall adjacent to Reiji and the silver-haired seventeen-year-old shook his head.

"Come now, I don't merely say things without meaning them. You interest me, Yuya… you're very special… in ways I believe even you aren't aware of," he stated as the boy rose an eyebrow.

"You know something that you're not telling me. I can see it… your aura's all jumpy… like you can't decide whether to admit something to me or not, and its serious… something potentially detrimental to our mission as Lancers." Reiji sighed.

"As I said, you're becoming stronger. Maybe you aren't aware, but your magic seems to be getting more powerful as time goes on," he informed him as Yuya slumped a bit, sliding down the wall to sit upon the ground, legs pulled up towards his chest.

"That's honestly what scares me…" the silver-haired teen frowned.

"Scares you? As a Waking Witch, I supposed you were assured in your abilities," he said as Yuya shook his head.

"You've been monitoring me long enough to know that it possesses me, and I lose control of myself. I become drunk on the power it feeds me, and I don't feel anything… Reiji… you're not a Witch… let alone the kind that I am… so I know you don't get it… but Waking Magic isn't all power and no drawbacks… its… terrifying to think that if I'm not careful, I could be possessed by my own magic, and hurt someone I love…" Reiji smiled.

"Yuya, I'm not sure you see what I and the others do. We know you struggle with your magic; however, I also have faith that you will not just attack anyone because of your magic takes over. Perhaps you should allow it to breathe, stop fighting it and welcome it. The Waking Magic is part of your body, your soul… Yuya, if you can learn to accept who you really are… not what others desire for you to be, but how you fit into the grand scheme of things… I believe you will find that what you are, is anything but what you think it is," he told him as Yuya looked to the side.

"I'm not sure I agree with you there. Reiji… I know the others care about me, and I do them… but there's a part of them and myself… that fears what I'm capable of… you're no different." Reiji sighed, and stood.

Every time he was around this boy, he found himself reflecting upon who he was and why he wanted to do the things he currently was attempting. However, he also found himself seeing what others may overlook because of the influence this one boy brought. Smiling, Reiji came towards Yuya and crouched before reaching out to place a gentle hand upon his head, somewhat startling him as scarlet eyes met violet ones. Reiji knew that Yuya doubted himself, but he also knew that if he could look past what had already happened, and let it empower him, he would learn to see what he did in himself.

"Yuya, you're at a point where you're still finding who you are. Do you know what I see though? A spirit made of fire, and heart made of light, a voice that can touch souls and hearts of others, eyes that reflect wisdom, and hands that can both heal and hurt, but only when you so choose to do it." Yuya stared at him, somewhat disbelieving.

"Reiji… I'm not able to see those things… the only thing I know is that I want to fight… I don't want to be a victim… that's all I've got right now," he explained as the other nodded.

"True, but one day, you'll become the true personality of your spirit. Once you know it, you'll find peace and power in your own convictions. I only hope that when you do, I'm able to stand by your side as an ally, just as I am certain the others do. Just trust us to have your back." Yuya took in a deep breath.

"I can do that… I already agreed to. However, I don't think you should resort to scare tactics, like blowing up the prison earlier," he pointed out as Reiji smiled.

"You knew?" Yuya gave him a pointed look.

"I watched from the window and got this distinct feeling you or someone in our group had something to do with it. Just try not to blow everything up, okay? We don't need to be labeled as terrorists when we're trying to help," he told him as Reiji nodded.

"Very well, I'll do my best." Yuya glanced him over.

"Why do you do that?" he questioned.

"Do what?" the boy rose an eyebrow.

"If I ask you to do something, you just accept it, rarely with even a little contest. Why is that? I know you promised you'd be truthful with me and help me and the others… but why are you so subservient to me?" he asked him as Reiji sighed and mused his hair.

"Because, in a way, I've found myself viewing you as a little brother in a way. Besides, Riley is very fond of you, and I've grown to be very much the same with you." Yuya sighed.

"I guess that's an acceptable answer. Although, I have to admit, I still think you're hiding something from me," he said as Reiji stood and Yuya did the same.

"It's nothing you need to worry about. Yuya, if it was important, I would inform you immediately, just as I would with the others." The red-green-haired boy nodded slowly.

"Alright, I'll let it slide for now. But… um… are you sure something's not wrong?" Reiji shook his head.

"My only concern right now is that you're alright. What you experienced isn't something easy to get over, so my main concern is your wellbeing." Yuya huffed.

"Fine, what time is it anyways?" a knock at the door came, and Reiji glanced to it.

"Time for your appointment it would seem. I'll leave you to it, and check in with the doctor in a bit." With that Reiji left, and the doctor was let in. He was an older man, wearing a white jacket typical of doctors, his hair was a pale brown, flecked with grays, and he had dark brown eyes, but a kind smile on his face as he shut the door behind him and turned his attention to him.

"Hello, your Yuya correct? I'm Dr. Schmidt, I hope you don't mind the sudden examination; however, I was informed about what happened to you, and I believe your supervisor was right in having the council contact me," he explained as Yuya gave him a nervous smile.

"Um… no… its fine. Reiji's really protective over us, so I guess it makes sense." Dr. Schmidt nodded.

"Right, now, shall we get started?" he asked.

"Sure, I guess…" the man smiled.

"No need to be anxious, just have a seat on the bed."

 **{Thirteenth Floor: 2:17pm}**

A little over an hour passed, and Reiji waited outside of the room, his mind processing what would be done from here on. He had played a dangerous game with the Council earlier, and that most certainly had let them know that while they were a bunch of children, they had means to make people do what they wanted. A disgruntled look came to his features, knowing that some would compare him to his father, using fear and aggression to his advantage; however, he was anything but, and had only resorted to such an action, when he had been left with no other option. That was how the Lancers did things, only resorting to brutal tactics, when left with no other options or after they had been pushed into a corner.

His mind went to Yuya, and what had been explained to him, letting him know that at some point, his magic had engaged itself, and Yuya had attacked, fighting back, and he had ultimately gotten his attackers to stop, but only after the damage had been done. It made him wonder, if such a tactic of waiting till the final second, until they had no other choice, was truly a wise move in a situation that was nothing short of war. A sigh left him as the door to Yuya's room opened, and the doctor exited, looking to Reiji as he silently requested to speak with him privately, to which he nodded and lead the man to his own room before shutting the door as he sighed, and Reiji glanced him over.

"Is he okay?" Dr. Schmidt looked to the silver-haired teenager.

"Physically, he's healing fine. His body definitely is showing signs of trauma though, with several severe bruises and abrasions in different areas. There aren't any broken bones, but in addition to the injuries that are there, I'm seeing signs of extreme fatigue and slight dehydration. He also seems to be a tad underweight," he stated as Reiji sighed.

"What do you suggest?" the man hummed, looking over his notes.

"He needs proper rest, and fluids. His weight bothers me a bit, but he's not significantly underweight, only slightly. Other than that, he's physically healing without any major problems… which is where my question comes," he stated.

"And what question would that be?" Dr. Schmidt glanced his notes over.

"How long ago did this happen to Yuya?" he inquired.

"I believe it was just around a week or so ago." Dr. Schmidt nodded.

"That's what he informed me of as well; however, his body has healed to the point that those wounds look to be almost two or so weeks old. They're deep bruises, so they'll remain for quite some time, but they are far more faded in some areas than they should be," he explained.

"Yuya is a Witch, did he inform you of that?" Reiji received a confirming nod.

"He did; however, even his magic shouldn't have healed him that quick. Also, I'm not certain you're aware, but his body is rather odd… in the manner that his diaphragm doesn't seem to expand and deflate like most humans do. It almost opens and collapses in a reversed state… that's the best way I can explain it. In addition, the area at his shoulder blades seems to have a double joint in them, almost as if there should be another appendage present that's not," he informed him as Reiji felt his eyebrows raise.

"Could those be skeletal deformities? He was born prematurely." Dr. Schmidt nodded.

"Most likely. They aren't causing him any complications, so I wouldn't be concerned about it personally, I did find it rather strange though. Through my research, and years of study, I know a great deal about the skeletal structures of humans and those with inhuman blood," he explained as Reiji gave him a confused look.

"Inhuman blood? Yuya's a pureblood Witch. There aren't any supernatural beings in his family." Dr. Schmidt hummed.

"I see, then you're most like correct in it being a few slight deformities; however, he's not suffering any damage from them and he looks no different externally from the average human. I did take a blood sample and used a few chemicals from my medical kit to do a quick test, and he's not showing any illnesses, or complications… in fact, he's abnormally healthy," he stated.

"Then I shouldn't be concerned about him being in the opening ceremony?" Dr. Schmidt shook his head.

"No, I believe he'll be fine. His body is tender from the bruising, but he'll recover in due time. However, I would keep tabs on his mental state and whether or not he's sleeping. That is my major concern at current, so, just focus on making sure he rests and gets enough nourishment. If anything, else comes up, or he starts to, showing signs of being ill, feel free to contact me," Dr. Schmidt stated as he handed a card to Reiji who took it and slipped it into his pocket.

"Thank you. I'll be sure to do that if needs be." The doctor nodded and held out a small set of papers, which Reiji took, looking at them as Dr. Schmidt looked to him.

"Take those and read through them so that you can review the notes. It's a pretty basic rundown of what I did, just for you to review if you want," he said as he walked away, shutting the door behind him while Reiji sighed, looking over the papers before his eyebrows rose quite a bit before he took in a deep breath, folding up the papers and tucking them away in his pocket. For now, it would be best if some things stayed quiet.

 **{…..}**

 _Who's gonna stand up, who's gonna break these chains and lies?_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** So, this is just a basic filler chapter, and I really wanted to introduce Dr. Schmidt, who was a favorite character of mine, even though he didn't get a lot of screen time. This is also to further a few other things later on, so best be prepared for a lot to start developing, and I will be leading into the opening ceremony night of the Friendship Cup. Let me know what you guys think and help me get this up to 100 reviews.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

There are some hints for future events for things that will be happening later in this chapter.

Dr. Schmidt is from _Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds_

In this chapter, there is a possibility that Yuya is catching onto the truth alongside several of the other Lancers.

This chapter actually took me about three days to write.

Research actually had to go into this chapter, and it took me quite a while to decide the direction of it.


	78. Chapter 78:Ties That Bind

Chapter 78: Ties that Bind

 **{The Nest: August 15** **th** **, 2014: 10:40am}**

"Okay, now, try it again," Hugo said as Yuzu swallowed nervously, looking to her wand.

"Are you sure?" Hugo nodded.

"Yea, you almost had it," he told her with a smile.

Yuzu had been working on a few simple spells that Hugo had been showing her for the last few days, and for some reason, they had started working for her after the second day. She had a suspicion that being so close to Yuya and several other witches, may have caused some of the magic to rub off on her in some manner, but she wasn't certain. Yuzu took in a deep breath, raising her wand up a fraction, holding it just slightly aloft, and then she focused her mind towards the spell she had been working on. Hugo stood nearby, waiting to see how she would do while preparing to have to withhold the spell but hoping at the same time, hoping that Yuzu would handle it.

"I call unto the winds that connect the four corners of the world, come to me and cleanse that which surrounds me of all that is deemed evil!" a spiral of wind formed around the pink-haired girl, and within a split second, Yuzu found herself casting a small spiral of pink energy into the wind from her wand as a moment later the wind shot outwards, and rammed itself into their makeshift target of old wooden boxes. Yuzu jolted, the spell breaking as she clutched her wand to her chest in shock.

"Hey! You did it!" Hugo said happily as he came towards the girl who nodded.

"But how?" the Tempastus Witch hummed.

"You may have a Witch in your family. Sometimes magic is a bit residual and can rest in bloodlines and then come out later on if exposed to magic," he mentioned.

"Maybe, I mean… I'm… not sure about my mom's side of the family…" Hugo thought for a moment.

"Yuzu, I was wondering… is it possible your mom was a Witch?" he inquired.

"No, I don't think she – "periwinkle eyes widened.

" _Oh? A Duel? Very well, it would befit you to do so, seeing as you don't seem to possess a drop of magic in your veins… such a pity, but I guess you mutts can't help it."_ Yuzu swallowed nervously.

"Yuzu? Is something wrong?" asked Hugo as the girl took in a steady breath.

"I… remembered Joeri telling me something from a while ago… when I first met him. i challenged him to a Duel and he said it was a good idea because I didn't possess any magical blood, but… he also said that it was a pity but that he supposed mutts couldn't help it." Tourmaline eyes stared, glancing her over.

"He called you a mutt? And said you couldn't help it… "he paused, eyebrows knitted together as Yuzu frowned.

"Hugo?" tourmaline eyes looked her over.

"Joeri was talking about how sometimes with people who had a witch parent, and a mortal parent, can end up with very little if no magic, and the more children they have, the greater the chances are of them not having magic at all. You're the only child in your family, right?" he probed as Yuzu nodded.

"Yea, I am. My mom passed away when I was about four." Hugo looked down.

"My parents died when I was around the same age. But, I want to ask again, _are you sure_ your mom wasn't a Witch?" he inquired.

"No… I'm not." Yuzu reached for a small pouch on her waist, where she pulled out the deck once belonging to her mother.

"What kind of deck is that?" Hugo asked her as she looked it over.

"A spirit deck, it's the one my mom ran… "Hugo looked it over, examining the cards.

"Those are difficult decks to run. I've heard stories about how people who run them, never use other archetypes because they perfect this kind. Are there other cards in there?" Yuzu nodded.

"Synchros, Fusions, Xyzs, Rituals, and Links are all in her deck. But, honestly, I didn't know until I got her deck, that this archetype even had those kinds of supports," she admitted.

"Me neither, but I heard that some Witches use these decks as the Prophecy archetype for fortune telling. You run a Melodious deck, which are fairies, right?" Yuzu glanced down.

"They are… but… Hugo… how can we – "the door to the roof opened, startling the two as Robbie came into view.

"Guys! We got someone here to see you!" he stated as Yuzu felt a mixture of anxiety and relief flood her.

"Who is it?" Robbie started towards them.

"Some blue-haired boy with a red jacket on," he explained as Yuzu started rushing down the stairwell at the description.

"Wha – hey! Yuzu! Wait a sec!" Hugo called as he took off after her, Robbie following behind them.

Despite the possibility of the news being less than pleasant, of it being something troubling, Yuzu knew who it was that Robbie had described, and she wanted to see them for herself. The girl ran down the stairs as quickly as she could, jumping over some of the stairs with Hugo hot on her heels alongside Robbie, the two males unsure of what the pink-haired girl was thinking as she skidded into the main room where she was greeted with a familiar sight that stilled her as she took in a few deep breaths, holding a hand to her chest as she looked to the person looking around the room.

Blue hair pulled into a short ponytail, and chartreuse eyes, still shorter than herself or Yuya, and wearing dark gray pants, a black t-shirt, and dark brown boots with a red panel on the back while the blue and orange blazer had been exchanged for a deep red one lined in black with gold buttons, white trimmed around the collar, and a black band around the right arm with a diamond symbol trimmed in gold with a blue background that had a knight on a horse wielding a lance; however, despite a few changes here and there, she knew who it was instantly and quickly spoke as she stared towards them.

"Sora!" the boy turned to her with a broad smile.

"Yuzu! Thank the Gods! I'm so glad to see you," he said rushing to her as they hugged each other while Hugo and Robbie stood back.

"One of your buds I'm guessin'?" Yuzu looked to Robbie.

"Yea, this is Sora Shuinin, he's the one who taught me Fusion Summoning, and is a really good friend of ours," she explained as Hugo eyed him.

"He's also a Witch, right?" Sky smiled looking him over.

"So… you're Hugo Matsumoto, huh? Yuya wasn't kidding when he said you favored him and Yuto," he mentioned.

"Well, duh! He had no reason to inflate the truth. Anyways, are you here for Yuzu?" Sky shook his head.

"Not yet, right now, I'm here to inform you guys of what's going on. I was one of the only people who could get out before the opening ceremony without being caught by the Councils. They don't want us Lancers plotting some kind of scheme it seems so they're keeping us under a semi-close watch," he explained to them as Robbie sighed.

"Sounds complicated, but I can see why you guys would sneak around. Anyways, what's the latest news?" Sky sighed.

"The situation is tentative. See, the Councils are only going to side with us if we do well in the upcoming Friendship Cup, so things are really complicated right now. I was asked to come to you guys by Reiji, and explain everything that's going on," he stated.

"Wait, all of Yuzu's friends are gonna be in the Friendship Cup? But we entered too!" Sky nodded.

"We know, Yuya's been working on hacking the competitors list the last day or so, and he's gotten everyone's information; so, we can see what we'll be dealing with. No information on who each of the Lancers are going to be facing, but the people who've entered is evident to us at least. He nearly freaked out when he saw your names on the roster," he told them, arms crossed over his chest.

"Lancers?" bright green eyes looked to Robbie.

"Our group's name. We're the ones spearheading the usurping of Academia, who have been causing a whole bunch of trouble and destroying the Zones of our world, Millennium. Atop that, we're also dealing with searching for the secondary Pillar of the Synchro Zone… as it stands, we don't have any leads or means of identification… which makes me nervous." Yuzu looked to Hugo.

"Hugo knows a lot about the Pillars and the legends behind them. He even has information on them that we could get to Reiji through you," she said.

"Really? That would be a big help. If Academia gets their hands on another Pillar and kills them… our world is going to be in serious trouble." Hugo folded his arms looking to the blue-haired person across from him.

"Another Pillar?" he inquired as Sky looked down.

"Reiji informed us that we've already lost a Pillar. His name was Yuma Tsukumo, and he was a comrade of Shay and Yuto's. He was killed nearly a year ago by an assassin of Academia, and that's what caused the Xyz Zone to become the Xyz Dimension, and if one of the Pillars of the Synchro Zone is killed, then it'll also meet the same fate." Robbie shook his head.

"That's insane! I mean, I believe the old myths, I grew up with them and there's to much evidence in my mind that supports it; however, I had no clue that if one of them died then one of our Zones became a Dimension or something like that. Plus, these Academia people sound really bad," he mentioned as Sky nodded.

"They are, I used to be one of them. Their vile people who use Corruption Curses on the Witches under their control, and they make them hunt their own kind, and commit mass holocausts wherever they invade, turning most people into cards with some form of technology and magic that none of us are really sure of how it works, and executing Witches with either firing squads or burning them at the stake." Robbie swallowed.

"Corruption Curses are part of Cromwell's laws, we're not supposed to use that kind of magic, let create wartime weaponry that fuses technology and magic! those are ones that cannot be broken," he said as Sky shook his head.

"Academia doesn't care, and that's what the Council doesn't get. Those bastards think they can _bargain with them_ to leave the Synchro Dimension untouched, which is where we are right now, but I know how Academia is, and they don't bargain with anyone. They'll destroy this place, and hunt down anyone who favors Yuzu, Serena, and Shay's little sister Ruri." Hugo clenched his fists as he dropped his arms to his sides.

"Rin is my girlfriend, and she was kidnapped… are you telling me that this Academia is definitely the ones who took her?" he questioned as Sky looked to him.

"I'm almost one hundred percent certain. I don't know what it is, but the leader of Academia, whose known as the Professor, has an obsession with girls who favor one another, and seeing as there are you, Yuya, Yuto, and the person I know named Joeri Mataeo, whom also favors the three of you, I wouldn't doubt that he'll seek the four of you out next." Yuzu turned to Sky, anxiety coiling in the pit of her stomach.

"Hugo and I theorized it might have something to do with the bracelets and pendulum crystals, but we're not sure. Right now, it doesn't matter, and won't if Academia kills another Pillar. Hugo? Can you give Sky those documents?" she asked as he nodded.

"I'll put them in a backpack and hand them off to you guys. But once you've gotten everything you need from them, do me a favor, and destroy them." Sky's eyes widened.

"Why?" Hugo glanced down.

"Because, they have to much information on how our world works, and in the wrong hands it could be lethal knowledge. I'm not stupid, and I get how dangerous this situation is, and I also understand that the Lancers can't possibly do this alone, so I'm willing to do what I can to help, not just because Rin is being held hostage and they'll do Gods knows what to her, but also because I feel as though this is something that has to be done, I feel like its my obligation, and so you have my help," he said as Sky nodded.

"Thanks, we appreciate all the help we can get." Hugo shrugged.

"No problem. I'll get the documents together, be right back," he stated as he walked up the stairs towards his room while Sky looked to Yuzu.

"I'm not sure what else might happen, but I know that the opening ceremony is when you guys need to meet up with us. All the Lancers will be throughout the arena, so no one pulls any underhanded tactics. The Black Feathers will be escorting you guys there and hanging around, but you and Hugo will be returning to the towers where we're staying with us." Yuzu nodded.

"Alright, are you sure that everything will work out?" she questioned.

"That's hard to say, but all the same, we've got no choice. Everyone has a job on the night of the opening ceremony, and we know how to handle ourselves." The group looked to the stairwell as Hugo came rushing back down, holding out a black backpack which Sky quickly took.

"Everything's in there. Just be sure to destroy it once you've gotten all the information you need from it," Hugo told him as Sky nodded.

"I'll make sure we do. Speaking of the opening ceremony night, the jobs that you and Yuzu have are to make sure you meet up with one of the Lancers, and we escort you out in a group. Crow and Shinji will also be helping to get you guys safely back with us just in case someone tries something." Robbie frowned.

"Who do you think would try and intervene?" he inquired.

"A man by the name of Jean Michel-Roger." Hugo's eyes widened.

"He's a sadistic fuck. If he's got his eyes on you guys, then your precautions are completely understandable," he informed Sky who looked down.

"We know. Yuya, Gongenzaka, Crow, Shinji, Shay, Serena, and Dennis were in the Northern Prison sector and staged an escape. A lot of really bad things happened before they escaped, and something tells me mister _plus saint que toi_ had a hand in it," he explained.

"What kind of bad things?" chartreuse eyes glanced to Yuzu.

"The kind you really don't want to hear about," he admitted.

"Sora! What happened?" Yuzu questioned, coming closer to him as he glanced down.

Of all the situations he could have gotten himself into, this was the one he had no idea how to truly get out of. What had happened to Yuya in the prison was something that he knew the boy wouldn't want broadcasted, and especially not to Yuzu before he could see her again and talk with her about it personally. However, he also didn't know when Yuya would be emotionally capable of discussing the events so openly, when he could barely stand to briefly mention it to explain what all had taken place for someone to help him. In knowing all of those things, Sky could think of very little that wouldn't make the situation worse, but in the end, he had no choice but to try and help ease the girl's worries, and try and give Yuya a buffer on the situation. Taking in a deep breath, he turned his gaze towards Yuzu, whose expression read fear and worry, that he knew wasn't going to be easy to quell.

"Before I answer that question, I want you to think about what kind of answer you're going to receive. The things that happened aren't going to be easy to accept, and if you think about it, do you really want that on your mind when you haven't been reunited with the rest of us and a really serious event is about to go down with us having to quickly get everyone back together and out in the course of a forty-minute timeslot with thousands of people and guards everywhere? Think about this carefully Yuzu."

The pink-haired girl took in a shaky breath, clutching at the front of her shirt as she considered what she could do. Ever since her arrival in the Synchro Dimension, she'd just wanted to go back home, and see Yuya again; however, just as she and Hugo had suspected, Yuya and several others had come to find her, and were now working for the two of them to reunite with the rest of their comrades. Nonetheless, hearing what she had about something happening, made her want answers, because she had a bad feeling, but also knew that right now, wasn't the time to discuss it. Taking in a deep breath, Yuzu dropped her hand to her side, nodding her head as she looked to Sky.

"Alright, I'll wait to hear about what's happened once we're all back together," she stated as Sky relaxed a fraction.

"Yuya's looking forward to seeing you again, he's really missed you." A small smile came to Yuzu's features.

"I miss him too. We've never really been apart… so not being with him just feels wrong," she explained as Sky nodded.

"Well, you do love him, so I guess it makes sense. Anyways, you guys have gotta start preparing yourselves for the opening ceremony night, if we're not all on point, we'll end up getting ourselves in serious trouble." Hugo nodded.

"Don't worry, we'll be ready. Just get that information back to your leader, and remember what I told you to do once you've finished with it," he informed Sky who smiled just a fraction.

"Got it, I'll make sure Reiji knows. Yuzu, Hugo, I'll see you guys soon, okay?" the pink-haired girl walked up to him, pulling him into a tight hug which he returned as Hugo stood back, letting the girl have a moment with one of her friends.

"Take care of yourself and Yuya, okay? I'll see all of you soon." Sky nodded.

"I will, and don't worry about Yuya, he's stronger than you think he is. all of us have each other's backs, so just stay focused until everyone's back together, you can rest easy then," he told her as she let him go and he adjusted the backpack on his shoulders before smiling as Yuzu told him goodbye and Hugo did the same as Sky took off out the door and started jumping across roof tops in a rush back to the Council Towers.

"Seems your friends are pretty capable people," Robbie mentioned as Yuzu nodded.

"They are, most of them are Witches as well as incredible Duelists. So, I don't have a single doubt that any of them can handle themselves." Hugo put a hand on Yuzu's shoulder, smiling to her.

"Lets get back to practicing, I get the feeling that spell will work for you now," he stated as the girl smiled holding onto her wand as she started up the stairs, worries and fears slowly fading away.

 **{Council Towers: Lancer Area: 11:31am}**

Reiji stood in his room, looking over the city below from the windows. He sensed trouble brewing in the near future, something he couldn't quite help but consider deeply as he observed the people below, the decorations and colors that were starting to decorate the city in preparation for the Friendship Cup.

The entire situation carried the foul odor of deceit, like a vast majority of the city itself did on what seemed to be the regular basis. Neo City was pungent with the sickening stench of darkness and corruption, something that wasn't very apparent in Maiami, and he was certain, wasn't nearly as omnipresent in the Synchro Zone. Frowning, the silver-haired teenager glanced to the table beside him where the bottle of Fly-By-Night capsules were rested alongside his Duel Disk and Deck.

When he had formed the Lancers, he had hoped a brief training period would be enough to prepare them for what was happening; however, Reiji was seeing clearly that none of them could have anticipated the vile shadows that rested within the Synchro Dimension. It made their plans of operation twice as difficult to succeed in, and also seemed to be shrouding his prior tactics in locating the secondary Pillar of Synchro itself. Sighing, Reiji heard the door open and instantly relaxed as he glanced over his shoulder.

"Did everything go well Sky?" he asked.

"It went fine. Yuzu and Hugo are both perfectly safe, and they're well informed on the current situation now. I omitted what happened in the prison to Yuya for Yuzu's sake, but she'll want answers soon enough, so I would prepare yourself." Reiji nodded.

"Very well, she has a right to know. After all, she does love him, correct?" he inquired as Sky laid the backpack on the bed, stretching a bit as he did so.

"Duh, I knew they had a thing for each other the moment I met them. Its kinda obvious." Reiji looked to the black backpack on the bed.

"What do you have there?" he probed as Sky smirked.

"Hugo snatched a bunch of old documents and information on the Pillars and things like that. My money is on it being from right under the Security's noses too." Reiji removed the documents and small books from the backpack and began to spread them out on the bed, observing the information as he nodded.

"This will assist us in pinpointing the Pillars from here on out. Thankfully, a handful of our Pillars are already identified, and only a minor number remains," he explained as Sky frowned.

"But only the two of us know out of the lot of the Lancers. And even I don't know the identities of all the Pillars, just the Pendulum Zone's." Reiji looked the papers over some more, scanning through the books.

"That is true, and as soon as Yuzu Hiragi and Hugo Matsumoto are back with us, I intend on revealing those details to everyone," he informed the blue-haired teenager.

"Wait, that was your plan all along, wasn't it? That you were gonna expose the identities of the Pillars once Yuya and Yuzu were reunited." Reiji looked to him.

"Yes, it was. Having her with him will assist in keeping Yuya's emotions in check. The last thing we need is him losing control of his magic due to his anxiety… but I also have the sincere feeling that he is well aware of him being different," he explained.

"So, how is this gonna work? How many Pillars do we know the identities of?" Reiji adjusted his glasses and sat down the old book carefully on the bed.

"At current, we have the identities of four Pillars." Sky hummed.

"Then, are we missing six others? There are supposed to be ten of them, right?" he inquired as Reiji shook his head.

"No, the Pendulum and Link Zones do not possess secondary Pillars. That is why their lives mean a great deal more, due to the other Zones having two Pillars." Sky swallowed nervously.

"With only one Pillar, those two Zones would be easy to pick off… that's why you brought Yuya with us instead of having him guarded, isn't it?" Reiji nodded.

"I thought it would be easiest to keep him safe by keeping him with us," he informed the other as Sky looked all the papers over.

"Hugo said once you were finished with all these documents that they had to be destroyed. He's read most of it and said there's too much in them on the Pillars and our world as a whole. If these documents were to fall into the wrong hands, it could be bad news for us and everyone else." Reiji glanced his way.

"Agreed, I've barely begun looking into them and I already can tell whomever wrote these knew a great deal about Millennium and its inner workings; however, these loose pages are part of a whole book that was taken apart," he explained as Sky frowned.

"Why would someone take a book apart? Especially one that's apparently that old?" Reiji shook his head at the question.

"That's not an answer I have; however, I learned a restoration spell during the hours between training, I'll attempt to put it back together to make it easier to review… from there, depending on the information, it may be better that we find a way to conceal these documents instead of destroying them," he stated as Sky sighed at the words.

"Yea, it's a risk, but you may be right about that. The information may be to valuable to just destroy after reviewing them. But how are ya gonna hide the information?" Reiji looked the documents over.

"There's a clasped chain spell I've reviewed just to be safe. I believe I can form the four smaller tomes into charms and the larger scattered tome into a pendant that we can split between those within our group whom we believe can keep the information safe. Putting all on one person would be unwise, so I believe myself, you, Serena, Yuzu, and Shay would be our best choices." Sky smirked.

"Clever, and atop that, we can be certain that the information will remain locked with a requisite oath spell. Only a handful of us would even know it, so it'd be safe… but I would place a destruction spell on them as well just to be safe in case something goes wrong," he stated as Reiji nodded.

"Very well, now… I'll be getting to work on reviewing these documents and putting this book back together, so just focus on your part in the opening ceremony, and I'll take care of the rest here." Sky gave him a lazy salute and started walking off.

"Got it, see ya later!" he said as he walked out the door while Reiji picked up the first of the smaller books.

"This information is going to change the game in our favor, so long as I do everything exactly to plan." With that thought in mind, Reiji set to work, going about reading and repairing the book that had been scattered.

 **{Synchro Zone: 1:45pm}**

The sky above Neo Domino City was overcast today, rain threatening to come in and drench the city as several people remained tucked away out of the horrible weather while enjoying the day off from normal work and other things that usually kept them busy. A heavy sigh left a young dark red-haired woman with amber eyes as she sat next to the window as rain started to come down, pelting the windows of the house she was in. This was the group meeting place for the Signers that had been put together with help from different people in their group, allowing them to have a safe meeting grounds that had come in handy more often since Yusei had joined the World Tree Coalition and had started helping with keeping the other Worlds safe.

Akiza shifted in her chair, dressed in a pair of leggings, ankle boots, a red skirt and black v-neck t-shirt with a deep gray sweater over the attire for warmth seeing as the weather had become strangely chilled the last few days, her normal necklace and choker on, while her hair-pin was kept in her hair, pulling her bangs from her face while she frowned. Leo and Luna were out for the summer, and were actually here with her, as were Jack and Crow, but there wasn't much to be done at this point with their daily routines. Leaning back in the comfy chair, Akiza closed her eyes and took in a deep breath as she heard someone enter the room.

"You look pretty bored," stated the voice of Luna as Akiza looked to her.

"I guess so…" the green-haired girl smiled as she came to sit in the chair across from the other girl.

"Akiza? Can I ask you a question?" she inquired as the red-haired girl looked to her.

"Sure, but… Luna? Why do you look so worried?" the girl sighed, looking down, her long green hair falling over her shoulder in its braid.

"Something's been on my mind lately, and I can't quite shake it," she stated as Akiza rose an eyebrow.

"What is it?" Luna took in a deep breath.

"I think this started about a year ago, not long after Yusei came back with Jaden, I noticed something was just kind of… off about our home and the people around me. Things feel fragmented, like there are pieces missing to a puzzle, and I've tried to ignore it completely, but recently the feeling has gotten more prominent, and now I can't shake the feeling that when Yusei left with Jaden to follow that Paradox guy… something really bad had happened," she explained while Akiza looked her over.

"You felt it too?" the girl gave her a shocked look.

"Akiza? Are you saying you've noticed it too?" the woman nodded.

"I have, and I thought I was the only one. Recently, its become more prominent, but I felt personally that I was missing a piece of myself… and when I brought it up to Crow and Jack, they stated they felt the same. I assumed we were just overreacting, or missing Yusei because we'd become so accustomed to him being with us… but the more I've thought about it… the more I think this has something to do with us being Signers, and atop that… our world itself has had something happen to it," she informed the girl.

"Same here… I just… wasn't sure what to make of it. I mean, lets be honest… we've been through and seen some insane things, but this just doesn't add up." a shuffle of footsteps caught their attention as Crow came into the room, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Sorry, I couldn't ignore the conversation," he stated.

"No, its fine. We're just trying to figure this one out…" Crow shrugged.

"It seems really strange, huh? Everything was pretty chill, but when Yusei and Jaden left last time, after that whole Meklord thing went down, that feeling of pieces missing became even more prominent, and now its so heavy that I'm starting to think something really bad has happened to our world…" Akiza nodded.

"Remember what we were told? Our world, Millennium, is divided into segments, or Zones, and because of that, if something happens to one Zone, it can become a domino effect and damage the other Zones. What if some kind of split happened? Noctis did say that one of our Zones looked like it was cleaved into when he was trying to land here..." Crow frowned.

"So, you're saying that it's pretty likely that the same thing happened to the other Zones, and… people?" Luna looked down.

"That's scary to think about… how do you split people?"

A sudden clap of thunder caused the trio to jump as lightning flashed and the lights flickered in the house, causing Jack to come running down the stairs, asking if everyone had seen the power short out as well as he explained the upper half of the house had seemed to have lost power in certain areas. Leo had arrived a moment later, informing them that indeed it seemed some of the power had bee turned off due to the lightening, but it didn't bother everyone to badly. They sat there, the house partially dark as the conversation returned, and they brought in the discussing with Jack and Leo, whom had also noticed the same strange sensations.

The notion that everyone had been feeling the same oppressive sense of something being off for nearly a year put the Signers on edge, all of them knowing very well that when things like this happened, nothing good usually came from it. The question of how anything like this was exactly possible crossed their minds, but none of them could quite pinpoint it, knowing that their world was in a rather unusual state caused concern, but the Signers had always assumed that Millennium was fairly stable, until this strange feeling of things not being in balance, and pieces missing came to the forefront, now none of them even knew what to think. It returned back to the same question that Luna had raised though: how does one split a person? True, Zones could be divided into something else, what was officially labeled as a Dimension, but that didn't answer the question.

None of them had an answer to this sense of being not fully there, as though a piece of themselves had been chipped off and taken somewhere. Akiza had noticed it earlier on, but had suspected it was just her missing someone dear to her that she rarely got to see in current days; however, hearing that Crow, Jack, Leo, and Luna had also sensed this caused her to believe otherwise. The group remained pensive on the subject, not knowing how to even consider how such strange feelings could come up, but none of them were willing to drop the subject, solely because of their own fears of not being able to comprehend a potential threat.

"Maybe we should contact Yusei and Jaden about this," Leo suggested.

"Leo, they're busy! We can't just call them on a whim!" Crow looked to Luna.

"Actually, Leo may have a point on this one, Luna. Think about this for a second, okay? Something is definitely off and it's gotta be major, because all of us felt it becoming more and more prominent as time went on," he stated.

"Right, if this is something bad and we do nothing, then we could be facing a world-wide destruction. Think about it, in the fact that we're Signers, and if this wasn't important, then we wouldn't all be sensing it." Luna looked down at Jack and Crow's statements, sighing.

"I know, but… Akiza? What do you think?" she asked, turning to the red-haired woman.

"Personally, I think that if all of us are sensing this, then Yusei has been as well… and Jaden may have also. Contacting them may be a better idea than just chancing it by this point." Luna nodded slowly.

"Alright, but can any of us actually –" the girl was cut off by the sound of a D-Wheel pulling up, lights flashing in the rain as the group became silent and still.

The sound of the rain presented itself as the most prominent noise around them as they listened for any indication of others being on the property of the house before the sound of the metal latches on the door caught their attention as they unlocked and creaked open, causing everyone to stand, preparing to potentially attack whomever was entering the house; however, they were given quite a shock when a person in a red blazer came into the house, shaking off rainwater as they tugged off a helmet, shaking their hair out before turning their attention to them while another person, more familiar came in and shut the door, a helmet tucked under their arm.

"Hey there guys, long time no see, huh?"

As if summoned by word alone, Jaden and Yusei now stood before them, both looking tired and fairly drenched from the rainfall as they were stared at by the group in disbelief. Jaden shook himself out again, setting the helmet down on a bench by the door as Yusei did the same, the brunette tugging off his drenched jacket as he shivered a bit, rubbing his arms while Yusei hung up his own jacket, the two coming to the group as Akiza rushed towards the black-and-gold-haired teenager, nearly knocking Yusei off his feet as she hugged him and he quickly returned it, being glad to see the girl again as the others came over to them and Jaden who gave the group of Signers a weary grin.

"So, excluding the rain, how have things been goin' for you guys?" he asked.

"How did you get here so fast?" Yusei was finally released from Akiza's bone-crushing embrace as the girl took his hand and he looked to them.

"Jaden and I got the feeling that something was off, and we sent a message to Yugi right quick, and he said he'd been feeling it too," he explained.

"Then, you guys came here because something felt strange? Are the others okay with you doing that?" Jaden nodded.

"They understand, we have a requirement to our world too you know. Besides, everything's pretty chill with the Coalition right now. Sora and the gang have things covered," he informed them as he stretched a bit.

"That's good to hear. So, what do you know about the situation at hand?" Yusei shook his head.

"Just that something's off with the world, that's really all there is to it," he said.

"We kind of figured that'd be the case, but we're not in a much better boat either." Jaden glanced towards the group, eyes shifting to the mismatched orange and teal of Yubel's eyes.

" _Yubel? Am I crazy or is something wrong here?"_ the Duel spirit shook her head.

" _ **No, you aren't mistaken, I too sense it."**_

"Jaden? Is something wrong?" asked Luna as he frowned, looking Akiza, Jack, and Crow over.

"You guys aren't right…" the trio looked to him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" questioned Jack.

"It's like… your auras are severed. I'm only seeing half of it, the other half doesn't even exist." Akiza felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach.

"Luna and the rest of us have been feeling as though pieces of ourselves are missing or there's things that aren't fully here… do you think…" Jaden crossed his arms over his chest.

"See, I've only been able to do a bit of research on the history of our world with Yusei, and what I did find was that a long time ago our world, was whole and then got split up when a war happened, and darkness started to spread out. It was done in order to protect itself, by the original solitary guardian of our world. That's how Senen, became Millennium, and how it went from whole, to segmented like it is now… big issue is, when we started feeling that a divide had come along… we just… started looking and unfortunately didn't find much," he said.

"What did you find though?" Yusei sighed.

"Signers have been a part of our world's history for centuries, but we're not typically associated with the original guardian of our world, we were more like the back-up plan, but during the time of the war, we couldn't do anything, and I guess that's how the dark signers got the ground they did the first time. However, in times of crisis, people could be divided like the Zones will do in order to help protect the balance of our world… this might have been what's happened. Maybe the Synchro Zone has a Dimensional counterpart that needed help, and that's why everyone's been feeling as though they're missing pieces of themselves," he stated, not quite certain of the answer.

"Basically, you guys were cut into, one half of you going to the Dimension, the other half staying here to help balance the world and probably support the Dimension until it can be put back together with the Zone." Leo blanched.

"That's creepy," he said.

"Is that even possible?" Jaden shrugged.

"Well, people can have cut souls and auras, one half leaving the body and the other half existing as an entity in its own right. In theory, the other half or doppelganger, wouldn't have full memories, and would have the sense that their existence wasn't quite right… they may even recall their other half's memories in dreams, but doppelgangers are pretty rare in the magical world, so…" Akiza looked down.

"But it makes sense," she replied.

"Guess so, but what can we do about it?" Yusei looked to the others.

"At this point, there's not much, but we figured finding a solution to the problem would be easier if all of us were here instead of being off world," he informed them as Akiza nodded.

"Right, I guess we'll start from the ground up." Jaden grinned.

"Then let's get this party started…" he said as he put his arms behind his head, smiling as the others nodded, setting into discussing their options for seeking out information.

 **{…..}**

 _Love is the answer. I gotta speak it, believe it…_

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Yes, a lot of things are happening right now, and things are getting crazy. We got a look at the Synchro Zone in this chapter as well, the Signers are getting involved on their end, and Jaden, and Yusei are about to become more involved in the story as a whole while more Yu-Gi-Oh! Characters start to make appearances. So, tell me what you guys think as we begin to get into the Friendship Cup and a series of other fascinating things that will be coming up.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

The spell Yuzu used in the start of the chapter is a spell of the winds of the four corners of the world.

The Prophecy Archetype is based on Tarot Cards.

Sora from _Kingdom Hearts_ was mentioned by name in this chapter.

Noctis from _Final Fantasy XV_ was also mentioned by name in this chapter.

The World Tree Coalition is a name of the allies against Xehanort from my Kingdom Hearts series stories, which the Millennium World stories are actually connected to.

Reiji seems to have a few secrets and tricks up his sleeve.


	79. Chapter 79: Questionable Bonds

Chapter 79: Questionable Bonds

 **{Atlas Apartment: August 16** **th** **, 2014: 9:40am}**

A bored huff left Jack Atlas as he stood on his balcony, looking down at everyone preparing the city for the Friendship Cup and all the festivities that came with it. In his eyes, these things were just as dull as they were every year, and it never quite interested him since he'd become a member of the upper tier of Neo City. Taking in a deep breath, he rolled his eyes, and walked into his apartment, looking through the roster of opponents that would be competing this year on his TV, which, as the reigning King of Duels, he had the opportunity to observe the competitors, and saw that most of them were older Duelists, in their twenties and thirties.

However, the further down he got, the younger the competitors became. He frowned, observing that Chojirou Tokumatsu would be competing, and then, he saw other people on the roster, and saw from their pictures that several of them were adorned in deep blood red and black lined jackets. His eyes narrowed when he saw Crow and Shinji were competing, and then he finally met up with the last of the Duelists entering. A blue-and-blonde haired boy with a broad grin on his face, tourmaline eyes shining, a pink-haired girl with a kind smile and periwinkle eyes, a purple-haired girl with turquoise eyes, and finally, a boy with red-green hair, and sharp scarlet eyes with a small smirk on his features. Jack rose an eyebrow as he looked the roster over once more, and then heard a knock at the door.

"Excuse me? Mr. Atlas?" asked the person as Jack turned to them.

"Well, Kauffman, what are you doing here?" Kauffman looked him over.

"I'm merely here to deliver the information on your opening ceremony opponent," he stated as Jack eyed him.

"Very well, but what happened to your face?" Kauffman carefully touched the gauze covering the stitches on his face.

"Some Cast brat took a bite out of me when he was being arrested," he informed im as Jack took the envelope from the officer.

"I see…" the King of Duels opened the package up, pulling out a small set of documents to see a familiar picture.

"Well, if that's everything I'll just – "Jack narrowed his eyes.

"Kauffman, why are they having a child be my opponent?" he inquired.

"Sir? Well, the boy volunteered, and – "the blonde narrowed his eyes.

"That's the biggest bunch of bullshit I've ever heard. This kid's fourteen years old, and you seem like you're a bit spooked by him. tell me Kauffman, he wouldn't by some chance be the same Cast that took a chunk out of your face, would he?" the officer shook his head.

"No! Why on earth would they let someone so dangerous into a public tournament?" deep violet eyes narrowed.

"Hmm… I suppose…" the officer started to back away as Jack kept his gaze on him.

"Right…." Jack frowned once more.

"Tell me about my opponent," he said as he held out the papers and Kauffman nodded slowly, taking them and looking the information over.

"He's very talented, and invented a summoning mechanic known as Pendulum Summoning. His name is Yuya Sakaki, age fourteen, and is from a place known as Maiami City. He is here with a group of twelve in total, known as the Lancers, most of which are competing in the Friendship Cup." Jack hummed.

"You seem spooked, tell me the truth… he is the person who tried to rip your face off, isn't he?" Kauffman shook his head.

"Sir, I already explained to you that – "deep purple eyes locked onto Kauffman.

"Tell me the truth now, _that's an order!"_ the man ground his teeth together as he felt a spell being placed over him.

"Mr. Atlas, there's no need to use your magic on me to – "the burning soul Duelist crossed his arms over his chest.

"I didn't ask for your excuses, I want the full truth! _Now!"_ the officer nodded slowly.

"W-We were asked to seek him and his friends out and arrest them. Director Roger requested it," he explained.

"Why?" Kauffman swallowed nervously.

"He's interested in Yuya Sakaki… he finds him unique and thinks he'd be entertaining to observe. His magic is very abnormal, stronger than anything I've ever seen… while cuffed, he burned clean through Marlot's gloves…" Jack rose an eyebrow.

"Director Roger could have just as easily observed him in the streets, he had no reason to arrest that kid and the others, did he?" Kauffman shook his head.

"N-No, but he wanted to keep him in closed quarters… and so we arrested them and took them to the prison." Jack gave him a cold look.

"Shall we back up to how you got that bite in your cheek?" he inquired.

"Yuya Sakaki did it when I… made a few advances towards him…" dark eyes narrowed, disgust appearing upon the blonde's face.

"So, allow me to sum this up. Roger wanted him in close quarters, and had him arrested just because he found him curious, and then, when you did so, you tried to molest him?" Kauffman nodded as Jack turned his head away, breaking his spell as the officer took in a few deep breaths.

"Mr. Atlas, if you would allow me to explain I – "the burning Soul Duelist narrowed his gaze.

"You're disgusting, people like you don't deserve any room for explanation, and if Director Roger was willing to continue letting you work after such actions, then he's more than likely no better." Kauffman looked to the other in slight fear.

"Sir, I forgot myself, and I shouldn't have done it. However, Director Roger is interested in the boy because of his abilities as a Witch, and –" Jack walked away.

"As far as I'm concerned Kauffman, that bite to your face is a minimal punishment. I may be the King, and I have far more than nearly anyone in Neo City! But you can bet you're ass that I'll never stand to hear someone whose supposed to protect order and treat people with the proper manners would _dare to even think of laying their hands upon a child in such a way._ I couldn't honestly care less about what you may want to say to argue your case, the fact is that you did this, and have no right to continue serving our city." Kauffman dropped the papers in his hands.

"Mr. Atlas! I want you to know that boy isn't what he'll appear to be. He's some kind of demon or something, tread carefully when engaging with him! You'll end up getting yourself harmed because of him," he stated as Jack shot him a glare.

"The only demon I see here is you. Get out of my sight, your making me feel ill." Kauffman sent the man an angered look, turning to walk away.

"Damn Sorcerers…" he muttered as he slammed the door while Jack sighed.

" _Seems things have just become twice as complicated and the vermin are showing their true colors. Just what I need right now…"_ Jack picked up the papers and looked at a picture of Yuya, humming in curiosity as he prepared for what was to come tomorrow.

 **{Yuya's Room: 10:20am}**

Yuya rubbed his hair down with a towel as he emerged from the bathroom, dressed in just a simple pair of black cotton pants and a deep red t-shirt, his bangs hanging in his eyes from being damp still. He had decided to get a quick shower, and was now looking around the simple, and modern room that he was currently calling home before he turned his attention to Yuto, who was standing by the window, his form see through as usual, even while he stood there, observing the city below him while Yuya walked towards him, towel still draped over his head. He was while Yuto seemed to be focused on watching the people below, busy with enjoying the pre-tournament festivities.

"What's going on down below?" he asked the spirit.

"They seem to be having a bit of fun… but I gotta admit, its not very entertaining to my point of view." Yuya laughed a bit, sitting down on the bench at the end of the bed.

"Yea? What were the tournament festivities like in the Xyz Zone?" Yuto hummed.

"We actually had a gala event before the big festivities. Our biggest one was the World Duel Carnival Tournament. I competed in it once or twice, the year I did and won my age group was the year Yuma went up against Kaito and Shark… if I remember correctly, Kaito still won, but Yuma put up a good fight," he mentioned.

"Sounds like a lot of fun." Yuto looked to him.

"It was… I think the gala we had before the invasion happened was the most fun we'd ever had. Ruri and I were already dating by then, so I got to dance with her… Shay even took a girl to the dance," he told the other as Yuya smiled.

"Wait, Shay can dance?" Yuto laughed.

"Yea, he can… Sayaka is a really good friend of Ruri's, but she's always had a crush on Shay, so he took her to the gala, on one condition," he said as Yuya tilted his head.

"What was that?" Yuto smiled.

"Yuma had to take Kotori, and Kaito had to ask Rio. It ended up working out for everyone…" the silver-haired teenager glanced down, a small smile on his features as Yuya eyed him.

"I'll bet Ruri looked really pretty, didn't she?" he asked as Yuto glanced to him.

"She always does, but yea… she looked like a princess. It was really kind of strange, looking back on it now all of that felt like a dream or another life… compared to the reality we came to know." Scarlet eyes turned towards the window.

"When Yuzu and I were thirteen, there was a dance that the Leo Duel School was putting on for the local Dueling schools to get together in the stadium as sort of a bonding experience, and for everyone to get to know one another. It was important that everyone dressed up, and you had to bring a date or someone to dance with…" Yuto looked to him.

"Now that sounds like a lot of fun. The Heartland Academy branches did the same thing, but we were all technically part of the same school, but having different schools come together and doing a nice party for everyone sounds like a blast," he mentioned as Yuya nodded.

"Yea, but being the odd-ball I am, a lot of people kind of ignored me when it came to the whole thing of having to take a partner with you. I hate those kinds of things, so I guess I wasn't looking forward to it, and I had decided I wasn't going to go… but the next thing I knew, Yuzu was dragging me out the door in a suit and tie while she had a dress on and we ended up going together…" Yuto started laughing.

"So, she wrangled you into going because she didn't have anyone to go with either?" he asked.

"Pretty much, that's Yuzu for you though. You've met her, so I think you can figure out that she's a bit like that. I remember how she looked that night too, she had on this pale pink and white dress and had roses in her hair and a pearl necklace on… I'd never seen her like that, and I couldn't help myself in thinking that she looked really pretty…" Yuto smiled.

"You've liked Yuzu a long time, haven't you?" Yuya tilted his head again.

"Probably… that night I almost kissed her, but I chickened out at the last minute," he said, a faint blush on his cheeks.

"When you're back together, you should tell her how you feel. With what's going on, there's no telling what might happen, and you'll never forgive yourself if you don't do it." Yuya nodded.

"I know, but – hey, Yuto? What's with the box on the bed?" the spirit sighed.

"You just now noticed it? Man, you need to learn to be more aware of your surroundings." the other shot to his feet.

"Hey! Its not my fault we got into a conversation and I didn't pay it any attention!" the spirit snickered at the other's outrage.

"Alright, I freaked the delivery guy out anyways. Some kid in a bellhop suit… he kind of looked like he may have had a heart attack," he stated as Yuya gave him a long look.

"We need to have a talk about subtleness, Yuto." The spirit rolled his eyes.

"Uhuh, whatever you say… go ahead and open the box so we can figure out what's inside," he informed him as Yuya sighed.

He pulled the towel off his head, and pulled the box towards him, observing it carefully. It was a plain white box, no writing or any details on it that would give away what was inside, but it also was fairly big, and that somewhat confused him. sighing, Yuya pulled off the top of the box, and looked inside it with a bit of curiosity as he pulled out a simple red helmet and then reached into the box to pull out the rest of the contense. He pulled out a pair of gloves that were mostly white with black tops on them, and then a deep red jacket that flared a bit at the bottom of it and had white trim on its cuffs and the area under his upper arms.

The rest of the jacket had orange details at the bicep, chest area in three lines on each side and its collar which was finished off with two deep blue jewel-like buttons. What came out of the box next was a pair of simple black shoes with orange soles and what seemed to be a set of stairs at the toes followed by a full body suit that was the same deep red, lined in white at the calves, with black knee pads, white and orange trim around them and white going up to the inner leg and up to his hips where at his waist two white lines were placed while the front from the middle of his abdomen to his chest and upper shoulders was black, the collar being risen up a bit and held in place with a zipper.

"Is that a riding suit?" Yuya nodded.

"I think so…" Yuto looked him over.

"Try it on, those things are supposed to protect you when you're in riding Duels, I suggest you make sure it fits you properly," he mentioned as the other nodded and Yuto vanished while Yuya sighed.

He made quick work of getting the suit on, but found himself feeling very strange in it as he had never worn something like this before. The coloring was very similar to his Lancer's jacket, but the orange details reminded him of the orange shirt he'd favored back home. Taking in a deep breath, Yuya tugged on the gloves, and then the jacket moving his arms around to be certain that it fit before he looked to the mirror in front of him, sighing as he heard someone knock at the door and he turned before it opened, revealing it to be Sky and Dennis.

"Hey Yuya! I see you got your riding suit too, looks good on you," Dennis said with a grin.

"Um… thank you? What are you guys doing here?" Sky sighed.

"Well, a lot of us were getting riding suits, so we were wondering if you'd gotten one too, seems we were right to think so. If you look on the back of your jacket there's a symbol woven into it. All of us have that little personal addition to them," he explained as Yuya pulled his jacket off and looked at the back of it.

Sown onto the back in what seemed to be black and silver thread, was an image of his pendulum crystal, winds unfurled and reaching across his back to touch just at his shoulders. It was an odd, but no less interesting touch, the crystal itself would fall in line with his spine when on, and the wings itself would hit at the joints of his shoulder-blades. Raising an eyebrow at the design, Yuya looked to Sky and Dennis, seeing that they had their riding jackets in hand.

"Wait, are you competing to Sky?" the blue-haired teen nodded.

"The Council demanded that everyone who was captured participate, and I'm taking Riley's place because he's not old enough to compete in the first place. I've got a pair of scissors on the back of my jacket, and Dennis has a magician's hat on the back of his, Shay's has a bird of prey on his in a side-ways angle, and I think Gongenzaka's has a samurai helmet with crossed swords. Serena's has a crescent moon on it, and I'm not sure about the others," he admitted.

"Why would they add those kinds of personal touches to our riding suits though?" Dennis shrugged.

"Maybe they think it'll add a theatrical flare to it. This is a show for the masses after all," he explained as Yuya crossed his arms.

"We're not here to be used for elevation of the masses though. Our jobs are to find the Pillar and fix the rift before Academia comes in like Ragnarok on steroids." Dennis chuckled at Yuya's statement.

"That does seem like them, doesn't it? Naturally, I agree with you, but we're entertainers, Yuya… we've gotta do our thing while helping with this other thing, you get me?" he said as the other sighed.

"I get you, but that doesn't make it okay, besides I – "Yuya paused, vision suddenly going blurry as he clutched at the front of his head, stumbling a bit.

"Yuya? Hey, are you okay?" Sky asked as he grabbed hold of his friend, helping him stay upright alongside Dennis.

"Yea, I just got a little dizzy all of the sudden." The boy shook his head, seeming to try and shake off the sudden vertigo.

"Maybe you should sit down for a second," Dennis suggested as the two settled the boy on the bench at the end of the bed.

"I'll be fine, I just need to take a second…"

Sky and Dennis glanced to one another, looking to their friend's blanched complexion and the dark circles under his eyes. Yuya looked exhausted, as though he hadn't been sleeping. The two of them let him go, and Yuya quickly pulled off his gloves and unzipped his riding suit, having tried it on over the clothes he'd had on when he'd come out of the bathroom. He took in a deep breath as he laid the clothes aside, falling back onto the bench at the end of the bed as Dennis and Sky went back to him as Yuya shook his head, putting his hands up against them coming closer.

"Yuya, you look really pale," Dennis stated as he reached forward and pushed the boy's bangs away from his forehead, feeling that his skin was clammy and abnormally hot.

"I'm fine…" Sky looked him over.

"No, you're not. You look sick," he informed him as Dennis looked him over.

"You've got a fever too… I really think you need to rest." The boy quickly shook his head, taking in a deep breath as he slowly started to get up, only to wobble, unable to fully stand.

"I'll be fine," he said as the two glanced to one another again.

"Yuya? Have you been sleeping at all?" the boy paused as he glanced to the side, seeming to understand that he couldn't wriggle his way out of this situation.

"Not really… maybe a couple of hours…" Sky rose an eyebrow.

"How often?" he questioned.

"I didn't sleep until almost dawn when we arrived, even though I was so tired… the same things been happening since we left the prison…" Dennis sighed at the words.

"You're having nightmares, aren't you?" he asked as Yuya took in a steady breath, preparing for the onslaught of ideas and questions that would follow his answer.

"I am… there's nothing I can do to stop them either…" Sky frowned.

"What about a sleeping spell? Or a dreamless sleep potion? Wouldn't that work?" Yuya clenched his teeth together at the idea.

"My concern with those is that if I start to have nightmares… I can't just wake up and end them…" another deep breath left the duo.

"Then what do you think you're going to do? You can't go and duel Jack Atlas when you've hardly slept at all!" Sky pointed this out, and Yuya closed his eyes, feeling his sense of balance being thrown off immediately.

" _ **They're right, you can't do this when you're exhausted."**_ Yuto's advice rang within his mind, and Yuya knew he couldn't escape it.

" _Then what do I do? If I just fall asleep I start having nightmares, and then I wake up feel worse than when I laid down,"_ Yuya shot him the retort, but he received a mental image of Yuto sighing, folding his arms over his chest.

" _ **Give their methods a chance. Dreamless sleep potions are called that for a reason."**_

"Yuya? Are you okay?" scarlet eyes turned to his two friends.

"Yea… I'm alright…" Dennis frowned.

"Are you sure? I mean, you kinda spaced out on us for second there," he pointed this out and Yuya sighed.

"I was just thinking that if nothing else, I could try a dreamless sleep potion and see if it works. I have until tomorrow night to rest, so I might as well do that and hope it does its job." Sky nodded.

"Good plan, but one question… do you know how to drive a motorcycle? Or something like that? Because a D-Wheel is going to be hard to handle, even with the autopilot mode engaged," he explained as Yuya bit his lip.

"Um… no, I haven't." Dennis whistled.

"Then I suggest you take a quick nap and meet us on the test track with the others this afternoon. We're all gonna do a few practice laps before this tournament begins," he told the other as Yuya nodded slowly.

"But I don't have a dreamless sleep potion on hand guys, so how am I supposed to do that?" Sky smiled.

"Serena thought you might need one so she made one up for you and gave it to me just in case you decided to give it a go. Make sure to thank her later," he stated as he pulled a bottle from his jacket pocket.

" _ **He has a Mary Poppin's bag as a freakin' jacket…"**_ Yuya chose to ignore Yuto's comment as he took the bottle with a slightly blue liquid in it from Sky.

"We'll let you get some rest. See you at three this afternoon," Dennis said as he and Sky left while Yuya looked at the bottle and sighed.

He personally didn't want to take a potion to help him sleep; however, even he could admit the lack of it was making him feel sick, and that he desperately needed rest. Popping the cork on the bottle, Yuya put the rim of it to his lips and tilted it back, getting a mouthful of the sweet liquid as he swallowed, replacing the cork as he sat it on the bedside table and crawled his way into bed, feeling the potion take effect in a matter of minutes as he closed his eyes and finally drifted off to sleep.

 **{Reiji's Room: 11:50am}**

It had been an undeniable struggle to gather up everything he needed to truly begin to make sense of the documents he'd been given, but finally things were starting to come together. Reiji had been striving for information for the last several hours, and had sped through reading the first four smaller volumes, instantly turning them into charms once he was certain he'd gleaned everything he could from the tomes before he had turned his attention to the large tome that had been put back together. The books had granted him some additional knowledge on the Pillars themselves, and the overall history of Millennium; however, this particular book gave him so much more, and that assured him that he was indeed on the right track.

The writing was old, the ink a tad faded, and the pages weathered, but still very legible as he looked at the information before him, scanning through the paragraphs for anything that would assist him in pinpointing the Pillars identities. Frowning, Reiji adjusted his glasses, mind focused as he considered what he'd informed Sky of, and what the genuine truth was. In reality, he only knew the identities of three Pillars, the others were still scattered to the winds, which concerned him to a degree that was almost unbearably terrifying. Taking in a deep breath, Reiji continued his work, looking over the words, thinking of how to best locate anything for the Pillars. It was as he considered taking a break from reading, that he finally saw something that could assist him, and proved his prior theorem on the matter.

"I thought so, they can be identified by their energy readings… but there's much more…" he muttered as he continued to look through the page he was on.

 _Throughout the years, the guardians of Millennium, more formerly known as Pillars, have stood against the darkness and forces that have threatened the world; however, while they are powerful alone, together, they are a force that is nigh unstoppable. Many have sought the Pillars, seeking to gain aid from their power, yet it has proven fruitless as they blend in with normal society, rarely detectable save by a few minor clues as to their true identities._

 _In the basis of it all, the energy of a Pillar, both natural and magical, is remarkably strong, their personalities impeccably willful and unbending even the face of great opposition. They are fine warriors, clever and inspiring to those around them, withholding the truth of their hearts throughout many trials. The Pillars have never been brought together as one, since Millennium divided five thousand years ago. However, it is not impossible to locate and bring them together, because while they may not be easily identified, they have a special sense of one another._

 _All Pillars have the ability to sense when one another is in danger, and in addition, they have the skills naturally imbued into them to seek one another out. Each of them is unique, but carry similar traits, being drawn to common causes, and holding a specific personality trait that is best associated with them. A voice of reason, a faithful friend, an honest soul, a dreamer of great things, light within the darkness, and even a hand of justice perhaps._

 _They are different to all of them; however, since the ability of the Pillars has long since remained dormant, passing throughout generations undetected, it has proven difficult to determine even a singular one. Legend states that once the Pillars begin to appear, their statuses becoming known to those around them, that great trials and darkness lays ahead for Millennium, and its guardians are needed once more, just as the great Pharaoh was five-thousand years ago._

"How is the research coming?" Reiji looked up to see Shay standing by his door and he sighed.

"Hello, is there something wrong Shay?" he asked.

"Nothing really, I was just considering why you've cooped yourself up in this room when we have to find the Pillar now that everyone is back together and Yuzu Hiiragi and Hugo Matsumoto will be joining us again tomorrow night." Reiji nodded.

"I see, well this is a rather important bit of research. This is to aid us in finding the Pillars," he stated.

"Really? Then I want to know something…" Shay started towards him and Reiji straightened up, looking at him.

"And that would be?" he inquired.

"Do you even know half of what you're saying you do?" Reiji gave him a confused raise of his eyebrow.

"Excuse me? What do you mean?" he asked as the Risulian Witch narrowed his sharp eyes at him.

"The only Pillar you've identified was my dead friend and comrade, Yuma Tsukumo! So, I want the truth! Do you know the identities of the Xyz Zone's secondary Pillar? What about the Ritual Zones two Pillars? The Fusion Zone? How about the Link and Pendulum Zones? And not to mention the one we're trying to save right now?! Do you know who the Pillars of the Synchro Zone are? Because if not, we're up shit creek without a fucking paddle!" Reiji sighed.

"You're not a very patient person, are you?" Shay slammed his hands onto the table Reiji was using as a desk.

"Not when an entire world and millions of lives are at stake I'm not!" he snapped.

"Shay, would it comfort you to know that I actually do know the confirmed identities of three Pillars?" tawny eyes widened.

"Excluding Yuma?" the silver-haired teenager nodded.

"Yes, excluding Yuma Tsukumo. The identities of three Pillars, are currently known to me, and I intend to reveal this information to all of you once I am certain that Yuzu and Hugo are safely back with us. Until then, this information is to fragile, and I need to confirm the potential identity of the Secondary Pillar who was cast into this Dimension." Shay narrowed his gaze.

"Do you really expect me to wait? I understand that you promised Sakaki that you'd be truthful to him; however, I'm not sure you're even doing that much with him, even though you're so subservient to him…" Reiji rose another eyebrow.

"Subservient? Shay, I'm not sure you understand the dynamics here." The Raidraptor Duelist huffed.

"What? That you're favoring him for some reason? You have this great desire to bend to his requests. If he tells you to do something, you do it, with very little questioning unless you feel it's not the time to discuss it, at which point you promise to explain later, and fulfill it. So, what's the deal? Why are you so bendable to him but not anyone else?" Reiji sighed.

"Yuya is our ace… his Pendulum Summoning method has done a great deal for us, and his abilities as a Witch are unparalleled, even though they are rough around the edges. Therefore, making sure that he is well taken care of is my job, and I will fulfill it whole heartedly," he explained.

"Is it that? Or because he's more than just an important figure in the Lancers?" the D/D/D Duelist frowned.

"You mean to say that I'm possibly afraid of him?" Shay shrugged.

"Maybe you are, or maybe it's because you know who the Pillar of the Pendulum Zone is, and you just don't want to say anything right now… am I getting warmer?" he probed as Reiji clenched one of the sleeves of his shirt.

"Perhaps, but you'll have to wait in order to get the actual answer, won't you?" Shay narrowed his eyes once more before he turned on his heels and walked out of the room, slamming the door as he went while Reiji sighed. Keeping this quiet wasn't going to be as simplistic as he had hoped; however, at current, divulging the information would do nothing but cause more trouble, and he wasn't keen on that either. With a huff, he got back to reading, knowing that as of this point, he was onto something that would help him, and the other Lancers locate the Pillar within the Synchro Dimension.

 **{Link Zone: Central Square: 1:40pm}**

A somewhat lazy atmosphere surrounded the neatly kept brick central area of the bustling and high-tech place known as Den City as people went about their day, discussing events and details that were going on, some walking around with children or friends, enjoying the warm, yet slightly breezy day as a food truck remained parked in its usual spot, a few tables and chairs set up nearby it with a sign describing the specials of the day as two teenagers sat at one of the tables, two older fashioned Duel disks rested upon it while a man with dark violet hair came out from within the truck, handing off a few items to the two boys who were busy working on what was going on currently in a system known as Link VRAINS.

"So, do you really think its possible that those goons I dealt with the other day were behind the Cyberse World attack?" asked a sixteen-year-old with silvery-white and red hair with steely-gray eyes, and green glasses. He was dressed in the local high school uniform, his shirt buttoned up fully and his tie a pinkish-purple with a clip on it as he discussed something with the person beside him.

"Who knows… just because Hanoi seems to have left doesn't mean that they're gone or aren't still pulling some strings…" the dark-purple-haired man smiled.

"Come on now, Yusaku, be a bit more responsive to the conversation. You've finally made a friend," said Kusanagi as he sat down a couple hot dogs and a small basket of French fries that the silver-red haired teenager had ordered.

"To be honest, I think Fujiki thinks of me as more of a comrade or temporary ally than an actual friend…" a red and black tiny figure popped up out of the red duel disk nearest to the teenager.

"Then why are you wasting your time with him?" another figure appeared, but in dark blacks and purples.

"Well, isn't someone cranky? What's the matter? Someone splash some water on your cinders this morning?" sharp green eyes narrowed at the two fighting AI's.

"Enough! Don't the two of you know how to keep a low profile?" Yusaku asked as the two looked to him.

"Says the person whose avatar looks suspiciously like his real-life self…" the white-red haired teenager pushed down on the red AI.

"Can you try and play nice Flame? We're on the same side," he pointed out as Kusanagi sighed.

"You, and Homura have your work cut out for you here, Yusaku." The blue-pink-haired sixteen-year-old shot Kusanagi a displeased look.

"Uhuh…" Homura glanced his way.

"I really don't know that much about the Knights of Hanoi, all I know is that they were a nasty piece of work… I remember that Tower thing that just passed, and it wasn't pleasant to watch," he mentioned as Yusaku glanced to the side.

"Try being in it." Homura winced.

"Right, you're the guy who defeated the boss! Revolver didn't stand a chance against Playmaker! I doubt I could manage that to be honest," he admitted as the blue-pink-haired teenager took a bite of his hotdog, looking tired as he glanced up at the sky while clouds started to roll in.

"Looks like rain…" the other two turned their attention skyward.

"Yea, the forecast did say we would be getting scattered showers off and on for the next week… probably would be a good idea to pack it up for the time being…" sage green eyes looked around them.

"No, we'll be fine for a bit longer. The air doesn't smell like rain yet," Yusaku pointed out as Ai crossed his arms.

"Is that your Link Sense, or just your unusually sharp nose?" Yusaku reached over and flicked the AI program who waved his arms around.

"Shut up Ai, I don't have time for you jokes…" Homura laughed.

"Seems the two of you get along well," he mentioned as the other shrugged.

"Not really… only when it serves a purpose. Otherwise, he's trying to convince my robot maid to help him plot something…" Ai looked to him.

"Roboppi, and I have a strict friendship! Nothing more!" Kusanagi smirked.

Yusaku rolled his eyes as a conversation picked up between his longtime caretaker and the annoying troll of an Ai program that he contended with on a daily basis. Things had been somewhat different as of late, what with Hanoi seeming to be out of the picture, Link Vrains had gotten a make-over and speed duels were allowed; however, that had come with a bounty on his head, and an unlikely friendship between him and the person sitting next to him known as Takeru Homura, and his AI program Flame. Nonetheless, amidst all of this, Yusaku had started feeling as though something was off with not the digital realm that was Link Vrains, but the real world as well.

While he couldn't put his finger on it, Yusaku knew that something bad was coming, and if someone didn't step up, things could become dangerously unsteady. It felt almost as though the world was tilted on its axis, being thrown off center and slowly moving towards being completely tossed off of Atlas's shoulders. There seemed to be some kind of influence keeping it in place though, even if it somewhat made him feel sick and as though his own balance was off as well. Shaking his head, he took a sip of his drink, looking at the sky as the clouds became darker, and he considered what needed to be done about the newest threat that had surfaced.

" _Seems like a storms brewing… and not like the one we're expecting."_

 **{…..}**

 _That's how I feel inside, I can't, I can't sit here quiet…._

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Before anyone starts raising an eyebrow, I wanted to inform you that these little blips of other Yu-Gi-Oh! Characters in their own Zones does play a vital role later on in the story, and I just wanted to show you that slowly, the other Zones are starting to notice something is a bit off because of Academia's meddling in the balance of Millennium. Let me know what you guys think! I look forward to it!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Jack is a Sorcerer, and has an Adornment ability, which is a type of control magic that is done by speaking or making eye contact.

The personal touches of the riding suits is done for a special reason, and you'll kind of see that play into things eventually.

Shay's on to Reiji, but as usual, Reiji Akaba plays the answering without answering game flawlessly.

Dreamless Sleep Potions are a reference to the _Harry Potter Series._

Homura Takeru is also known as Soulburner in the _Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS_ series, and first appeared in Season II of the show.

Yusaku Fujiki, is the main protagonist of the Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS series, and is known in Link Vrains as Playmaker.

Yusaku has been referenced 3 times prior to this point in other chapters.


	80. Chapter 80: The Aloof King

Chapter 80: The Aloof King

 **{The Nest: August 17** **th** **, 2014: 11:02am}**

Yuzu sat on her bed, taking in a few deep breaths as she clutched her wand in her hands, anxiety bubbling in her system as she considered what was happening this evening. After nearly three weeks apart, in situations that she knew couldn't have been good nor easy, she would be reunited with Yuya and the others, and while that should have completely erased her fear, it only intensified it as she considered the dangers that were on the rise. If things were as precarious as Sora had made them out to be, then she didn't doubt the risk of things going very sour for them, but despite that fear, she was determined to get back to the others, regardless of what it took.

"Hey? Yuzu? You in here?" periwinkle eyes looked up to see Hugo entering the room, peeking behind the door to be safe.

"Yea, I'm here Hugo," she said as he came into the room carefully, shutting the door behind him as he noticed her tense posture as she sat on the end of the bed.

"You look like your worried about something, wanna talk about it?" the pink-haired girl took in a deep breath, looking down to the wand in her hands.

"Is this going to work? I know what I said earlier about everyone being capable, but… so much could go wrong, and what if someone gets hurt or worse? Then what will we – "Hugo smiled as he came over to her, sitting on the end of the bed with her.

"Eh, you worry to much. Think about it for a second, would ya? We're gonna be meeting up with everyone of your buddies at the arena tonight, and I'm not gonna be leavin' your side or nothing. I mean, these Academia people have Rin, so if you guys are spearheading a way to kick their asses, I want in," he said as Yuzu smiled.

"I just want to see Yuya again… I miss him…" Hugo nodded.

"Don't worry, he'll be there to greet ya no doubt! He'll probably be there with that Sora kid and the others waiting on us with big smiles on their faces just for you," he stated as the girl sighed.

"Probably, and you're going to stick around?" he grinned.

"The way I see it is I've already been here this long and helped out this far, might as well stick around for the long haul. Besides, like I said, I gotta rescue my girl," he explained.

"You really love her, don't you?" tourmaline eyes glanced her way.

"Rin and I have always been together. We grew up in an orphanage together, and haven't ever really been apart… we have all these dreams and things we wanna do and see… make something of ourselves and better life for the Commons and Casts alike… but, I'm repeating myself… sorry…" Yuzu shook her head.

"You never told me what kind of Witch Rin was," she mentioned.

"Really? Sorry, never crossed my mind I guess. Anyways, Rin is a Sylphian, which like I think I mentioned before, it means she has Sylph blood, and her magic is wind based, her kind are typically known as Opyria. A type of wind Witch with a series of skills that focus on cleansing and easing the minds of others." The pink-haired girl smiled.

"Sounds like the two of you work well together," she stated as Hugo rose an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she laughed.

"I mean that the way you help keep people calm and give good advice and make them feel better. It feels like the two of you would work well together," she explained as the other laughed.

"Yea, but Rin always would get on my case about me not thinking things through, and I would retort that thinking rationally was her stich, not mine. You know, I really miss her like I know you miss Yuya, but we'll be seeing that one person we care about most sooner than you think. Before either of us know it, you'll be back with Yuya, and I'll be back with Rin, and then we'll kick Academia's ass, and all go home together." Yuzu nodded.

"Then you can tell Rin how much you love her, and my friend Serena can be back with the person she loves… maybe Yuto and Ruri can go home with Shay and start rebuilding Heartland…" Hugo gave her a pointed look.

"And you and Yuya can finally be together like you hope for, huh?" he offered as she blushed, looking down.

"Well… yea… If he feels the same way about me that is." Hugo put an arm around her.

"You know he does. Think about it, he came to another Dimension just for you, is willing to kick the asses of some of the biggest baddies out there, because it would me you're safe. He's here, waiting for you because he loves you. Even best friends probably wouldn't go as far as to join a group that's hellbent on stomping the asses of the people who are trying to take over the world… I mean, come on! What is this? Some kind of afternoon soap opera?" Yuzu couldn't help but laugh, hugging the Tempastus Witch who smiled, returning it as the pink-haired girl smiled.

"Thanks, I feel better now…" Hugo nodded.

"No problem, just think of me as a therapist on hand. If you need someone to talk to and don't feel like you can turn to anyone else, I'll listen… we're friends, right?" he asked as he leaned back, holding his hand out which Yuzu took, holding onto his hand tightly.

"Friends, thanks Hugo." He shrugged.

"Eh, like I said, no big deal. Now, let's practice a couple more spells before we start getting ready. The Black Feathers are gonna fly the coop at six, so we can be there by seven when the ceremony is supposed to start," he informed her as she nodded and stood, the two of them heading up to the roof to practice.

 **{Council Tower Track: 12:20pm}**

" _ **Well, that failed…"**_ Yuto muttered.

Yuya let out a frustrated growl as he flopped back onto the small bit of grass in the center of the track. He had been practicing for the last few hours since early this morning, and hadn't experienced to terrible of a run; however, the later it got in the day, the more his exhaustion started to rear its head and the less focused he was. Just now, he had wiped out and thankfully used a bouncing spell to soften his impact, otherwise Yuya was certain that he would be dealing with a few cuts and bruises, if not a broken bone or two. Around him, several of the group were still doing a few laps, Shay and Dennis having the least bit of trouble out of them with Serena and Sky being next on that line up; however, the rest of them, such as Gongenzaka and Sawatari, were another story. The boy closed his eyes, the sunlight filtering in through the clouds above him as he heard the noise slowly die down and the crunch of a few people moving towards him.

"You doing, alright Yuya?" asked Dennis as he came to sit next to the boy.

"Tired…" Sky nodded.

"I think all of us need to get some rest before we start getting ready for the opening ceremony," he mentioned as Serena looked to Yuya.

"Are you sure you can handle this? You look exhausted." Scarlet eyes glanced her way.

"I'll be fine… I've done more on less sleep… amongst other things," he briefly explained as he closed his eyes again.

Serena sometimes couldn't pinpoint this boy no matter what she tried. Yuya confused her, only because she had seen him at a horrible low point, weak and sickly, yet he had quickly regained enough energy and his usual spark to continue fighting up to this point, but even then, she sensed something was wrong. It wasn't as though it was apparent, but every time she was right him currently, she felt something akin to the faint pulse of inhuman power that Joeri expelled from time to time, but it was far to different to pin down. Sighing, she tucked her helmet under her arm and looked to the others.

"Well, what do you say? A bit of rest before we get this show underway?" the others nodded.

"Sounds like a good plan, seeing as our fearless leader is currently got his nose in a book," Shay mentioned.

"You know that Reiji's doing it for a good reason." The other rolled his eyes.

"Come on now Shay, don't get so uptight," Yuya said, a small smile on his face as the Risulian Witch looked to him with a look of disbelief.

" _Yuto! Did you just –"_

" _ **Whoops! I didn't mean to make you say that…"**_ Yuya's expression became slightly discomforted.

"You ever get the feeling he's talking to someone in that head of his?" muttered Sky as Dennis nodded a fraction.

"Uhuh… totally." Yuya turned to them.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here. I can hear you just fine too, in case you were wondering," he retorted as the two glanced away.

"Oh boy… come on, let's get some rest before tonight, m'kay?"

The group stood, gathering up their D-Wheels to put into the storage area before they used the elevator and went up towards the place where they could all go back to their rooms and get some rest before the opening ceremony would begin. While they went up, Yuya and Yuto were in the midst of a deep conversation, the spirit apologizing for his slip up, and somehow influencing Yuya to say that by thinking about his last conversation with Shay where he'd personally said the same thing to him. Yuya pushed it aside, knowing that Yuto hadn't meant to do it, and he honestly was going to say something similar to lighten the Raidraptor Duelist's mood in hopes of keeping everyone as calm and prepared for their tasks tonight as possible.

Once everyone returned to their rooms, Yuya got himself cleaned up, changed, and took some of the dreamless sleep potion, drifting off to sleep with the alarm clock set to go off a half hour before the Lancers would be heading out to the stadium. As Yuya laid there, Yuto watched him, his mind thinking about the fact that despite his friend – or partner if he truly considered it – being fully asleep, he could feel the anxiety and worry falling off him in waves, indicating that while he seemed peaceful, deep within his mind, he was anything but. Sighing, the spirit faded, hoping to gain a bit of rest himself.

In the other rooms, the rest of the Lancers were laying out their clothes to change into after they'd gotten some rest. Everyone had a job tonight, and being tired wasn't going to help the situation. Reiji would be present, waiting in the garage area where Yuya would leave off from, Riley and Tokumatsu waiting with him. Tsukikage, Sky, and Shay's jobs were to use the top half of the stadium to keep tabs on the Black Feather's entrance and delivery of Yuzu and Hugo, while Sawatari, Gongenzaka and Dennis's jobs were to remain on the ground, keeping tabs on the Duel and the lower rim of the stadium, which left Crow, Shinji, and Serena to meet with the Black Feathers, and bring Yuzu and Hugo to Gongenzaka, Sawatari, and Dennis, where the eight, of them would watch the match, Sky, Shay, and Tsukikage remaining on the upper rim to keep watch while Yuya took care of his role in the opening ceremony.

A part of this plan made them all very nervous, only because they knew how easy it would be for things to end up going bitter should Roger choose to try and slip in and cause problems for the Lancers; however, Reiji assured them that he had already gotten a plan together, and everyone was prepared for it even as they considered what they would be facing once the match began. Every single one of them worried about Yuya facing off against a Duelist whose strategies and style of play had never been seen before, and atop that, he would be riding a D-Wheel, something none of them were particularly experienced in.

Nonetheless, Yuya remained determined to do his best in the match, despite the fact that he knew he would be dealing with things that undoubtedly could land him in a bind. Knowing that, everyone else became equally determined to do their own part, being sure that they would secure Yuzu and Hugo no matter what decided to try and step between them. Crow and Shinji had already warned the Black Feathers, and they too, were prepared to do battle should the need arise. With that in mind, the group took to resting, conserving their energy for the event to come.

Several hours passed, and soon Yuya heard the sound of his alarm going off, causing him to give a frustrated sigh as he sat up, stretching a bit as he shook off the sleep and got out of bed, getting himself cleaned up and dressed to head down towards the stadium area within a few short moments. He currently was seated on the bench at the end of his bed, making sure that he had the suit on correctly, the fabric feeling strange, but fairly comfortable as he stretched his arms behind his head, loosening up his shoulders a bit as he looked to his helmet, which had his goggles already slipped over it, before he glanced down to the pendulum crystal rested against his chest before he zipped up the suit, tugging on the jacket and grabbing his helmet alongside being sure to have his Duel Disk and his deck, taking just a moment to look at his cards as he heard a knock at his door and went to open it.

Standing before him was a young boy in a bellhop type of attire with short mousy brown hair and large blue eyes with a wide look to them, his expression anxious as he locked eyes with him and quickly bowed while Yuya stepped back as the boy stood straight. He entered the room and Yuya watched him as he nervously stood directly in front of him once more, giving him a slightly spooked smile which the Odd-Eyes Duelist truly questioned the reasoning behind before he thought about how some people found his appearance a bit unsettling, and wondered if that was the reason.

"Who are you?" the boy jolted.

"S-Sorry sir! My name is Sam Whittle, nice to meet you," he answered.

"Nice to meet you too." The boy swallowed nervously.

"I-I'm supposed to personally escort you to the stadium, your friends will be awaiting you in the entry way where you will enter the track," he explained as Yuya rose an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Let me guess, the Council requested this." The boy bowed.

"It's customary," he said as Yuya glanced him over.

"Alright then, I guess I have no choice… lead the way." Sam nodded and Yuya turned on the Duel Disk, shooting a quick message to the other Lancers about what was going on, so they would know what had happened to him as the young boy led him towards the elevators.

Without question, Yuya knew that this was a ploy to break up the Lancers as best as possible from either the Council or Director Roger himself. Either way, he wasn't pleased about it, but had elected not to let it show, keeping his expression neutral, and his body relaxed as he got into the elevator, receiving a reply from Reiji quickly that he would inform the others and make sure that things still ran smoothly for retrieving Yuzu and Hugo. With that, Yuya turned off his Duel Disk, keeping it on him with his deck loaded into it as he stood beside the boy while they went down until they arrived at a car where he and Yuya entered and it started driving off.

Yuya glanced to Sam several times, seeing the boy's anxiety as he considered his age and why he may have been so uncomfortable, as he wasn't quite used to people behaving this spooked even by his own appearance. He quickly began thinking of other reasons, and soon they arrived at the stadium, where he was led into a room with a TV screen, a sofa, dark polished hardwood, pale blue-purple walls and a large abstract painting that favored an aurora borealis. He sat down on the white sofa, taking in a deep breath as he shook off his own anxiety and Sam came to stand behind him.

"Hey, what kind of person is this Jack Atlas?" Sam jolted.

"Ah… erm…" he stammered before turning his head away.

"Is there a chance you were told you're not allowed to talk to me outside of the basic introduction?" the boy shifted uncomfortably.

"Uh, no, its nothing like that sir…" Yuya sighed.

"Enough with the sir stuff, just Yuya is fine. You can't be much younger or older than I am." Sam shook his head.

"It's a requirement of my job sir," he explained as Yuya turned to face him.

"Alright then, are you a fan of Jack Atlas?" the boy looked down.

"Eh? Why would you ask that?" Yuya smiled a bit.

"Because, I heard Jack Atlas is the King of both Tops and Commons. Mortal and Cast alike, so, I'd have to guess that he has quite the number of fans. So, are you one of them?" he received a startled look.

"Me? I…" Yuya gave him a small smile.

"Sorry for the twenty questions. It must be hard to talk to me before I go out and Duel someone you look up to," he admitted as Sam glanced to the side.

"Oh…" Yuya kept his gaze on him.

"See, I just kind of want to know what sort of person he is. Its in my nature to want to know more about other people, whether I'm Dueling or just having a conversation with them." The boy's blue eyes locked onto him.

"You're a W-Witch, aren't you?" Yuya gave him another small, calm smile.

"I am, are you one?" the boy shook his head.

"No, I'm a mortal," he said.

"Oh, I see… being around a Witch by yourself must be kind of scary, huh?" Sam glanced him over.

"I'm used to the Witches and other Magi I know of being very harsh towards non-magic users and Common Casts… so… you kind of make me uncomfortable," he admitted as Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"Is it because I'm being nice to you? Well, don't let that bother you, I'm pretty nice to everyone." Sam gave him a questioning look.

"I wish everyone was like that… especially Jack Atlas," he stated.

"Especially him, huh? That tells me he's a not to pleasant person." Sam looked down as Yuya kept his attention on him, and the boy took in a steady breath.

"During the Friendship Cup a while back… Jack Atlas became the first Common to ever win the event. And since then, he's been the absolute King, the one whose never been beaten, so… he's kept the position of King… based on the way he talks and behaves, he's the kind of Duelist and Magi who'd be fit to be called the greatest Duelist of all time… at least, I'd like to think that," he explained as Yuya frowned.

"I'm guessing his full attitude isn't very Kingly then." The boy gave him a sad look.

"Unfortunately." Yuya gave him a small smile.

"Sorry, this seems difficult for you to talk about," he said as Sam shook his head.

"No, you have a right to know about your opponent. But, its almost time, I'll guide you to the garage area." Yuya stood, reaching out as Sam recoiled, but Yuya merely placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Don't be afraid of my kind, not all of us are like that… just give us a chance, okay? We'll show you how amazing magic can really be," he said as he started walking out the door, Sam giving him a tiny smile as he moved ahead of him to lead him to the garage area.

 **{Stadium: 6:45pm}**

The drive towards the stadium had gone off without a hitch, much to Hugo and Yuzu's relief, and as they pulled into the stadium, she was happily greeted by two unfamiliar faces, and Serena, who hugged her, thankful to see her safe as Crow praised Hugo for keeping Yuzu protected this whole time. The five of them entered the stadium, going up a flight of stairs into the walk area to see thousands of people cheering, lights blaringly bright as she was met with Gongenzaka, Sawatari, and Dennis, the three of whom gave her a hug, thankful that she was safe as her gaze scanned the nearby area for any signs of Yuya, the group leading her and Hugo towards a set of seats down in the front as she looked around, finally spotting what appeared to be Sky, Tsukikage, and Shay up in the top half of the arena, moving around constantly.

"There sure is a big turn out," Hugo stated.

"No kidding… this makes the tournaments back home look tiny, huh Yuzu?" the pink-haired girl kept looking around.

"Gongenzaka? Where's Yuya?" the giant of a teenager looked to her.

"He'll be here soon," he answered as she frowned but looked to where the announcer Melissa Claire was starting her introductions.

" **Hello guys and gals, and welcome to the Opening Ceremony of the Friendship Cup! We got a real special treat tonight! An out of town Duelist has come to compete against our King in the opening ceremony!"** everyone's attention was drawn to the hologram of the woman, the crowds cheering.

"Yea! Bring on the sacrifice!" the word caused several of the others to turn their heads to the few people who were cheering the word, causing anxiety to build up.

"What do they mean by that?" asked Sawatari as Hugo narrowed his gaze.

"It's a pretty fucking dirty thing to say, but it's the kind of thing that these people think is funny. The Duelist who goes against Jack Atlas in the opening ceremony, has been called a sacrifice, because they never win, and a couple of them have been hospitalized." The Lancers tensed.

" **The Duel King, who is the pride and joy of Neo City! The man himself, Jack Atlas, will kick off the Friendship Cup with a special match!"** the people cheered his name, the roar almost bone numbingly loud as Yuzu covered her ears.

"They're so loud!" Dennis pointed out as Serena glanced to Yuzu.

" _She's gonna fucking freak when she see's who Jack's opponent is,"_ she thought as Melissa continued.

" **Indeed, Jack Atlas is the symbol of the Friendship Cup! His name alone joins the hearts and minds of Tops and Commons together! Whether we are Common or Cast, the Friendship Cup is a time of unity and peace! But first, we have to wait a little bit…"** several people quietened down as Melissa waited for dramatic effect, several of the Lancers feeling their hearts hammering in their chests.

"This is gonna be so cool! I heard the person they got is some kind of specialist in different summoning mechanics," said a woman behind the group as Yuzu glanced her way and then back to Melissa.

" **To start things off, we'll be introducing this year's Tournament Eve opponent, who's been chosen to fight the King himself! Give a round of applause for our opponent! Yuya Sakaki!"**

Yuzu shot to her feet as the crowds roared and from one of the tunnels a red D-Wheel came out, the person fumbling a bit before they smoothed out their run and started down the track, the pink-haired girl feeling her heart hammering in her chest as the D-Wheel came to a stop, and the person looked towards one of the cameras, pulling off their goggles for a second to show Yuzu a familiar pair of scarlet eyes and a calm expression as tears welled in her eyes while she slowly dropped back into her seat, Hugo and Serena moving to place a hand on the girl's shoulders as she began crying.

"Yuzu, are you alright?" the others looked to the girl.

"He's here… I was so scared that…" Crow smiled.

"Like hell he'd ever not come get you. The whole time I've been around him all he's really talked about is finding you, Yuzu. No matter what, he was determined to see you again," he said as the girl looked at him.

"That sounds like him… but why is he the person facing off against the Duel King?" Gongenzaka looked down.

"A man by the name of Jean Mitchel-Roger orchestrated this little situation. He thinks Yuya would be a good show of the power the Lancers have or something like that," he stated.

"Bunch of bullshit if you ask me. Just let Yuya out there with his magic alone and he'll clear the whole fucking field." Yuzu looked to Sawatari at that.

"Has Yuya been in control of his magic at all?" Dennis nodded.

"There's only been a few minor slip ups, nothing like the duel with Kachidoki," he explained as she relaxed.

"Thank God…"

"All the same, I feel bad for him having to go against Jack Atlas… he's never faced a Duelist from the Synchro Dimension or Zone before, and we're a lot tougher than most would expect… especially seeing as we have a lot of experience with the requirements to handle a Synchro Monster," Hugo stated as he felt Clear crawl up onto his shoulder, he quickly pulled her down to tuck her into his collar, which she had no problem with, the others taking note of her presence automatically.

"You really are a Witch then, you have a familiar." The Unduline nodded.

"To bad that won't help Yuya… he may be a Witch, but Jack Atlas is something much worse," he stated.

"What is he?"

Jack Atlas stormed onto the track in his D-Wheel, moving swiftly around it and into place beside Yuya, startling the others as the scarlet-eyed boy locked his sights onto the King of Duels within Neo City, the blonde-haired man watching him briefly as Hugo narrowed his eyes.

"He's a Sorcerer…" panic flared in the others as down on the track Jack Atlas took a long look at his opponent.

While he had seen a photo of the boy, it hadn't quite served as enough to satisfy his curiosity, and justly so now that he could see him in person. Without question, the boy was odd, and he wasn't quite sure what to make of him in all honestly. He could see a few locks of his bangs hanging out from the front of his helmet, showing his hair to be red and green like in his pictures, his skin a medium complexion, and his eyes a distinctly sharp and rich scarlet shade. He was young, and quite tiny for being fourteen-years-old; however, that never stopped anyone from trying, he supposed. Sighing, he turned his gaze fully on the boy, seeing that he looked back, without a single bit of a shake of quiver in his gaze or form.

"I have but one question for all of you! On this evening, can I defeat this kid in one turn?!" everyone cheered their answer, full faith in their King as Yuya gave him a long look.

" _ **Someone's full of himself…"**_

" _Agreed…"_

"So, you're Yuya Sakaki? The inventor of this Pendulum Summoning method I've heard of. That must be some kind of joke, you're barely old enough to be here, let alone running around without your parents," Jack stated as Yuya gave him a hard look.

"Its not a joke, I did create the method. And my parents are dead, you ass." The man gave him a surprised expression.

" _There's a lot of fire in his soul, but it's completely untamed and far to wild… he needs to learn some restraint and control…"_ Jack thought.

"I can see you have quite the spirit. It's very interesting to see someone so young with that much fire, but I highly doubt it'll hold up in this domain, which belongs to me, little witchling," he told him as Yuya gave him a startled look.

"Okay, I get it… you're not an average magic user… I'll guess by your magic's pulse that you're a Sorcerer." A smirk came to the Burning Soul Duelist's lips.

"Very perceptive, let's see if you can use that in our duel, witch-boy." Yuya pulled his goggles down, turning his attention to the track ahead of him.

" _ **He'll try to rattle your cage, don't let him. just do your best, if you lose its fine, you can just kick his ass later,"**_ Yuto suggested.

" _Sounds good to me, but I intend to do the best I can to win against this arrogant jackass…"_

" **Alright everyone! Let's get those engines going! Start the autopilot and get ready to rev it up!"** the crowds cheered while Crow took in a deep breath while Yuya settled onto his D-Wheel, Jack doing the same.

"Yuya…" Yuzu muttered under her breath, holding her hands together in her lap as the jewel on her bracelet glimmered just a fraction, Hugo's pendulum crystal doing the same.

The roar of the crowds was impossible to ignore, the volume of their voices felt like thunder, and made Yuya's heart almost skip beats as he closed his eyes, focusing on what he had to do as his magic simmered under his skin, his breathing becoming even as he pushed out any fears or anxiety that threatened to overthrow him. Right now, he needed to do the best he could, gage how powerful of a Duelist Jack Atlas really was, and at the very least make an impression on the people around him, so that if nothing else, they would remember who he was when the tournament duels got underway, and he could potentially garner favor with the crowds, giving the Lancers a chance to gain popularity and support that could sway the Councils from any dangerous decisions.

" **We start by activating the Field Spell! But first, for any new viewers, it should be noted that the rules have been revised to include Action Fields, something that our opponent Yuya Sakaki and a few of his teammates brought to spice up our tournament this year!"** Yuzu felt her eyes widen as Melissa stated this, causing Sylvio to frown.

"Reiji worked out a deal with the Councils to give us a bit of leverage, but played it up as being a new and even more fascinating form of Dueling from our home. They agreed, but it doesn't make me feel any better," he admitted.

"I can understand why, I mean the opponent can use the Action Cards too, and that could be bad news in certain circumstances." Shinji narrowed his eyes.

"Like this one?" he asked as Dennis sighed.

"More than likely…"

" **Let's give this little darlin' the ol' college try! Action Field, on! Crossover Accel!"** the field was bathed in a pale purple hue, light refracting around them as everyone watched, excitement filling the air as Yuya took in a steady breath, preparing to get the show underway as the cards were thrown around the track, and the Duel Mode Autopilot came onto the D-Wheels, signaling that things were about to begin. A second later the counter appeared before them and Yuya felt his hand flinch on the accelerator of his D-Wheel, heart pounding against his chest as Yuto came to do his job.

" _ **You ready to do this?"**_ the time went off, and Yuya looked forward.

"Let's go!"

Yuya and Jack took off as quickly as possible, the startling line being passed by Jack in under a moment as the scarlet-eyed boy considered this a good opportunity to see how Jack ran his deck while the crowds cheered, and anxiety filled the Lancers who watched the situation unfolding. Yuya picked up a bit of speed as Jack continued to ride on, looking to his hand as he prepared for what was to come.

"Alright witchling, let's see how you handle the big leagues. I summon Red Sprinter from my hand!" Jack stated as a demonic looking hound-like creature appeared, red flames on its thin, leathery body appearing around its lower legs near its feet, around its head and throat, down its back, and into a tail as he started to run in place beside Jack.

" _ **Seventeen hundred attack points right out of the gate, careful…"**_ Yuya nodded to Yuto's observation watching as Jack continued his turn.

"When this is the only Monster on my field, I can special summon one level three or lower Tuner Monster from my hand! So, I special summon Red Resonator! Now, I Tune my Level Four Red Sprinter with my Level Two Red Resonator for a level six Synchro Summon!" the little red demon and the hound creature wove together in a flash of brilliant light, Yuya tensing as he observed what was happening.

" _Shit! A Synchro Summon right out of the gate, I was hoping he'd hold off on extra deck summons until the second round…"_

" _Oh, souls of crimson flames, become one upon the orders of a soul that burns equal with your fire! The roar of the King shaking all before him! Synchro Summon!_ Show yourself before us! _Red Wyvern!"_ a dark, leathery dragon with flames upon its head and wings appeared, purple scales and volcanic rock upon its tail, chest, abdomen, and head like violet and orange hued armor as it let out a sharp screech. Yuya ground his teeth together as he considered that the monster had twenty-four hundred attack points, and he was only protected by the no-attack on first turn rule.

" **And the King Synchro Summoned in his first turn! I can imagine this is a shocking sight for a new comer to our city, but now we will have to see what our King and Yuya Sakaki will do next!"** Yuto frowned.

" _ **This is going to get nasty, you better bring your A-Game,"**_ he mentioned as Yuya nodded once more.

"I set one card face-down and end my turn! Show me what you have witchling, I've gone to the trouble of giving you some highlight in this show, don't waste it," Jack announced as Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Right, let me show you what I can do." Yuya reached for his deck, pulling a card out as he called for his turn to begin and swallowed around the knot in his throat at the idea of not being able to pull this off on the potentially only turn he'd receive. He pulled the card, looking at it and a small smile came to his features as he held up two cards.

" _What's he doing?"_ Jack thought as Yuya looked forward.

"I use the Scale One Stargazer Magician and the Scale Eight Timegazer Magician to set the Pendulum Scales!" he declared as he set the cards into place, and stardust lit up the sky, a web forming as two pillars of light filled the area, his two faithful Magicians coming into place as Stargazer glanced his way and he met his gaze, smiling as the Magician seemed to nod and return his attention back to the situation at hand.

" _Did Stargazer just, acknowledged him? Okay, that's a tad weird_ _ **,"**_ Sky thought as he watched from above.

"Now, I can summon Monsters between the levels of two and seven at the same time! _Swing, Pendulum of Souls! Draw an Arc of Light Across the Sky! Pendulum Summon!_ Come forth! My faithful Monsters! Let's get the show started with Performapal Trump Girl! Followed by Performapal Skeeter Skimmer, with Performapal Stamp Turtle! And now for the appearance of our main star! The one with the ferocious and beautiful heterochromatic eyes! _Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"_ the other Duel Monsters appeared on the field in a flourish of color, and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon stormed into place, a brilliant glow coming from its mismatched eyes as it roared valiantly upon being called to its Master's side.

"By the Six! Is that the Pendulum Summoning thing you mentioned?" Hugo asked Yuzu as she nodded.

"Yea, it is. This is a good move, he's managed to get Odd-Eyes on the field." As Hugo watched Clear bristled like a cat, looking both nervous and happy at the same time.

"Clear? Are you okay?" the dragon only folded up her wings and curled up in the pocket of his jacket, ignoring him as Yuya continued his play.

" **M-M-My word! Four Monsters at once! This is the Summoning Mechanic that Yuya Sakaki is said to have created, known as Pendulum Summoning. I, Melissa Claire, brought you the major scoop during that Duel in Central Park, and have learned that those were two of Yuya Sakaki's friends who came with him to participate in our grand tournament, let's give the boy a round of applause!"** the crowds cheered, and Yuya smiled, but kept his mind focused as Jack rose an eyebrow at him.

"Interesting, so this is the Summoning Mechanic you created? What else can you do?" Yuya narrowed his gaze a fraction.

"Watch! Performapal Trump Girl can be used as Material along with Pendulum Monsters I control for a Fusion Summon! So, I fuse together Trump Girl and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" the audience became startled as a portal of color-fused light appeared, and the two Monsters spiraled together.

"It's Yuya's Pendulum-Fusion! And I know exactly which Monster he's bringing out," Sawatari cheered as the others watched while Yuya focused on his summoning.

" _Child born from the Suit of Wands, Dragon controlling the magic of our ancestors! Call forth your souls to join as one! Fusion Summon!_ Come forth, Dragon of Heavenly Magic, versed in the secret arcane arts! _Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"_ the gold and rune encrusted dragon let out a bone-shaking roar as it stood on the field, the three-thousand attack points of the creature causing several people to be taken aback as Yuya kept his attention on Jack, who had raised an eyebrow at his summoning.

Jack could admit he was impressed by the boy's tenacity, and his ability to use both this incredibly peculiar summoning mechanic he had created, and Fusion Summoning, which wasn't considered entirely easy, nor distinctly difficult. However, he knew that the child was far from being up to par when it came to skill level, and that would be the nail in the coffin for him, as it would prove to be a problem when matched with his own abilities. Hugo, was another story as he watched from the stands, thinking about what his few encounters with Yuya had shown him, atop the things Yuzu had informed him of, and concluded that he was most certainly thrilled to see the red-green-haired boy in action.

Tourmaline eyes watched the runic dragon run alongside Yuya's D-Wheel, his mind thinking of this summoning mechanic, and how incredible it was to witness, alongside the Fusion Summoning, something he'd never seen before despite hearing about it. Without question, Yuya had caught his interest, and once the opening ceremony was over, he looked forward to getting to speak with him in person, and on non-hostile circumstances. Jack sped along with Yuya not far behind as the boy prepared for his next step, knowing that he knew little of his opponent's Dueling methods, and that he'd have to use trial and error.

"I then Overlay my Level Four Stamp Turtle and Skeeter Skimmer! _Fangs of treason from the pitch-black darkness, oppose crass, foolish power!_ Descend before us now! _Rank Four! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"_ Shay stared as Yuya summoned forth Yuto's Dragon, the crowds cheering as the others watched, Crow, Shinji, and Hugo gaping at the sight as Dark Rebellion let out a loud shriek like roar.

"Whoa! That black dragon is epic as hell!" Crow admitted as Yuzu smiled alongside Dennis.

"It's a special card a friend gave him." Jack stared the black dragon down, it narrowing its eyes and growling as he hummed in thought.

" _Pendulum to Fusion, and then Pendulum to Xyz… I wonder if he knows the others too?"_

" **You saw it right here folks! Yuya Sakaki, our Opening Ceremony challenger, has used dazzling and rather uncommon summoning methods to call forth these two dragons before us! What will he do next?!"**

"Very well witchling, you've got some skills with multiple summoning mechanics, but that doesn't even touch my abilities! Red Wyvern, once during my opponent's turn, if they control two or more Monsters with attack points greater than this card's, destroys the Monster with the highest attack they control!" Jack stated as scarlet eyes glanced his way.

"Yuto!" the spirit came to the other as Yuya sped up.

" _ **Right, Jack won't take this lying down, get ready!"**_

"I destroy Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" he declared as Yuya stood up from his D-Wheel, startling the audience as he reached upwards, snatching an Action Card as he looked to it.

"No, you won't! I activate the Action Spell, Mirror Barrier! It prevents destruction via card effects!" Jack gave him a surprised look.

"Witchling, you'll learn quickly that you don't have any ground here. You're going to lose in a maximum of three turns," he stated as Yuya glared.

"I'll lose in _three_ turns? No! I'll finish things _this turn!_ By detaching one Overlay Unit from Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, its effect can be activated! I'll detach both its Overlay Units! Allowing Dark Rebellion to halve the Attack Points of one of the opponent's Monsters, and increases its own Attack Points by the same amount! _Treason Discharge!"_ purple electricity lit up Dark Rebellion's wings and shot towards Red Wyvern, dropping its attack points to six-hundred, and raising Dark Rebellion's to forty-three hundred.

" **Oh Dear! What will the King do? He's in quite the pickle against this little fella's onslaught!"** Jack picked up an Action Card, watching as Yuya prepared to attack.

"Battle! Dark Rebellion! Attack Red Wyvern! _Rebellious Lightning, Disobey!"_

Jack held on as he was sent spiraling, his full life points being dropped down to a meager three hundred in one hit, causing him to stare after the boy in surprise as scarlet eyes narrowed, and he began to understand something about the boy in front of him. Yuya wasn't here just to play a game, this was more than just a tournament: _he was fighting for something._ Whatever it was, Jack wasn't certain, but he could see it in his eyes and actions, how he was putting in the best effort he could muster, pushing with all his might to do something with any opportunity he was given, and despite being potentially outmatched, Yuya remained steadfast.

" **Whoa! Thirty-seven-hundred points of damage in one fell swoop! Talk about a major impact! This boy is going all out on our King!"** Melissa bit her lip, looking to the startled expressions on the audiences faces as Yuya continued his attacks while Jack regained control of his D-Wheel, and watched the boy.

It was interesting, to see such fire and spirit in someone so young; however, Jack also knew that Yuya Sakaki was inexperienced when it came to true battles, and would have to learn as his time here in Neo City went on, that things weren't what they appeared to be, and that could potentially cause problems. He was an innocent in a place full of vile things, a pristine pure speck of light in the darkest shadows of this city, and if he wasn't careful, it would taint and destroy him. Jack sighed, knowing that he would have to teach the boy a lesson if he wanted to get anywhere in this place, and made his choice.

"Here's the finisher! Go! Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! Direct attack to Jack Atlas! _Multiple Shiny Bursts!"_ Jack sighed.

"You've got a lot to learn witchling! Adaptability is key in this world, and you haven't quite mastered it yet! I activate the Action Spell, Underworld Avoid, which special summoned one Underworld Avoid Token! Once per turn, an attack against an Underworld Avoid Token, can be negated. With this, the attack from Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon was stopped!" he stated as Yuya growled.

"That's expected of Atlas… he doesn't really give his opponent room for attacks like that. Yuya's definitely got some serious skill, but Jack's been Dueling longer than him, and has finetuned the deck he runs. He's already gotten the basics of the Action Cards down, and now he's going to take a jab at Yuya again, which I doubt he can rebuttal." Yuzu felt her entire body draw up in anxiety as she watched Yuya, a sound of someone stepping down beside them startling her and the others as she looked to see Sora.

"Sky, what's up?" asked Dennis.

"Time to head down to the garage area. Shay and I just spotted some of Roger's goons coming into the building, looks like those Onyx Guards from when we escaped the prison." Hugo stood, grabbing Yuzu's wrist as the group walked away, being quickly escorted down into the lower rungs of the stadium.

Just outside, Yuzu could hear the roar of engines and the crowds, causing her heart to hammer in her chest as the group finally made it to the garage area, and were greeted with Reiji, Riley, Shay, and Tsukikage waiting for them. The group of Lancers bunched together, watching the continuation of Yuya and Jack's Duel from the safety of the garage, Reiji already having a few traps in place should Roger's men decide to come down this way as Serena stood next to Yuzu, grabbing her hand as she looked to the girl who nodded, assuring her that things would be alright as Yuya decided on what to do next.

"Here's a little surprise for you! Rune-Eyes can attack a number of times depending on the level of the Spellcaster material used in the Fusion Summoning of it! Since Trump Girl was a Level Two, Rune-Eyes will get two attacks! Go! Attack the Underworld Avoid Token!" Yuya stated as the audience gasped in shock and dismay at the chances of Jack Atlas losing to a nobody who'd just shown up out of nowhere.

"Like I said, you must learn to better strategize and observe your opponent! Trap, activate! Reject Reborn! It negates an attack from an opposing Monster and ends the Battle Phase! "Rune-Eyes was tossed away, and the scarlet-eyed boy hissed between clenched teeth as he watched Jack continue, knowing that there was nothing more he could do.

" _ **Yuya! He'll try to wipe us out in one go, just be prepared for what might happen."**_ Yuya ground his teeth together.

"I get it…"

"It then destroys all Monsters on my field, and allows me to special summon Monsters from my graveyard up to the number of attacks I negated this turn!" Yuya gave him a surprised look.

"What'd you just say?" Yuto tensed, knowing that what was coming next would be a nasty hit.

"I negated two attacks witchling! Be reborn! Red Wyvern! Red Resonator!" Jack called for the two Monsters, and in a flourish of flames, they returned to the field, the others watching tensing as they realized what was about to happen.

" _This is about to get ugly,"_ Shay thought.

"When Red Resonator is special summoned, I recover life by the attack points of one synchro Monster on the field! I restore my life by Red Wyvern's twenty-four hundred attack points!" Jack's life points went up from three hundred to twenty-seven-hundred in seconds, causing the audience to cheer while Yuya gave him a irritated glare.

" **Incredible~! Not only did the King stop the attacks, but he even revived his two Monsters, and recovered his life! That's Jack for you! Our very own Jack Atlas!"** Reiji took in a deep breath.

"Sky? Tsukikage?" the two looked to him.

"Yea?" the silver-haired teen adjusted his glasses.

"We best be ready to leave when, this match ends. Roger may try and take advantage of the current situation in order to capture some of us or target Yuya, I suggest we prepare escort immediately. Tsukikage, see that the car is ready to transport all of us, and Sky, I need you to keep watch on Hugo, Yuzu, and Serena with the others. I will collect Yuya," he stated.

"Right." Tsukikage vanished from sight while the others kept watching what was happening on the track, an unsettling sinking feeling crawling into the pits of their stomachs.

"I… end my turn. At this moment, Dark Rebellion's attack points return to normal." Jack glanced to him.

"Witchling, you spoke about how you would show me what you can do, but your dueling is nothing but self-gratification! I saw fire in your eyes, but now all I see is a person who doesn't even know their own identity, not as a Duelist, and most certainly not as a Magi of any sorts," he stated as Yuya pulled up beside him.

"Don't talk down to me!" Jack narrowed his gaze.

"You're a lost boy, no identity of your own. Not what people want, and yet you strive to appease your own emptiness, make people laugh so long as you can continue to hide behind a mask and portray what you think the masses want, but you can never _be your true self while your spirit is in chains."_ Yuya growled at him.

"You don't get to talk! You just met me!" the burning Soul Duelist sighed.

"And yet, all I see is someone who is a far cry from being a true entertainer, a true Duelist, and a true Witch! Someone like you doesn't have the strength needed to reach the summit I rule, let alone accomplish anything that you're trying to! My turn!" Jack sped up, leaving Yuya behind as he continued to follow behind, gaze vacant as he felt a terrible chill deep inside his chest.

" _ **Yuya?"**_

"I'm Tuning my level six Red Wyvern, with my level two Red Resonator! _The roar of a Ruler will shake heaven and earth itself! Carve into your soul the power of the one and only supreme one! Synchro Summon!_ My Raging Soul! Scarlight Red Dragon!"

The beast that let out a bone-rattling roar was all red and black leathery muscle with orange scar-like marks across it. One of its horns were broken, and its wings had a few tatters within it as fire bloomed from its open maw, the creature breathing cinders and ash as Yuya felt the cold vice in his chest tighten while he turned his gaze on the monstrous dragon before him. It happened in what felt like the blink of an eye, with Scarlight's effect both Rune-Eyes and Dark Rebellion were destroyed, dealing one-thousand points of damage to him, and then the direct attack came and he closed his eyes, panic consuming him as everyone watched Jack pass by him, and his D-Wheel lost control, causing him to be thrown from it as he felt his head collide with the pavement and the others watched as he body rolled across the tarmac, coming to a stop on his front, eyes closed as Jack glanced back, quickly stopping his movement when he realized the boy wasn't moving, and a group of people were rushing from one of the openings. Things had just taken another bad turn, and this time none of them were exactly sure how the ending would play out.

 **{….}**

 _You can take my heart, you can take my breath…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** So, yea, I know… things look kind of bad, but don't worry, Yuya's a tough kid, he'll be fine, Jack… might not be as well off as it was portrayed in the anime. From here we go into a bit of off tracking from the anime again, but will return to our regularly scheduled animated chaos soon enough. Tell me what you guys think about the opening to the Friendship Cup Arc!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

The character of Sam was never given a last name in the anime, so I chose the name Whittle which means White Hill and is derived from old English.

The fear Sam has of magic users shows how poorly treated Commons and lower rung people in general are really treated by the Tops.

Yuzu will ask about the whole Sora to Sky thing, don't worry.

Melissa Claire was changed to Melissa Trails in the English dub… for some reason.

In the subs, the sacrifice thing was legitimately there, and it made my stomach turn to hear it the first time.

Clear or Clearwing Synchro Dragon has returned! She showed up for the first time over twenty chapters ago, can you believe it?

Yuya made a bit of a name pun by calling Jack a jackass. Get it?! I'll show myself out…

Witchling is a term for a young Witch whose just come of age or is under the age of 14, which we know Yuya isn't.

Red Resonator is known as Double Resonator in the English Dub of _both Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds and Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V_

Stargazer glancing towards Yuya and acknowledging him will play a part a bit later on, we'll learn a bit about some interesting history too.

The Suit of Wands is a Tarot Card Suit.

In the Japanese version of the anime, Yuya actually do go headfirst into the pavement, but he was thrown a lot further than portrayed here.


	81. Chapter 81: Joined Hands

Chapter 81: Joined Hands

 **{Track Area: August 17** **th** **, 2014: 9:03pm}**

"YUYA!"

Before anyone could stop her, Yuzu had rushed out onto the track, Sky moving quickly behind her as the others followed, unwilling to split up as the pink-haired girl rushed towards her friend, tears well in her eyes as she came to a stop, skidding onto her knees painfully while she reached out, placing a hand on his back as fear began to cause her heart and breathing to pick up. Crow came onto the scene next alongside Serena while the others gathered around to help as the Kontis Witch worked quickly to use her powders to check for any major wounds or injuries, but panic overtook before she could do much as the medical staff came in and Reiji remained alongside them as they carefully picked Yuya up onto a stretcher, the boy remaining unconscious as they took him away, Reiji nodding to Sky and Shay who followed them, getting into the back of the emergency transport while Yuzu felt her entire body begin to shake, tears falling from her eyes as she clutched at the front of her shirt, her heart aching painfully as Reiji crouched down on the ground with her.

"Yuzu, we need to return to the Council Tower, Sky and Shay will make sure Yuya is safe, but we're not protected out in the open like this, please come with us," he stated as the girl looked to him.

"He'll be okay, won't he?" Reiji nodded.

"That I don't doubt. Yuya is a very strong person, and he's proven himself to be quite resilient, so I wouldn't worry, he'll be okay," he assured her as she was helped to her feet and the group of Lancers walked away, Crow shooting Jack a venomous glare over his shoulder as he came to guard the outer line of their group while Hugo grasped Yuzu's hand, using his magic to ease her anxiety as they left while Jack watched in both disbelief and confusion.

The situation appeared grim, only because while he was fine with defeating his opponent, he had never faced off against someone so young, and to have seen him hit the pavement as he did, Jack could almost hear the potential crack of his skull making contact with the tarmac as he remained where he was before sighing as he finally drove off as the Lancers got into the car that quickly transported them to the Council Tower. The drive was only around five minutes, but it felt like an eternity as Reiji received messages from Sky informing him that Yuya was being taken to his room where he would be watched instead of going to a hospital.

Such a choice confused him, but he chose to inquire about it later, once he was certain Yuya was safe. The second the car pulled up though, none of them took their time getting out and had rushed to the front of the building, running inside and towards the elevator as they pressed the number for their floor before the group was taken up, all of them tense as they waited for the ding to alert them of their arrival. Reiji knew damage control would be best, and letting Yuzu see Yuya when his condition wasn't known would be a horrible play on his part, as it would only serve to cause her anxiety, and should Yuya awaken, it would put him on edge as well.

Knowing this, Reiji stepped out of the elevator first, ordering the group to head to the common area on the floor and wait there until he knew more about the current situation; which, naturally was met with great protest, but quickly silenced as he rationalized that doctors may be unwilling to give information to a large group, and low stress on the situation would be better if Yuya was in bad condition. Once his point was made, the group shuffled their way to the common room, and waited while Reiji went to gather the information on what was currently happening, leaving Sky and Shay to go to the others once he arrived, seeing a doctor hooking Yuya up to several machines as he took in a deep breath and stepped into the room.

Within the common room, Yuzu sat on a sofa with Serena and a few of the others, trying to help keep her calm as she felt her own anxiety and fears overtake her normally calm behavior. Why did this always happen? Why did Yuya always get hurt? Throughout his childhood he was bullied, which had caused so much emotional pain that he'd tried to commit suicide, resulting in even more misery and trials for him to try and overcome, then the tournament had come, and things had looked up for the most part, until he'd learned the truth about his magic in the worst way possible. Yuzu closed her eyes tightly as she thought of those moments, and now the most recently one as she considered what would happen to him.

"Yuzu, everything's going to be alright," Dennis assured her.

"How do you know that?" the Charm Witch winced.

"Well, I um…" he faltered, slumping as he sat down on a chair.

"Because, Yuya's a strong person. He'll be fine because he's waited a long time to see you, and the two of you can finally see each other again," Serena stated.

"Still… that…" Crow slammed his fist down on the coffee table.

"Jack fucking said something to him that shook him up. I saw it, Yuya had this look in his eyes like something really soul crushing was said to him, and then Jack attacked, knowing that he would get thrown from the fucking D-Wheel because he wasn't able to focus," he snarled.

"Why would he do that?" Hugo sighed.

"Sorcerers can be reasoned with, but they aren't inherently the nicest of our lot. Typically, they'll use whatever means necessary to get what they want, and emotionally hurting someone is a natural talent of theirs. I don't know a lot about Yuya personally, but from what I gather, he's gone through some painful shit and is at that age where he's still learning who he is as a person… a lot of things could shake him up like that," he admitted.

"I'm gonna kick the shit out of that good for nothing slime of a King so hard his eyes are gonna pop out of his skull…" Sawatari glanced to Serena, sighing.

"And what's that gonna do to help?" he asked.

"It'll be a start." Dennis shook his head.

"I understand admittedly. We've already been through enough in this twisted place, but out of all of us, did Yuya really deserve to suffer again after what just happened?" all eyes turned to him as Yuzu gave him a confused look.

"What are you talking about?" she questioned.

" _Oh shit!"_ they thought simultaneously.

"Um… well… you see, its… kind of hard to talk about honestly," Dennis answered as the pink-haired girl looked down.

"Does this have to do with – "the door opened, causing the group to look up as Sky and Shay entered, causing Yuzu's attention to be diverted.

"Hey guys," stated Sawatari.

"Have you heard anything?" Sky sighed.

"From what we gathered, they think he has a concussion, but there's a chance he could have a fracture to his skull. They aren't sure, but the chances are fairly slim…" he explained as Shay huffed.

"All the same, he's unresponsive to anything right now. So, for the time being there's nothing we can do but hope he'll wake up soon." Sky turned to Yuzu.

"Don't worry, Reiji will tell us more when he comes," he told her.

"I hope so…" the blue-haired Dyren Witch sat down in the floor, smiling as he looked to the girl.

"How are you holding up otherwise?" he inquired.

"Okay… I guess…" Shay smiled.

"You know what? Yuya's done nothing but talk about you since you disappeared with that no-go over there," he explained as Hugo gave him a sour look.

"It's _Hugo!_ Can't anyone get my name right dammit?!" Yuzu laughed a bit.

"At least they aren't mistaking your name for Fusion," the Tempastus Witch groaned.

"Please, for the love of the Gods, no! Anyways, you're that Shadow Witch's buddy right? Obsidian? Do you know where he went? I kinda need to have a chat with him…" Shay shook his head.

"Sorry, I don't know where Yuto's at right now," he admitted as Hugo deflated.

"Okay… I can wait, I guess…"

The group waited in silence at that point, wondering what the answers would be once Reiji arrived, and what would come after that. For the Lancers, things had done nothing but go sour since they'd arrived in the Synchro Dimension, from getting split up, their transmitters not working, being attacked and imprisoned, the things that happened to Yuya while they were in the prison, the entire fiasco of escaping the prison, dealing with the Council, and Director Roger, and now this mess with the Opening Ceremony, which could potentially put Yuya out of commission completely. Nothing had gone right, and some of them were wondering if it was because of all the corruption within the Dimension, or if bad luck was just going to be a common occurrence with this mission.

Admittedly, they all knew the risks involved with being here, but the thing that hurt them most, was the chance of trying as hard as they could, putting out maximum effort, only to end up with nothing. That was their biggest fear, that when it came down to it, all the hard work, blood, sweat, tears, and strength they put into trying to defeat Academia, they wouldn't succeed, and ultimately, their world would perish. It made them wonder if they were fit to even be the ones to try and stop Academia, when even the people who could do it, were nowhere to be found. Sighing, Sawatari looked to his hands, seeing the burst-like marks from the Fly-By-Night capsules there while his mind mulled over something.

"This is shit…" everyone looked to him.

"Huh?" he frowned as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the bottle of fly-by-night capsules.

"When myself, Yuya, Crow, and Tokumatsu got out of the prison and ended up on the roof… I tried to fight some of the Witches that were sent to stop us… and I got my ass handed to me. If Yuya hadn't stepped in to help me… I'd be in bad shape…" Gongenzaka hummed.

"Your point?" he inquired.

"It showed me how outclassed us mortals are. Compared to the Witches in our group, even the Sages and whatever else we got… we're the weak links. None of us know half of the magic we should in order to even barely stand a chance against the more seasoned and skilled magic users out there, and if we have to fight in a Variance, we're gonna get ourselves killed." Sky looked down.

"To be honest… I can understand why that spooked you so much. The older a Witch is, the more advanced the magic is, and the more skilled they become with their particular craft. Knowing that, it makes sense that mortals using enhancements, wouldn't fair well… even so, you guys can learn how to fight," he stated.

"How? In case you haven't noticed Sky, we're on the field! There's a whole lot of shit happening, and none of us stand a fucking chance against it! Look at us, we're at the mercy of every single one of these ass hats in this city! Not to mention, we need two Pillars to stitch the Dimension and Zone back together, and we have no fucking clue who they are, how to find them, or anything!" Sky sighed.

"Sawatari, you've gotta realize also, that you're surrounded by Witches who can teach you more than just elemental spells. You need offensive and defensive spells, so I know for a fact that you can do something with all the people who can teach you on the fly at your disposal. None of you are the weak link, and none of us are giving up just because we appear to be outnumbered," he said.

"Sky's correct, we may not be a one-hundred-man force, or even half that, but by working together and using each other's strengths and weaknesses to help one another, we can accomplish what we set out to do." Yuzu glanced to the pale-blue-haired boy.

"Why are they calling you Sky?" she questioned. The Dyren Witch smiled as he turned his attention to her.

"I changed my name once I left Academia behind and joined the Lancers. The moment I decided to do that, I knew who I used to be couldn't come with me, so I changed my name, altered my deck to include more than just Fusions, and adorned myself in a red jacket. I'm not a dog of Academia anymore, I'm a Lancer and for the first time in my whole life, I've got friends and people who I can consider family." Dennis looked down.

" _Not a dog of Academia anymore, huh? That sounds nice…"_

The noise of the door opening alerted the others, causing them to stand to their feet as Reiji entered the room, looking a tad tired as he adjusted his glasses and shut the door behind him. Silence permeated the entire area, making the group feel claustrophobic almost as they stood there, soaking in the exhausted aura around their leader, and his quiet demeanor that made them to nervous for words. Reiji looked to them, sighing once more as he nodded his head, and folded his arms over his chest.

"Yuya will be fine. He has a concussion, but the doctor assured me that he'll be fine and will most likely wake up by tomorrow. The good thing is that none of us have any matches until late tomorrow, so we can use it to recover from this mess and let Yuya get his bearings again before we continue with the tournament," he explained.

"Continue?! Why? Look at what's already happened!" Reiji looked to Yuzu.

"I understand your concerns, Yuzu, and if I had it my way, none of us would compete; however, we don't have a choice. If we don't, the Council will attempt siding with Academia, and that could mean them trying to find the Pillar here within the Synchro Dimension, and should they die, our world will start to deteriorate quicker than we can repair it with the Zone-Dimension split at three," he informed her.

"Three?" he nodded.

"Yes, Pendulum, Link, and Ritual are all intact, if not a bit shaken up by the instability of our world; however, Synchro, Fusion, and Xyz are split, and the Xyz Zone doesn't even exist anymore," he stated.

"Alright, then how the fuck, do you expect the world to regain stability when the Xyz Zone is gone?" Reiji fixed his glasses.

"Two Pillars are required to restore a Dimension to its Zone, but… three Pillars, can restore a Zone all together, so long as the Dimension still exists," he said simply. Several of the group gave him confused looks.

"How do you know that?" Hugo looked to Reiji.

"You read the information I gave you. That was something mentioned in one of the documents… amongst a lot of other things… like how to identify Pillars with their energy frequencies and – "Reiji turned his attention to him.

"And, their personalities, behavior, and responses to shifts in positive and negative energies around them. If someone is abnormally hyper sensitive to such things, they most likely are a Pillar. They have rather impressive senses and have the ability to detect things that most cannot. Those are the most common traits of a Pillar of Millennium." Shay narrowed his eyes.

"Yuma was like that definitely. He was spastic at times, but he was always very in tune with things going on around him, and would sense things that others couldn't… but so could…" he trailed off.

"So, could whom?" the Risulian Witch shook his head.

"Never mind, just a randomized thought. But are you sure that's a defining characteristic of a Pillar?" he inquired.

"I am, without question. There are no defining markings on a Pillar that would give them away, its their personalities, traits, and characteristics that clue one into who they truly are."

"What did you mean by impressive senses?" asked Serena.

"Quite simply put, their five senses are a great deal stronger than an average person's, let alone their ability to sense positive and negative energy, spirits, read people's auras in a way that even Dyren Witches and the like cannot do, and their talent for seeking to help protect and heal wounded hearts and souls."

"That doesn't exactly help, a lot of people are like that," Sky stated.

"It does, but the facts are things that I will be able to detect." Shay looked him over.

"Alright Akaba, how about telling us about the Pillars identities?" deep purple eyes glanced towards the Risulian Witch.

"No, not until Yuya is awake. He needs to know this information as well," he informed him.

"Reiji's got a point, we're all working together so if the information isn't spread out to all of the Lancers, then we're looking at a really nasty potential for a mistranslation somewhere when it comes to important details." Shay growled slightly under his breath.

"Fine, but once Yuya's awake and we're sure he'll be okay, I want answers like you promised," he said sharply as he walked away, heading towards his room to get some rest.

"I think it would be best if everyone settled in for the evening. The Council staff informed me that they would bring dinners to our rooms tonight so that everyone can be well rested. Yuzu? Hugo? Each of you have your own rooms prepared for you to rest in for the evening, they're rooms two and nine. I hope that you sleep well," Reiji said as he handed the two their key cards and left, heading to his own room for the evening while Riley followed him out of the common area and the group glanced to one another, trying to decide what to do next.

"Should we just call it a night?" they nodded, heading out of the common area and to their own rooms for the evening.

 **{Lancer Area: August 18** **th** **, 2014: 7:03am}**

The entire group had woken up early that morning, eaten breakfast, and gotten themselves ready for the day, unsure of whether or not they would be faced with being made to watch the tournament, once they were announced to the public as people participating at ten today, or not, and had taken the time to make sure they had everything they needed, when the notion of whether or not Yuya would be going with them came to mind, and the idea of going to see him crossed Yuzu's train of thought for a moment, but she ultimately decided against it. However, as she sat in the common room, the waiting the others to meet up with her, she was joined by Serena, whom sat down with a solemn expression on her face as the purple-haired girl closed her eyes, seeming to fist the hem of her off-white skirt as Yuzu looked her over.

Seeing the red half-cut bomber jacket on the girl, and recalling the red jackets everyone else had been wearing, made her wonder how long Reiji had actually had to prepare, but hadn't lingered on it long as she glanced down to her lap. Her attire consisted of black thigh-high stockings, white mid-calf boots, a pair of dark pink shorts, a black belt, and a white zipper-front shirt with a t-shirt jacket in black with pink stitching on it, the hood laid across her shoulders and onto her back while she sat there, her hair tied up in its normal twin-tails with purple ties, and her deck and Duel Disk strapped to her belt. As she moved her hand to check that she had everything she would need for the day though, she felt something in her pocket and pulled it out, revealing it to be Serena's yellow ribbon which she clutched tightly in her hands.

"Um… Serena?" the girl looked to her.

"Yea? Something wrong Yuzu?" she asked.

"No, I just wanted to give you your ribbon back." The girl looked to it, reaching to Yuzu's outstretched hand as she took it back, holding it in her palm.

"You kept it? How come?" she inquired as Yuzu smiled.

"Well, its yours, not mine. I figured it should be returned to its proper owner, who can decide what to do with it then." Serena smiled, and moved to wrap the cotton ribbon around her left wrist, tying it into a knot with her teeth as she looked to it before tucking it into itself, so the end pieces weren't sticking out while it rested just under her bracelet.

"I'll wear it like this, so I can make sure to remember what you did to help me and that I'm doing this for someone I care for," she stated as Yuzu nodded.

"Sounds like a good plan. Did Joeri give you that ribbon?" Serena looked down.

"He did, when I turned fourteen it was a gift from him. I didn't know why he gave it to me at first, and then a friend of ours told me that he actually made it himself, out of dyed hemp fibers and stitched it so it would be more durable than satin or silk would be. Yellow like the moon during the harvest… he chose the color because it reminded him of one of the most prominent colors on my Moonlight Monsters," she explained.

"That's really sweet… he must care a lot about you." Turquoise eyes glanced to the pink-haired girl.

"Dennis had a run in with him before he found you, just so you know…" the girl jolted.

"What? He did? What happened?" Serena sighed.

"Joeri wasn't interested in him, so he told him to get out of his way or be turned into a card, and when Dennis went to get away from him, he ended up having to dodge a spell, and he noticed it… Corruption Magic," she explained as Yuzu placed a hand to her mouth.

"Oh, Serena, I'm so sorry… I wish… who am I kidding? There's nothing I could do to help you… I'm just a mortal…" the Kontis Witch sighed.

"Even mortals have power, they just have to believe in themselves in order to bring it out. However, I do understand that you probably feel powerless… but so do I… considering that… I'm not even sure what I can do to save Joeri…" she mentioned, glancing to the ribbon on her wrist.

"That's how I feel about all of this. I'm not a very skillful Duelist, I'm not a Witch, and I'm not very brave… so I feel helpless… when I see people I love get hurt… especially Yuya. Every time I think things are okay, I have to stand on the sidelines… and watch him suffer in silence… or worse… I know what's happening, and I have no power to stop it." Serena looked her over.

"Funny, because in Yuya's eyes… you're his savior. Every single time I hear him speak about you, I hear so much adoration and appreciation for everything you've helped him through and been apart of with him. Yuzu, I don't think you see your worth in his eyes… to Yuya, you have more power than he could when it comes to being able to hold himself together… because that's why you're there," she stated as Yuzu smiled, looking down.

"See, I find that humorous, because Yuya is that to me. He's been my closest friend since we were babies… and for some reason, I always wanted him by my side… if he's not there…" Serena nodded.

"It feels wrong, right? I understand that, Joeri and I are the same way. The Professor never liked us being around one another, but he relented despite that when he saw how happy he makes me… but I always knew he would jump at the chance to remove Joeri from the equation when it came to my life." Yuzu sighed.

"We'll find a way to fix this mess, I'm not sure how, but I promise, we'll find a way," she said.

"That's a good promise… hopefully all of us can keep it." Yuzu smiled.

"We will, just you wait and see. But, I guess the best way to start this off would be to find the Pillars… I just wish Reiji would tell us who they are," she told Serena with a laugh as the girl bit her lip.

"Right… Yuzu? Can I tell you something? It's important, but… I can't say all of it… I don't think its my place." The Melodious Duelist nodded.

"Of course, you can, what is it?" Yuzu inquired as Serena took in a deep breath.

"I highly doubt Reiji Akaba's forgotten this, and has just trusted me to keep my mouth shut about it… but he may or may not have intentionally divulged the identity of one of the Pillars to me when I ran into him during the start of the Battle Royale." The room went deathly still, and a moment later, Yuzu took in a deep breath.

"So, he's known for that long?" she asked.

"Probably longer than that, actually. The one thing that's always bothered me about Reiji Akaba, is that he's always got more knowledge about things than a normal person should. The structure of our world, the Pillars, and the magical community are just to name a few… plus I know for a fact that he was spying on Yuya, he admitted that much… but he seemed to know quite a bit even before he took an interest in Yuya… which is a bit strange in and of itself." Yuzu thought for a moment.

"That makes sense, I suppose. Well, I mean… I can understand why that would bother you, but Reiji Akaba has always crossed me as a highly well-informed person. Considering that, I guess that's why it doesn't cross me as odd… all the same… you should probably ask him what the deal is. the most he can do is skirt around the question or give you an indirect answer," she admitted.

"Good point, I just –" the door suddenly opened, causing the two girls to look up as Sky met their gaze as he took in a few deep breaths, seeming to have run from the other side of the floor where their rooms were located.

"Sky? What's up? Why do you look so out of breath?" Yuzu questioned as she and Serena stood.

"Yuya's awake! He's asking for you, Yuzu."

The two girls wasted no time in following Sky back towards Yuya's room, and all the while, Yuzu's heart hammered painfully against her ribcage, mind racing through all the different scenarios that could take place. None of them were particularly bad; however, she did wonder what would happen, now that they would be back together after not knowing the exact fates of one another for quite some time. She could imagine learning that she was safe, was as relieving to hear for Yuya, as it was for her to learn that he was safe and with the others as well. Taking that into account, Yuzu prepared herself for seeing him again as they finally came onto the corridor and Sky opened the door.

Everyone else had instantly cleared out of the room, staying out in the hallway save for Reiji as Yuzu stepped into the room. Her gaze went to the silver-haired teenager who stood near the foot of the left side of the bed with an aging doctor while sitting up in the bed, seeming to be listening to what the doctor was saying, was Yuya. He had a few bandages on him here and there, and had a monitor lying beside him due to them keeping tabs on his heartrate and other things; however, the slight gauze wrapped around his head did bother her to a degree as he nodded at the doctor's statement as he looked to him, and then the doctor glanced her way, smiling as he bowed slightly towards Reiji and exited the room, Serena stepping back as Sky did while Reiji informed Yuya to try and be ready when they leave for the announcement that afternoon just before leaving, closing the door behind him as Yuzu stood there, alone with Yuya.

"Hey, Yuzu…" the pink-haired girl looked to him as he moved a bit, coming to sit on the edge of the bed as she felt tears well up in her eyes.

"Yuya!"

Without a second of hesitation, Yuzu ran towards him, throwing her arms around him as he was nearly thrown back on the bed while the girl buried her face into his chest, crying as he took a moment to regain his composure, and then a moment later, she felt his hand rest atop her head as he pulled her closer to him, wrapping an arm around her waist as she looked up to him and he smiled, the girl pulling him into a tight embrace as he held her just as tightly, the two feeling almost afraid that if they were to let go, one of them would disappear again. Yuzu felt him take in a deep breath as she caught the familiar scent of citrus and spices that she had always associtated with him, and a safe person to go to as she tried to steady herself.

"I missed you, Yuzu… I'm so glad you're okay," he told her as she nodded, glancing up to him.

"You too, Yuya… I missed you so much… I thought I'd never… see you again." Yuya laughed.

"Come on now, you know me better than that. Yuzu…" periwinkle eyes stared up into scarlet ones.

"Yuya… I just…" he placed a gentle hand to her cheek.

"No matter what, how far or how great the fight is, I'll endure it so can find you. I told you I'd always be there for you, and I'm not breaking that promise," he told her as she sniffled.

"I… know… sorry." He shook his head as he stood up, wobbling just a fraction as Yuzu stepped back just a bit and stared him over as he smiled, reaching to pull her into a proper hug.

It was in that moment, that Yuzu realized something that somewhat startled her. For their entire lives, Yuya had always been a couple inches shorter than she was, but now, he was taller than her, not by much, but by about two or three inches, something she hadn't expected. Periwinkle eyes looked up into his familiar scarlet eyes, and another thing struck her as she realized that his eyes looked different, and in a manner, that she couldn't quite place. Yuya's eyes had always been vibrant, full of light, and innocence, but now, his gaze seemed a bit older, world-wearier, and had the faintest traces of an unknown darkness that showed he'd endured something recently that had changed him, but in what way, Yuzu couldn't be certain as she returned his embrace, feeling his warmth and choosing to ignore some of the differences.

"You're taller," she muttered as he laughed a bit.

"Guess so, I didn't really notice it…" she shook her head.

"Its not much, but I've always been taller than you… now you're taller than I am," she explained as he gave a faint laugh.

"Well, we're at that age I guess… it would have happened eventually..." Yuzu frowned as she looked up to him.

"No getting taller on me! Okay! You can't go and change on me… you're supposed to stay the same," she started mumbling as she realized how silly she sounded, causing Yuya to laugh a bit more as he caught her chin, startling her due to her having looked down when embarrassment started to take over.

"Change is part of nature, but that doesn't mean we have to be alone… okay? Remember, I promised I'd be there for you, and you'd do the same…so, the way I see it, no matter what, we'll always have one another no matter what happens, right?" Yuzu felt a blush come to her features as Yuya leaned forward and kissed her forehead, causing the flush to her cheeks to grow unbearably dark as she fisted the front of his white shirt while she remained still until he stepped back and put his arms around her.

"Yuya?" he hummed a bit.

"Yea? What is it?" the pink-haired girl sighed, shaking her head.

"Never mind, but… can I… just stay like this for a few minutes longer?" the boy tightened his hold on her.

"Okay…"

The two of them remained standing there holding onto one another for a few moments longer, and were content to remain that way until they heard shouting from outside, startling them greatly as the person yelling sounded as though they were using a megaphone or something. Yuya took Yuzu's hand and the two walked towards the door, opening it as they saw Crow Hogan standing toe to toe with none other than Jack Atlas, the blonde covering his ears as the orange-haired Sage continued to scream insults at him as he shoved him, and he took it while the others watched, having circled closer to Yuya's door as Crow continued his tirade against the Dueling King who looked more like a whipped puppy right then, somewhat confusing Yuya who recalled the more confident man from last night.

"IF YOU THINK FOR ONE FUCKING SECOND THAT I'M LETTING YOU WITHIN TWO INCHES OF YUYA THEN YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER THING COMIN'!" Jack sighed.

"I merely wanted to –" Crow cut him off.

"HOW ABOUT YOU THINK OF OTHERS INSTEAD OF YOURSELF FOR ONCE?! OR IS THAT BENEATH YOU? _OH, MIGHTY KING OF DUELS!_ I'VE SEEN BUGS WITH BETTER MANNERS THAN YOU, AND HOW DARE YOU ATTACK A FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD KID WHO YOU KNEW WOULD GET HURT IF HE WASN'T ABLE TO PAY ATTENTION!" the last screaming insult made everyone feel as though the entire area was rumbling, and it almost seemed as though it was, resulting in Yuya tightening his grip on Yuzu's hand as the group watched Crow take in a deep breath.

"Seems I should have just stayed in my room," Yuya thought aloud as he shook his head a bit, feeling a bit of vertigo and his ears ringing from Crow's shouting.

"Yuya, good to see you on your feet." The scarlet-eyes boy nodded to Shinji's statement as Jack looked him over.

"Looks as though you're still in one piece, that's good to see," Jack stated.

" _ **Oh, looky here! The Jackass of all Trades is here…"**_

" _Hush Yuto, I don't think this is the time for you to be making jokes,"_ Yuya thought to the snarky spirit who was sorely tempted to scare the hell out of Jack Atlas, but restrained himself.

"Why are you here?" Jack sighed.

"To make sure you didn't get your head split open when you hit the tarmac. Personally, I'd prefer it if I wasn't held responsible for severe injuries to a witchling with so many extras around him. What, are you some kind of celebrity from where you're from?" Yuya narrowed his eyes at the man's statement.

"No, not really. My uncle is…" Jack rose an eyebrow.

"Uncle? That's right, you told me your parents are dead. I guess that means your aunt and uncle raised you…" he mentioned.

"Logically, that would be the answer." The blonde-haired man frowned.

"Well, I only came to make sure you were still alive. Seeing that you are, I'm satisfied. Goodbye…" Yuya growled a bit.

"People would like you better if you weren't such an ass," he stated, causing Jack to still.

"In case yesterday evening wasn't an indicator, the masses adore me." Yuya laughed, a mirthless smirk on his face.

"No, they love the idea of you. Once they meet you in person, they realize what a horrible person you really are. Not to mention, the inherent lack of respect for others you have… its really insulting to our kind," he informed him.

"If you're attempting to pay me back for my statements last night, your bite needs more force, because that barely left a mark. But, I still stand by what I said last night… you're a lost boy, and are a far cry from being a true entertainer, a true Duelist, or a true Witch. You can never achieve what you desire to with the lack of conviction and bite you possess, let alone the fact that you've left your spirit in chains, ignoring its true nature in favor of appeasing those around you… someone like you… is and will always remain weak." With that Jack left and Yuya ground his teeth together.

" _One instance of me getting my claws into you, Jack Atlas, and you'll see how much bite and power I actually possess, but once you witness it… you'll wish it was just a bad dream…"_ Yuya thought as he tried to hold back the urge to attack the man, his magic practically crackling under his skin as Yuto seemed to move about within his mind in alarm.

" _ **Yuya! Think about what you're saying!"**_ the boy took in a deep breath, his mind considering his prior words as he thought of what was happening.

" _R-Right… sorry, I just lost my temper there for a moment,"_ he assured the spirit.

"Yuya, you should go and get dressed, the contestant announcements will be starting in an hour." The boy nodded, Yuzu letting his hand go as he went back into his room and the group went to the common area to wait for him.

Yuya was quick to enter his room and get himself changed into his clothes, pulling on the blood red jacket of the Lancers as he considered his sudden mood swing, and how he was feeling the oncoming sting of a headache startling to build up as he slipped his pendulum crystal over his head and tugged on his shoes, loosening his goggles a bit before putting them on as he started out of his room, pocketing the keycard, and his Duel Disk as he walked down the hallway towards the others. It confused him, why he would even consider attacking someone, when all his life he had been told to not harm others. Nonetheless, he suspected it was just him being angry at Jack, and also being exhausted, and in pain.

Sighing, Yuya finally reached the common area, and was greeted by the others, and by Yuzu's slightly startled reaction as she looked him over. Her mind registered his physical changes, but she also was now forced to look at his overall differences. Yuya's attire consisting of dark green cargo pants that she was used to him wearing, but his black and dark red sneakers, black t-shirt, and him wearing his jacket on his arms instead of resting upon his shoulders slightly threw her off. The most distinct thing that confused her to a degree was how somewhat startling seeing that dark red jacket on him looked, and as he moved his arm up a bit, she noticed that he wasn't wearing his wrist warmers, telling her that he was showing his scars willingly, something she'd never expected him to do.

Yuya had changed, and while Yuzu knew he would change with the passing of time, she hadn't anticipated it to be like this, nor this swiftly, and that was what spooked her the most. It had only been around three-and-a-half weeks since they'd been split up from one another, and yet Yuya had already changed more than he truly had since she'd first met him out of just growing older. She sighed, smiling to him as he sat next to her, his gaze going to Hugo who gave him an anxious grin while scarlet eyes looked him over.

"Um… listen, I had no idea that if I went near Yuzu she would end up getting warped back here with me, and at first I thought she was Rin… so I'm… sorry about all the worry I put you through," Hugo apologized, expecting Yuya to do something to him, but instead he received a small smile.

"I actually should be thanking you. All this time, you've kept her safe and made sure she was okay… its because of you that we got to see each other again. So, thanks, Hugo… for all your help." The Unduline grinned.

"Eh, it was nothing," he said.

"Well, all the same, I appreciate it. Now, should we be heading down to the stadium?" the group nodded.

"Reiji has everything prepared for us." Sawatari smiled.

"And you'll find it interesting that the Lancers make up half of the contestants in this tournament," he stated in a matter of fact tone.

"Hey, guess that means we can choose who gets voted off the island then, huh?" Sawatari shot Sky a long look.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"Just sayin' if you're not up to scruff, we can have small personal Duels between the matches and see whose the better Duelists." Dennis laughed.

"Then half of us would lose to you, Shay, Yuya, and Serena if we're only going by those competing," he pointed out.

"Hmm… true." The group laughed a bit as Reiji smiled, following them while he considered that tonight, several bits of information would come out that he only hoped his team was prepared to receive.

 **{…..}**

 _When you pry it from my cold, dead, chest…_

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** So, this was a bit of a dialog heavy chapter, but it helps to break up the monotony of nothing but Duels. Yuya's doing okay, and he and Yuzu were reunited finally, and how touching was that? I can tell you from a personal experience, that having a concussion isn't fun, and it hurts like hell. So, yea, any symptoms Yuya may experience, are genuine, and from my own experience of having a concussion only a couple months ago. Well, tell me what you think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Pillars collective traits and abilities are a bit more defined the more you learn about them individually.

and Hugo's room numbers are a reference to the tarot cards they're associated with, Yuzu's being no.2 and Hugo's being no.9

of the girls' bracelets are worn on the left wrist.

's statement about Reiji telling her the identity of a Pillar is actually true, it happened in Chapter 41: Team. Guys, that was 41 chapters ago! :O

several scenes of Yuya and Yuzu side by side, Yuya actually is shorter than Yuzu, but during and after the Synchro Arc, Yuya is taller than her. He had a growth spurt.

hopped on the name-pun bandwagon, I see. What am I going to do with these guys?

Sky made a Survivor reference. If you don't know what that is, it's a survivalist reality show… I'm from South Carolina, so I'm not sure how far that series reaches… *sighs*


	82. Chapter 82: Of Gods & Feathers

Chapter 82: Of Gods & Feathers

 **{Duel Palace Stadium: August 18th, 2014: 9:45am}**

Fireworks, confetti, and the roars of the crowd greeted the group as they gathered into the entrance of the stadium, preparing to be called out onto the field. As they waited though, Yuya felt someone tap him on the shoulder, and he turned to look who it was, only to see Sam Whittle present, beckoning him away from the group as he wore an anxious expression on his features. Yuya read loud and clear that he was nervous, but also highly agitated in a manner that was clearly readable as subtle anger as he went around a corner, making sure to keep tabs on the time as he considered that it was a little less than fifteen minutes or so before the opening announcements would begin.

"Is something wrong?" Sam looked down.

"Listen, I um… heard what Jack said to you before you lost," he admitted as Yuya sighed.

"Oh, that? Don't worry about it, I've faced people like that before, so – "Sam shook his head.

"What he said, was wrong. No one has the right to say those things to another person… mortal or magi, it doesn't matter," he told him as the scarlet-eyed teenager rose an eyebrow.

"Sam, are you trying to apologize for something Jack Atlas said? Because if you are, that's not your fault, you're not in control of his actions, he is, and he did something wrong, its not your place to apologize for someone else." Sam took in a steady breath.

"I know that, but someone like him… doesn't have the right to be called the King and Hero of both Commons and Tops alike," he said.

"Maybe not, but he's called that because he's strong and a capable Duelist." Sam looked him in the eyes.

"But you are too," he told him as Yuya smiled a bit.

"No, I'm not nearly as strong as I'd like to think I am. Every time I believe I'm tough enough to deal with something, I get proven wrong quickly. For a long time, I've thought that my uncle's teaching methods of showing me how to Duel was the best way to do things, but the longer I'm here… the more I think… people like Jack may have a point… I'm not really sure who I am and what I'm capable of… mostly because I've let others decide who I was supposed to be as opposed to choosing for myself, and as of now, I'm following the path others have set for me blindly…" the mousy boy frowned.

"That's not what I see or saw yesterday. When you Dueled, I saw fire and strength, and a determination to succeed in something… so, I don't think you're weak," he told the other.

"Sam, why are you talking to me? Is something else on your mind?" the other nodded slowly.

"I… wanted to give you this…" Yuya looked to the card Sam held out.

It was a level one dark attribute tuner monster with zero attack and defense. The image consisted of a pale palette of colors, showing a little magician with a strange mechanical object letting off light waves, wearing a blue and white robe set with pink hair falling well past her shoulders while she had wide dark eyes. Yuya rose an eyebrow as Sam took in a steady breath, and the Odd-Eyes Duelist read loud and clear the emotions that came off the other, which consisted of anger and having a strange feeling of regret for something he couldn't quite place.

"Tuning Magician? Why are you giving me this card?" he asked.

"At some point… please return it to Jack in whatever way you see fit." Scarlet eyes widened.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Yuya questioned.

"When you win the Friendship Cup, and challenge him one more time!" the Waking Witch stared at the mortal boy, shocked by his sudden demeanor change from the night before.

"You want me to return this card to Jack? Sam, I'm not sure if I'll win this tournament or not. After last night, I just can't be sure of a lot of things anymore…" Sam shook his head.

"No! You're stronger than you realize, and I'd rather have you as the Duel King of Neo City that someone like him!" he received a look of confusion.

"Sam… why do you hate Jack so much?" Yuya inquired as the boy took in a deep breath.

"Jack used to be a star of hope for us Commons. He was born and raised in the slums like I was, and went on to compete in the Friendship Cup back when it was known as the Fortune Cup, and defeated Duelists from the Tops one after another. I really admired him for that, and everyone believed that once he became the Duel King, life would get better for the Commons, and that included the people who were Casts too…" Yuya's gaze softened.

"But that didn't happen, did it?" Sam shook his head violently.

"No, it didn't. Back when he won, he was the first Common, let alone a Common who was a Cast, to ever win the tournament and become the Duel King. I felt so happy for him, almost like it was me up there because I realized that if I tried I could do anything…" the other took in a deep breath.

"He changed, didn't he? From how he once was?" he probed as Sam looked down.

"Right… after becoming King, Jack became the biggest star in Neo City. I know you're not from here, but this is the kind of place where those who win become wealthy, and have everything. After that first win though, he continued to win, duel after duel, no one stopping him no matter how skilled. Jack got approached by tons of companies and rich folks, and got his hands on plenty of wealth and status." Yuya narrowed his gaze.

"Enough that he could have made lives better for the Commons and the Casts as well," he stated as Sam looked to Yuya.

"He could have, but he didn't, and before we knew it, he started looking down on us Commons. I tried to meet him before and get his autograph; however, that was the day I also learned what the saying of never meet your heroes truly means. I got pushed by a guard who realized what I was trying to do…right in front of Jack when he was walking towards some museum opening… and I ended up telling him how much I looked up to him as well as how I would keep rooting for him… and he handed me that card."

"Tuning Magician?" Sam nodded.

"He gave me this card, because I never had a deck of my own… a card that suited me the most he said… a weak level one monster with no attack or defense power. This was the card that suited me the most? Even though I'd struggled for so long and worked so hard so one day I could maybe try and enter the Friendship Cup and Duel him… I put my hopes in someone whose nothing but a self-righteous ass!" Yuya frowned at hearing the story.

"I'm sorry…" he started, but was cut off.

"Jack Atlas, after he became famous, became a traitor to us Commons, to his own origins… and sold his soul to the Tops! He's one of the reasons I hate so many of the Magi and Casts… they always feel fake and seem like all they want to do is support themselves while they leech off of everyone else!" Yuya sighed.

"We're not all like that," he said.

"I know that… you reminded me of that. Something about you is different, and that's why I think I can believe in you… I need someone I can put some faith in, and I think that person is you, Yuya Sakaki." The scarlet-eyed boy looked him over.

"Sam, I'm not the right person to put your faith in…. I'm not even sure who I am. The confidence I have, is a very thin and well-placed mask… and I'm damaged… you need a pristine, held together person to put your faith in…" Sam shook his head again.

"Any doubts, fears, and pains you have, just means you understand the pain others have endured on a different level. Think about this, please… because even if you don't have faith in yourself, I think you could win this thing if you find a way to believe in yourself," he answered as he heard Melissa Claire begin her introduction.

"I… I'll do what I can, okay? But, I can't make any promises." Sam smiled slowly.

"That's enough for me, thank you, Yuya," he said as Yuya slid the card into his deck and walked back towards the others while Sam slipped away to go back to his seat in the arena built for two-hundred-thousand.

The audience was a roaring thunderous applause as Melissa Claire came flying down from a helicopter, using a parachute to land carefully upon the field as she waved to the masses, smiling and talking as she walked onto the announcers stage and looked over the prompts she was given for the announcement of the competitors before nodding her head while in the entry area, the group found themselves anxious as they slowly came out of the arena via the directions of the event staff member with them and were soon gathered on the field, everyone roaring with applause as Yuzu glanced to Yuya who seemed a bit anxious about something, but she decided to let things slide for the time being while Reiji, Riley, and Tsukikage hung back in the entry area.

Without question, the arena was massive, and the number of people in there made the ground feel as though it was violently shaking, which caused Yuya to recall Sky's statement about how loud the stadium in Maiami City had been. Sighing, he prepared himself for what was coming while he considered what would be coming once the afternoon started, and who would be Dueling once the official opening ceremony and introduction of the contestants would be. As the group stood there, many people began to mutter under their breath, noting the blood red vests and jackets everyone wore, which they knew was drawing attention to themselves, but none of the Lancers could honestly care less at this point.

" **Well, howdy ya'll! Welcome to the contestant announcements for the annual Friendship Cup! Today, we have all of our sixteen contestants right here, front and center for everyone to see! Now, let's get this party started!"**

Everyone cheered, causing several of the people to jolt a bit, shocked by the sheer force and volume as they considered the two-hundred-thousand people present in the arena, and how much louder it would all be once the Duels begin. As everyone stood there, Melissa checked what seemed to be a holographic card to her left, and she nodded as everyone awaited the names of their contestants. Reiji took in a deep breath, anxiety something he was not accustomed to as he considered last night's crash, and the risks involved with continuing with this tournament, and the greater dangers of losing both a Pillar, and the Dimension of the Synchro Zone – essentially, half of the entire area of Synchro – to Academia. It was to great a threat to ignore, and thus, he had to regrettably put his teammates in the line of fire in a tournament he didn't know the true intentions or hazards of.

" **Alright everyone! Let's get things goin'! We'll be starting with this gentleman! Despite his loss last night to the King, everyone seems thoroughly impressed by the skills of this young little pup! Give me a round of applause for YUYA SAKAKI!"**

The applause and cheering made Yuya feel a bit uncomfortable, mainly because it was starting to make his ears hurt, which hadn't honestly happened before, and caused him a bit of confusion as he stood alongside the other contestants, and a larger hologram of himself appeared, causing a few of them to look at the scene in bewilderment. It wasn't something they were used to, but supposed everyone did their tournaments differently.

" **Best keep your eyes on this cutie, no telling what he might do, and the same could be said for our other contestants! Next, we have a lovely girl from out of town with the same team as Yuya Sakaki, please give a nice applause for YUZU HIIRAGI!"**

Noise returned, and Yuya ground his teeth against it as more of the people were introduced, bringing back memories – painful ones – of the day the Lancers were announced. All of it was unbearably noisy, which he had expected to a degree, but the slight ringing and pain it caused in his ears wasn't what he had anticipated, but solely chalked it up to the concussion as the contestants were continued to be announced.

" **We have next on our contestants list, Sylvio Sawatari!"**

" _This noise is so loud…"_

" _ **Just bear with it a bit longer, they've announced four others already, we don't have many left,"**_ Yuto told him as he sensed Yuya's magic bristling, almost like an irritated cat.

" **From the Commons we have Crow Hogan! Shinji Webber! Donny Walters! And Damon Blake!"**

"Whew! Black Feathers represent!" called someone from the audience as Crow laughed a bit.

"There are a lot of Commons in the crowd that are always happy to see a Black Feather gang member in the line up here, but its been a long time," Shinji explained as the others nodded.

" **Next up! We have a legend of the Commons! Chojirou Tokumatsu, or ENJOY CHOJIROU!"**

That announcement had a few of the Lancers jumping a bit at the eruption of applause, the older man smiling to himself while the others questioned how popular he had been prior to him being thrown in the Northern Detention Center. Reiji continued to keep a close eye on his Lancers while Tsukikage did his job and kept a look out for any Academia spies that may have sauntered onto the premise with strict instructions to dispose of them quickly so that Academia wouldn't know that they were there while Riley watched beside him, seeming nervous, but after the crash last night, Reiji had learned that his little brother had feared for Yuya's safety as well as the others, and had to put him at ease for the time being.

" **On our list we have Sky Shuinin, and a young spit fire from the Commons! Hugo Matsumoto! They are closely followed by Dennis MacField, and Serena Allister!"**

It was then, that the first Duel of the afternoon was announced, Gongenzaka, and Crow would be duking it out to kick-start things, and while that set several of them on edge, they all knew that the two could handle themselves. Once everyone was allowed to leave the field, they were escorted to an area that they could watch secluded from the rest of the audience, while Crow and Gongenzaka suited up and prepared for their Duel. If the two were to be honest though, they had hoped that none of their allies would be Dueling one another, only for fear of what could potentially happen should one of them lose; however, neither doubted that Reiji didn't already have a plan in mind.

Crow sighed as he considered what would happen and that while he didn't truly desire too, he would have to fight Gongenzaka with all his might. The Duel didn't bother him, but what did was taking away someone Yuya was close to in the midst of the things that had transpired. Sighing, Crow checked his D-Wheel and Gongenzaka zipped up his riding suit, his mind considering what could also happen once the first Duel of the day was over, and what else could potentially come from it. As the giant of a teenager pondered this though, he heard the orange-haired Blackwing Duelist clear his throat, catching his attention.

"Um… listen, I'm not sure how things will swing today, but if you lose… I'll make sure to watch after Yuya and Yuzu," Crow stated.

"Excuse me?" the Sage turned to him.

"I know you're still worried about him, and I get that Yuzu's important to him. So, I'll make sure they're safe if you lose to me," he informed him as Gongenzaka looked him over.

"Thank you, Crow. I appreciate your consideration, this is also not what I would have desired immediately. While I am aware that these sorts of events are unavoidable, I also am aware that Reiji Akaba will have secured all of our safeties should problems arise." Crow nodded.

"You have the same feeling I do, huh? That something's off?" he asked.

"Most definitely; however, I do not fear these people. I am steadfast, and I will not be moved by feeble and self-absorbed people." Crow smirked.

"I like you more and more as time goes on Gongenzaka. Alright, what do you say we give these bastards a show they'll talk about the rest of the day?" he held his fist forward, and Gongenzaka bumped it with his own as he nodded.

"Agreed…"

 **{Duel Palace: 11:40am}**

" **And now, the Duelists fighting in the opening match are making their entrance! Remember folks! We have Noburou Gongenzaka verses Crow Hogan! Who will you be rooting for?!"**

"That's a bit hard to say…" Yuzu glanced to Yuya who had his arms propped on by the elbows on his legs while his head rested in his palms.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine… just a bit tired is all." Reiji glanced to him.

"If you want to return to the room, and rest you may. This will be the only Duel today as it's the opening match," he stated as Yuya shook his head a bit.

"No, I'd rather not miss Gongenzaka and Crow's Duel. It just… makes me anxious." Shinji took in a deep breath.

"It should… people who lose in this tournament, they're never seen again," he informed them, causing the group to look at him in shock.

"What did you just say?!" Sawatari stood as he looked to Shinji.

"That's why a lot of us Commons who know about what really goes down stay out of this tournament. Because the people who lose, they're sent to the underground facilities, and never come out." Yuya glanced down, bangs hiding his eyes.

"You're talking forced labor, which means the losers become slaves…" Shay glanced to the boy as he saw Yuya grinding his teeth together, his hands now hanging between his knees as his canines sharpened in a far more lethal manner than what he had seen before.

" _What the hell is going on here?"_ he thought to himself as Yuya took in a deep breath.

"I've already made arrangements. None of you will be going to the undergrounds as I discovered this through some recon I had Sky and Tsukikage do last night. Something smelled foul in this entire scheme, so I decided to double check my opponent's back row before they sprang a trap on us," Reiji stated.

"That makes me feel a bit better…"

The group kept their attention on the field as Crow and Gongenzaka drove by, meeting the startling line while the crowds cheered, and the two considered what was about to happen as the preparations for the start of their Duel. Both knew that no matter what, the Lancers had to succeed in their mission, no matter how many men they were down, finding the Pillar was far more important than picking up defeated soldiers when their entire world was on the line. If something bad happened, Gongenzaka and Crow had both decided they would do everything in their power to fight, and find a way to meet back with the others to support then however they could.

" _Neither of us want to become a spectacle, but we have to do our best in front of these people, otherwise there's no telling what they could do to the rest of our group… heh… listen to me, I guess I've become a Lancer without even really knowing it…"_ Crow thought as he stilled his D-Wheel beside Gongenzaka's green one.

" **Well, its finally startin' we're about to get the full on first match of the Friendship Cup! So, who will be the winner of round one? Crow Hogan? Or Noburou Gongenzaka?! These two are fixin' to go in guns blazin, so things could make or break the tournament for'em!"**

"This is just like when Jack started! So cool! He's my hero!" a woman dressed in a fine purple suit scoft at the young boy's comment.

"Please, Mr. Atlas is the hero of the Tops, not you lowly, pathetic mutts," she stated in a boorish tone.

"Hey! Bitch, he's no real hero, the only reason you like him, so much is because he makes the rest of you look good! But I got my money on one of them kids kicking his ass across the tarmac!"

"Besides, he's supposed to be the hero of the Commons! Or did you forget where he came from?!" the woman narrowed her eyes at the men.

"How dare you talk to me, you swine!" Melissa Claire frowned as the others listened to the quarrel.

"What in the name of Helheim, is wrong with these people?" asked Sky as he looked to the argument taking place not far from them.

"We're separated by class, so –" the boy stood up as the woman whacked one of the men with her purse as he told her to sit down.

"Would the three of you please shut the fuck up?!" Yuya snapped as the woman glared at him.

"Please, why would I listen to someone like you? Not that I could expect you to hold a candle to a man like Mr. Atlas, little boy, so run along back to your caretaker." The boy's scarlet eyes took on an unnatural shine.

"I've just about had it with you gluttonous, self-righteous people! By the Gods! I've never seen such a horrible understanding between different classes! _I could, fucking care less what you think of me,_ _you uptight bitch!_ But if I have to listen to you cram your senseless whining I'm going to lose my mind! So, shut up, watch the damn Duel, and get on with your empty, self-absorbed life!" Yuya sat back down, taking in a deep breath as the woman stared at him in disbelief while the two other men behind her remained silent, looking dumbfounded by the sight of the petite boy who'd lost to Jack Atlas verbally cutting into the woman who'd started the whole situation as Melissa Claire smiled.

" _Someone's got a lot of fire. He's gonna be one to definitely watch in this tournament," s_ he thought as she turned her attention back to the Duel.

"Are you okay, Yuya?" the boy nodded as he took in a deep breath once more, choosing to remain silent for the time being as Melissa initiated the start of the Duel.

" **Action Field on! Crossover Accel! Now! Countdown with me everyone!"**

"THREE!"

Crow, and Gongenzaka readied themselves, being certain to know what they were doing, strategies forming within their minds as the counter in front of them started going down.

"TWO!"

The audiences cheered for the start of the Duel, counting down as the timer went further and further down, anxiety building with excitement as Crow took in a deep breath, Gongenzaka and him having prepared their first five cards while they awaited the start.

"ONE! RIDING DUEL ACCELERATION!"

The golden Action Cards disburst across the field, and the two took off at full speed, the autopilot on as they increased the speed of their D-Wheels, preparing for the corner coming up. however, just as they did, Crow saw Frank, Tanner, and Amanda running from a few security guards, causing his focus to be delayed while he tried to figure out what was going on, but he quickly caught up to and soon passed Gongenzaka, giving him the first turn. It was a problem, dealing with the fact that the kids were here, but he also noted that they weren't far from the others, and he was certain soon one of them would notice the children and go and get them, so he tried his best to keep his attention on the Duel.

"Alright! My turn! since I have no cards on my field, I can special summon Blackwing – Gust the Backblast from my hand!" Crow stated as his level two, nine-hundred attack point Monster came onto the field, its black and green feather body favoring a bird blended with a warrior of some kind.

"Blackwings… I see…" Crow looked to his Monster as he glanced out of the corner of his eye, seeing Frank, Tanner, and Amanda still running.

"And since there's a _Blackwing_ on the field, I can special summon the Tuner Monster, Oroshi the Squall, from my hand!" he informed Gongenzaka as he played a small bird with a red flap under its yellow beak while it also had large, standing teal feathers that looked like eyebrows on its head.

" _ **It's going to be a battle of Synchro verses Synchro…"**_ Yuto thought as Yuya took a moment to think about the Duel.

" _Unless Gongenzaka uses one of the other Summoning Mechanics. Remember, Reiji created Fusions, Xyzs, Links, and Pendulums for his deck specifically. So, instead of using a Synchro Summoning, he may go for something else, but… a Synchro Monster may also be the best one to choose when fighting Crow."_

"Now! I'm Tuning my Level Two Gust the Backblast with my Level One Oroshi the Squall! _Torrential Winds and Rainfall grace the earth and heavens upon ebon wings as you let out your cry of thunder! Synchro Summon_! Show yourself! _Assault Blackwing – Kuniyoshi the Fogbow!"_

A crane decorated in armor and given I cybernetic wing appeared holding a sword, half of his attire adorned in a tattered blue kimono while he wore a torn yellow scarf around his long neck. The monster was only a level three with a thousand attack points, but those who knew Crow, and several of the Lancers were better trained to think that the Monster wouldn't be a potential problem.

"You're already Synchro Summoning?" Gongenzaka questioned.

"Of course, I am! There's no way I'm going to hold back." The Superheavy Samurai duelist nodded.

"Then, you're most certainly not lacking as an opponent," he said as Crow smirked, glancing towards the audience as he saw the three kids still running.

"Naturally. Alright, now once per turn, Kuniyoshi the Fogbow can send a _Blackwing_ from my hand to the Graveyard, to inflict three-hundred points of damage to the opposing player!" Gongenzaka took the gust of sharp wind that hit him, causing his D-Wheel to wobble a bit as his life points dropped down to thirty-seven hundred.

"That wasn't pleasant," the giant of a teenager mumbled.

"And now I summon the Tuner Monster, Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North!" the white and black tufted bird cawed as it took flight, coming in at a level two and thirteen-hundred attack points while Crow looked around in the stands for the three children.

" _ **I sense trouble…"**_ Yuya glanced around, noticing where Yuto was looking, and instantly found himself becoming worried over the situation he saw.

"Sawatari, Serena! Those kids of Crow's are here!" he said as the two looked to where he pointed, showing the three children running from the two guards.

"Do you think that's why Crow keeps glancing around?" the trio stood.

"Gotta be. Let's get them before those goons do..." the others watched, somewhat confused as Yuya, Serena, and Sylvio took off from their place in the stands, running in the direction that the children were in, knowing what their intention would be once they caught up with them while down on the track, Crow continued with his turn.

"When this card is successfully normal summoned, I can special summon one Level Four or lower _Blackwing_ from my graveyard in Defense position. So, I special summon Blackwing – Jetstream, the Blue Sky, which I sent to the Graveyard earlier for Kuniyoshi's effect!" Crow explained as a blue bird with a red feathered head and black eyebrow-like feathers appeared, sporting a level of one, and eight-hundred defense points.

"You're going to Synchro Summon again?!" Crow nodded.

"Bet yer ass I am! I'm Tuning my Level one Jetstream with my Level Two Blizzard the Far North together for a level three Synchro Summon! _Great icy gales of the north, collide with the winds of the world and slice the sky with a spark of light! Synchro Summon!_ Join your brother upon the battlefield! _Assault Blackwing – Kunisada the Fogbow!"_ Crow's monster flew onto the field, a red and green version of Kuniyoshi as it came to fly beside its brother.

"Two Synchro Monsters? But both of their attack points are one-thousand! What are you going to do with that?" Crow glanced to the stands, seeing Yuya and Serena push past the two guards as they snatched up the children with Sawatari right behind them, one of them each having grabbed one of the kids before Yuya winked at the guard, pulling his jacket off over his shoulders in a flourish that caused it to appear to have turned into a cape before it the six of them vanished without a trace.

" _Thank the Gods! They're in safe hands…"_

"Kunisada the Fogbow, once per turn, can return one level three or lower _Blackwing_ from my graveyard to my hand, and until the next time I draw, the attack power of all _Blackwing_ Synchros on my field, increases by that Monster's attack! My two Fogbows gain the thirteen-hundred attack points from Blizzard the Far North!" Crow informed Gongenzaka as he gaped.

"They both have twenty-three hundred attack now!" the Sage nodded.

"During the turn I use this effect, I can't battle! So, I end my turn!" he called as everyone over in the Lancer stand jumped as Yuya, Serena, and Sawatari returned with the three kids with a flourish of red fabric as Yuya adjusted his jacket back on himself, the kids cheering in delight at the magic used, and also at Crow's maneuvers.

"GO GET'EM CROW!" called Tanner as Yuya smiled, sitting down next to Yuzu again.

"Who are those kids?" he glanced her way.

"These are some of the kids Crow looks after. When we saw them running from security, we decided to grab them up, so they didn't get in trouble or put in danger," he explained.

"Oh, alright…"

"I'll make sure to have arrangements made for them to stay with us until this is over," Reiji stated as Riley went towards the three children and gave them a tiny, shy smile as he stood by the railing as down below, Gongenzaka's turn finally arrived.

"My steadfast being shall not waver due to such trifle matters! Regardless of what transportation I use! My turn! I draw! I summon Superheavy Samurai Magnet from my hand! When this card is successfully summoned, I can special summon one Level Four or lower _Superheavy Samurai_ from my hand! Come forth, my second magnet! When Superheavy Samurai Magnet is on my field, my opponent's Monsters can only attack it, and nothing else! In other words, with two magnets on my field, they protect my other Monsters from the opponent, and they protect one another!" he said.

"Whoa! Nice one!" Crow looked to Gongenzaka as he nodded.

"This is the steadfast maneuver I have chosen for now. Turn end," he stated as Crow blinked, realizing that Gongenzaka was going to make him work for a potential victory, and had no intentions of letting him be given the short end of the stick when it came to a good Duel.

"Alrighty then, my turn! Draw! The effect of Kunisada the Fogbow ends, so its attack power returns to normal! I activate Kuniyoshi the Fogbow's Monster effect! I send Blackwing – Harmattan the Sandstorm from my hand to the Graveyard, in order to inflict three hundred points of damage on my opponent!" Gongenzaka took the next hit of the effect, leaving him and thirty-four hundred life points.

" **Crow Hogan continues to steadily chip away at his opponent's Life Points! What'll happen next?!"**

"I summon Blizzard the Far North! Then, using the Monster effect of Blizzard, I special summon Harmattan the Sandstorm from my graveyard!" Crow announced as a short bodied and necked bird with a long beak appeared on the field. It had a yellow body with red accents on its tail feathers, red bead-like plumes around its stubby neck and black wings with orange tips. The monster stood in at a level two and had eight-hundred attack points.

" _He actually has the opportunity to Xyz Summon twice in a row if he had the means to do so… but I get the feeling he's gearing up for a massive Synchro Summon instead,"_ Yuya thought while Yuto laughed a bit.

" _ **You're starting to think like an Xyz user by seeing the overlay patterns everywhere. Its actually a useful skill to adapt, for all you know, that'll save your life one of these days."**_ Yuya smiled as Gongenzaka focused on his Duel down below.

"Thanks to the effect of Kuniyoshi the Fogbow, he sends his Blackwing to the graveyard to deal effect damage, and then uses the effect of Blizzard the Far North to special summon them without a moment's delay. He makes no wasteful movements, now I truly see why Yuya and the others joined with him and Reiji elected to have him become one of the Lancers… he has a solid strategy and knows his deck perfectly." Crow glanced to the other.

"Harmattan the Sandstorm can take on the level of one _Blackwing_ on my field! I choose the level three Kunisada the Fogbow! Now, I'll tune Harmattan with my Blizzard for a level seven Synchro Summon! _With the gracious light of the storms, the roaring drums of its eternal presence descend before us! your ebon wings glistening with raindrops! Synchro Summon!_ Enter the fray! _Assault Blackwing – Raikiri the Sudden Shower!"_ the great warrior bird clad in armor with a metalic wing appeared, black feathers fluttering around it as he swung his sword, and prepared to do his Master's bidding. This Synchro Monster came in at a great twenty-six hundred attack points, making the situation somewhat troublesome, but there were Gongenzaka's two magnets to contend with, so most felt that the Superheavy Samurai Duelist would be save, but, most were also willing to bet Crow had a plan.

"What the – he's got three Synchro Monsters?!" asked Sawatari in shock.

"That's Crow's style, flood the field with extra deck monsters and beat the tar out of his opponent." Yuzu turned her gaze towards the two of them, worried for Gongenzaka, but also for Crow, who Yuya and the others saw as a friend.

"They'll be fine, okay? Besides, I'll bet your old bud there's got a few things planned as well," Hugo mentioned as Yuya glanced his way.

"You wouldn't be to far off there. its unlike Gongenzaka to be ill prepared." Crow continued his turn, Yuzu grabbing Yuya's hand as he turned his attention on her before smiling as he gave it a small squeeze to help her remain calm.

"Once per turn, Raikiri the Sudden Shower, up to the number of _Blackwings_ I have on the field, can destroy the same number of cards my opponent controls!" he stated.

"So, you're using effect destruction to destroy Superheavy Samurai magnet without battling it?!" Crow nodded.

"I have three Blackwings on my field! So, I destroy both your Superheavy Samurai Magnets! Next, I direct attack using Raikiri the Sudden Shower!" he called as Yuzu tensed.

"Raikiri has twenty-six hundred attack points! If this attack goes through, he'll be down to eight-hundred life points in one hit!" Hugo frowned.

"Couldn't he grab the Action Card coming up?" Yuya shook his head.

"Gongenzaka's archetype is a bit unique. It works best with no spells or traps at all, just one of them can mess up the effects of every monster he has," he explained.

"Whoa! Back up! You mean that guy runs a full-mon deck? No backrow support or nothing?" the two nodded and Hugo slumped in his seat.

"He's going to be fine. Gongenzaka's one tough customer, so I wouldn't count him out yet," Sky mentioned as he handed the four children some candy before putting a sucker in his mouth.

The group watched as Gongenzaka forewent the Action Card, and took the damage, going down to eight-hundred life points, which Reiji knew wouldn't look good in the eyes of the Council, whom he had been informed would be watching the entire tournament. However, he had already prepared safety nets for every member of his Lancers, and his strategies were bendable, just in case the need called for it. The audience was transfixed in confusion while the group watched the entire Duel continue, both anxious and excited to see what would happen next.

"The way you destroyed my steadfast defense was splendid! However, when there are no spell or trap cards in my graveyard, and I receive damage due to a direct attack, I can special this particular card from my hand in defense position! Come out, Superheavy Samurai Readiness!" Gongenzaka called forth the monster, who was in a green and golden version of a metal samurai armor suit, wielding a double-bladed ax-like staff as he held a hand up and his defense points rang in at twenty-one hundred.

" _So, that's why he didn't use his action card. But, its defense points are only twenty-one hundred… there could be an effect besides just what he used to get that card out on it, so I better be careful. However, I intend to end this on my next turn. the sooner this is over the sooner all of us can get some answers from mister glasses over there,"_ Crow thought.

"Turn end!" he called as Gongenzaka nodded.

"My turn! Draw! Now, I use my Scale One Superheavy Samurai General Hisui and my Scale Eight Superheavy Samurai General Sango to set the Pendulum Scale! Thus, monsters between the levels of two and seven can be brought to the field! _Sway pendulum of warriors! Bring the beating of the human heart and the hum of the machine forth unto the battlefield! Pendulum Summon!_ Appear! The Tuner Monster, Superheavy Samurai Trumpeter! Superheavy Samurai Flutist!" Crow tisked.

"Dammit, I was kinda banking on only Yuya being able to use that!" he stated as Gongenzaka smirked.

"You would be incorrect in that theory. I continue! Superheavy General Hisui can, once per turn, increase the level of one Superheavy Samurai on my field by one! with this, I will raise Superheavy Samurai Trumpeter's level to three! Now, I tune my level three Superheavy Samurai Readiness and Superheavy Samurai Flutist, with my level three Trumpeter!" the others watched, waiting to see what would come of the Summoning as Crow tensed.

"This is gonna be some bad shit, that's a level nine Monster," he muttered as Gongenzaka prepared to summon.

" _Unmovable like the tallest peaks of the mountains! Spirit that dwells within the earthen boulders! Grant me shelter beneath your towering fortress now! Synchro Summon!_ Make your appearance! Superheavy Demon Beast Kyuubi!" the monster that appeared favored a mechanical centaur; however it had flames as ears and four fiery tails while it wielded a massive, bladed staff while the creature stood at a surprisingly simple twenty-five hundred defense points, which confused Crow.

"Was that a Pendulum-Synchro?" Yuya nodded.

"Yea, it was. There was a brief moment, but with the Lancers, I did go over the basic idea of using Pendulum summoning to get out the needed materials for Fusion, Xyz, Synchro, and Link Summoning. Ritual Summoning even benefitted from it…" he explained as Yuzu and Hugo stared at the Monster on the field.

"So, you taught him how to do that?" the scarlet-eyed boy looked to the Monster, focusing on the Duel as he shook his head.

"They were pretty much theory run down, telling how the mechanic could support the other summoning mechanics, and the best way to use it. I had to do a bit of formulating on the computer and bounce around a few trials and errors at home, but I finally managed it to where I felt that the means to do this wouldn't be to hard and gave the information to the others," he informed them while Hugo whistled.

"You're smarter than I am." Crow took in a deep breath as he looked at the monster, knowing that this was going to be a potential problem.

"Superheavy Demon Beast Kyuubi's defense power is increased by nine-hundred points for each special summoned monster on my opponent's field! Three monsters means, a twenty-seven hundred point increase!" Gongenzaka stated as Kyuubi's defense points soared to fifty-two-hundred.

"Shit! I knew this thing was gonna be a pain in the ass!" the giant of a teen nodded.

"Furthermore, this card can attack while in face-up defense position by using its defense points during the battle!" he informed the other while Crow gaped.

"Holy Muinn and Huginn! It can attack from _defense position?!"_

"But when it does, it can only attack the Monster with the highest attack points on the opponent's field! I attack Raikiri the Sudden Shower!" Crow flinched as the blast destroyed Raikiri and his life points hit fourteen-hundred.

" _ **Ouch! Twenty-six hundred points of damage in one hit. That's nasty,"**_ Yuto's statement reached Yuya instantly and he hummed.

" _Kinda like your Dark Rebellion, eh? Yuto?"_ the spirit huffed.

" _ **Hey! That's – oh… I concede the point."**_

"It's settled. Due to Superheavy General Sango's pendulum effect, when a _Superheavy_ Monster had destroyed an opponent's monster by battle, it can make that Monster attack once more by destroying itself," he said as Crow hissed.

" _Again?! Damn, if I had just left my Monster in defense position!"_

"Kyuubi's current defense points are forty-three-hundred. If I attack Kunisada the Fogbow whose attack points are one-thousand, you will be dealt thirty-three-hundred points of damage, which will mean the end of you!" Gongenzaka informed him as Crow took in a deep breath, trying to think about what he could do before something came to mind.

"Are you sure about that?" the other rose an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"You don't know the result of a duel until it's over!" Gongenzaka shook his head.

"No, it's clear. A duel is not only a battle with the opponent, but also a battle with one's self. I will not lose to someone who feels conflicted on the fight in front of them," he stated as Crow took in a deep breath.

"By Odin and Thor, you're going to give me a lot of trouble, huh? Alright, guess I'll put in some more effort into it." Gongenzaka stared towards his opponent.

"Brace yourself, Crow! I am not going to go easy on you! I destroy Superheavy General Sango, to enable Kyuubi to attack a second time! Go! Superheavy Demon Beast Kyuubi! Attack Kunisada the Fogbow!" he ordered as Crow looked up and pushed his D-Wheel, causing it to go up on the curve of the wall and flip, allowing him to grab the Action Card nearest to him.

"I activate the Action Card, Evade! It negates an attack against my Monster!" Crow watched as the flames bypassed him and Kunisada, a sigh of relief leaving him.

" _Thank Vanaheim! I thought I was screwed right then,"_ he thought.

"Wonderful riding technique! I applaud your skills Crow," Gongenzaka stated.

"Thanks, you're not to bad yourself." The other sighed.

"However, both of the Monsters you have on your field have one-thousand attack points. They cannot defeat Superheavy Demon Beast Kyuubi! I end my turn, thus, during my turn's end phase, if only Superheavy General Hisui is in the pendulum zone, the card is destroyed," he informed him as Crow took in a deep breath while General Hisui vanished from the field.

"Forty-three hundred defense points… what can Crow do? That's a massive wall," Dennis stated as Hugo stretched out.

"He's already got it figured out. Crow's gonna win this one." everyone turned to him.

"And how do you know that?" questioned Sawatari.

"Well… duh, its clear as day in the energy around him. Crow's entire magical pulse just hopped up a bit on output, meaning he's feeling good about the decision he's about to make." A sigh left Shay.

"Undulines, I swear, you're worse than Dyren Witches when it comes that that whole aura reading thing," he mentioned.

"Hey, its not like any Magi can help that their skills allow them to do certain things, I mean… think about it." The others shrugged as on the track, the duel was beginning to near its end.

"My turn! I draw and then I activate the spell card, _Against the Wind!_ I add Blizzard the Far North from my graveyard to my hand, and I receive damage equal to its attack points!" Crow said as his life points hit one-hundred, confusing Gongenzaka a bit.

"Why would you damage yourself so heavily?" Crow took in a deep breath.

"Because, every strategy I have is designed to help me win. So, if I have to do damage to myself to accomplish that strategy's design, so be it," he explained as Gongenzaka sighed just a fraction.

"Your resolve is formidable! So, show me what you've got, Crow!" the other nodded.

"I summon Blizzard the Far North! Then, I activate Blizzard's monster effect, so appear, Jetstream the Blue Sky! I'm Tuning Jetstream with Blizzard! _Oh, great ebon sword, let us hear the echo of the fluttering of your wings as the final battle call is sounded! Synchro Summon!_ Come to complete the trinity! _Assault Blackwing – Kunifusa the Fogbow!"_ Crow called as the third Fogbow synchro monster appeared, adorned in brownish-orange and blue attire with the same mechanical wing and sword as its brothers.

"Since the number of Synchro Monsters has increased, Superheavy Demon Beast Kyuubi's defense points increase as well!" the audience watched as Kyuubi's defense points rose from forty-three hundred back to the prior fifty-two hundred while Crow focused on his strategy.

"Assault Blackwing – Kunifusa the Fogbow can be treated as a Tuner Monster when its used as a material for a Synchro Summon that uses Blackwings!" Crow explained as Gongenzaka gaped.

"What?! Treated as a Tuner, you say?" the other glanced his way.

"Yep! I'm Tuning my level three Kuniyoshi and Kunisada with my level three Kunifusa! _Flare your ebony wings through the thunderous clouds, and become the blade that divides the sky! Synchro Summon!_ Appear! The level nine! _Assault Blackwing – Kusanagi the Gathering Storm!"_ the monster that appeared was cloaked in dark purple mauve armor with bladed dark brown wings, a barbed sword, and the armor was touched finally with gold and emeralds as it let out a loud caw as Gongenzaka and the others saw the monster's attack points come in at three-thousand.

"A Synchro Summon that uses three Synchro Monsters?!" Crow focused on the next move while the rest of the stadium was roaring in excitement.

" **Crow Hogan pulled off an amazing Synchro Summon! Kyuubi's defense points will decrease since there are less Synchro Monsters on the field now!"** Amanda, Tanner, and Frank cheered.

"WAY TO GO CROW!"

"GO, GO, GO!"

" _ **These kids sure are excited."**_ Yuya smiled at Yuto's comment.

" _They really look up to him, didn't people cheer for you?"_ the spirit sighed.

" _ **Once in a while… everyone loved Shay and Ruri's tag duels, but they enjoyed a lot of our groups duels in general. The younger children looked up to the people at Heartland Academy, because that's where they wanted to go and compete in the tournaments. Duelists were a source of pride for the Xyz Zone… before Academia invaded at least… now, save for the Resistance, people are terrified of Duelists and Magi…"**_

"Let's do this, Gongenzaka! Kusanagi the Gathering Storm's effect enables it to increase its attack points by the total attack points of a _Blackwing_ Synchro Monsters that were used to Summon this card, until the end of the turn it was summoned!" Crow announced as the monster's attack points shot up to six thousand.

" _This is going to hurt,"_ Hugo thought as he recoiled just a fraction.

"Battle! My Kusanagi the Gathering Storm attacks Superheavy Demon Beast Kyuubi!" Gongenzaka kept his eyes forward.

"But since Kyuubi is in defense position, even if you defeat it, I won't take any damage!" he pointed out.

"No, you will! Because when Kusanagi the Gathering Storm attacks a defense position monster, it deals piercing damage!" the Lancers moved forward in their seats, anxiety overthrowing whatever form of enjoyment from watching the Duel had managed to muster itself up.

Reiji stood, nodding to Tsukikage who moved with him and the others remained where they were, Sky glancing to Yuya and Yuzu with the discomforted expressions on their faces as Kusanagi's attack hit, destroying Kyuubi and eliminating Gongenzaka's life points. Yuya and Yuzu were on their feet in an instant as the two Duelists stopped their D-Wheels, Reiji moving down to the garage area while Sky stood up and waved for everyone to follow him, his task being to guide the rest of their group to where Reiji was waiting on Gongenzaka and Crow, having already dismissed the two security officers who had originally be waiting there.

Melissa Claire called in the winner to be Crow Hogan just as the other Lancers arrived down to the garage area, waiting on their friends to arrive as Crow took off his helmet and Gongenzaka did the same, looking to the orange-haired Sage while they began to push their D-Wheels towards the garage, moving them down the hallway as the others stepped back allowing them to maneuver their D-wheels into the holding areas, Gongenzaka removing the riding suit that had been over most of his normal clothes before he put his sandals back on, and then slid the Lancer jacket back onto himself, Crow smiling as he sat his helmet down on his ride's seat, the others smiling, relieved that Reiji had dismissed the guards.

"Whadd'ya mean it can attack in defense position?" asked Crow as he rose an eyebrow while Gongenzaka smiled.

"It's the way the Superheavy Samurai archetype is designed." The orange-haired sage laughed.

"Pretty overpowered monster if you ask me!" he mentioned.

"Congratulations, Crow. You showed me your true dueling skills. It was a wonderful duel." Crow smiled.

"Thanks man, it was a good duel. I can't wait to go up against the other Lancers in the rest of the tournament. But… now what'll happen to you?" Reiji stepped forward.

"There's no need to worry about that. I made arrangements so that the Lancers will not be sent to the underground facilities. However, it would appear that we will be confined to the Council tower when one of us looses instead of being here in the stadium," he explained.

"Are you serious?! Then they're splitting us up!" Yuya sighed as Shay shook his head.

"Personally, I don't like it, but its better than our members being sent to a locked down underground area. Besides, with your hacking skills, if they lock us in our rooms, you can get us out, right Sakaki?" he inquired as Yuya blinked before glancing to the side.

"I guess so… just… when that starts happening, please just be mindful of your surroundings. I don't trust the people in charge here, they have their own agendas, and if we're not careful none of us will be able to stop Academia from destroying this place…" Dennis ruffled the boy's hair, causing him to swat his hands away.

"Don't worry, we're fine. None of us will have to worry about struggling against people like Academia. We got it," he stated as Reiji smiled just a fraction.

"This is the only duel today, so we're going to return to our current residency." The group nodded, and once they were certain that Crow and Gongenzaka had everything they needed, the group headed back to the Council Tower, all of them getting the strangest feeling that the surprises and excitement as well as a slight bit of anxiety of the day was far from over.

 **{….}**

 _This is how we rise up…._

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Well, the first official duel of the Friendship Cup has happened, Reiji's made some additional requirements for the Lancers protection, which was probably smart on him. in the anime, the Lancers kept going down to the underground facility, and I just doubt that Reiji would have allowed them to just end up down there, and also, in a later part of the anime, two of the characters were trying to get to the underground facility, when one was already there, and ended up going in the opposite direction of the entrance. So, yea, I figured that needed to be fixed. Tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Tuning Magician has a sister card which is a pendulum monster knowing as Harmonizing Magician.

Kyuubi means Fox in Japanese.

Helheim is the land of the dead and fog in Nordic Mythology.

Kusanagi is derived from the name of one of the Sacred Treasures of Japan, known commonly as the Sword of Kusanagi. This sword is only taken out when anointing the new Emperor of Japan.

This is the first time that Gongenzaka's pendulum summoned.

Hisui is Japanese for Green or Jade.

Muinn and Huginn are the two Crows or Ravens that assisted Odin, the Nordic King of the Gods with gathering information. Huginn means Thought and Muinn means Memory.

Crow's deity based belief system is Nordic. There are hints in the mythos he quotes, some of his practices, and in his riding helmet which somewhat favors the Valkyrie and Gods war helmets.

Vanaheim is the land of sorcery and magic in Norse Mythology, and does tie into the Magical Lore and history that I wrote into this story, which by the way is pulled from a novel I'm working on writing.

There are a few hints to some things coming up with Yuya.


	83. Chapter 83: A Guardian Path

Chapter 83: A Guardian Path

 **{Council Tower: Lancer Area: August 18** **th** **, 2014: 2:49pm}**

Yuya laid down on his bed, taking in a deep breath as he considered what the Friendship Cup was turning out to be. The people in this city weren't the nicest lot, that much he knew, and it was clear that they weren't trust worthy, at least, to some degree. However, he was more concerned with the trials that laid ahead when it came to their opponents, and the high chances of them going up against one another. Another huff left Yuya as he closed his eyes, considering that he had known since day one of the Lancers coming together, that when they went into another Dimension, or Zone, they would be unable to avoid the dangers that would come up, but none of them had anticipated it to be like this.

"This is insane…" Yuto appeared, sitting on the end of the bed.

"Maybe so, but we're in their domain, so we have to play by their rules," he stated as the boy blinked, scarlet eyes glancing towards the ceiling.

"I guess… but do we have to completely conform to their ways?" Yuto sighed.

"No, our job is to stop Academia," he answered as Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Regardless of what we have to do. No matter how dirty our hands get, we have to do whatever we can to defeat them." The scarlet-eyed teenager held his arm up, looking at the scar on his wrist.

"Are you afraid of having to resort to that? Do you think you'll end up feeling hopeless again?" Yuya shook his head.

"I don't, and I'm not afraid… at least, not of having to do what we have to in order to defeat them… I fear losing the ones I love above everything else." Yuto nodded.

"Understandable. You're having to face that risk and in order to defeat Academia, you'll have to be willing to do things that normally, you wouldn't…" he mentioned as Yuya let his arm fall to his side as he closed his eyes again.

"I know… I've made up my mind already about doing what needs to be done for us to succeed…" Yuto hummed.

"Yuya… does that mean you'll abandon what you've believed this whole time? Will you forget what you've been taught… that we're not supposed to harm others? That we should appreciate life? Do you plan to do that?" Yuya took in a deep breath, and looked to the ceiling again.

"They've harmed to many people to ignore, they're threatening everyone, our entire world is in danger… so no, I don't care if I fight them, destroy them… I still appreciate life, but my knowing of their actions, outweighs the need to stand by everything I believed in. right now, I need to remain strong and sure of what I'm doing, that means… I'll probably have to cast aside the notion of just making people smile as the solution to our struggles… that's not how it'll work," he replied as the spirit closed his eyes, arms folded over his chest.

"Just remember, you can still make people happy, but just learn when to be serious, and when to entertain someone. There's a balance somewhere that you'll have to find."

A knock came to the door before Yuya could answer, and Yuto vanished while the red-green-haired boy went to open his door, finding that it was Sky standing there with a smile on his face as he informed Yuya that lunch was ready and that he needed to come eat something. Though not particularly hungry, the scarlet-eyed boy nodded and followed the blue-haired teenager down the hall and towards the dining area where Yuya and Sky were greeted by the others as they took their seats, Reiji taking in a deep breath as he glanced towards the group who were starting to eat as he considered what he needed to do now that the days events were done when it came to the Friendship Cup.

While Reiji had promised to inform the others about the Pillars, and whatever else he could manage to pull out; however, he almost wanted to find a way to opt out of the situation, only because he had been able to pinpoint a few details with the knowledge he'd gathered from the books given to him, and now was certain of the circumstances at hand with the small bits of information his Duel disk was still receiving from his teams that he'd sent to the other Zones to search for people putting off unusual energy, and they had thus far located two others, whom after seeing information they'd picked up on them through a few bits of research, and had sent him the information, as well as images of the two people they believed to have found, Reiji didn't doubt that these two youths were indeed Pillars.

Now that the identities of other Pillars had been located, Reiji knew that the information needed to be shared, because it would ease the tension of the Lancers to know that they had been able to find other Pillars, and what was more, two of them were together. That tidbit of info had made Reiji feel better than most things had recently, and in knowing that it made him understand how important it would be for the Lancers, and their allies to know that as of now, they had found the identities of more than just two or three Pillars.

"So, how do you feel after that Duel today Gon?" asked Dennis as the giant of a teenager sighed.

"Tired, but fine. I'm confident that Crow will continue to progress." Sawatari laughed.

"Yea, unless he goes up against a certain someone in a Duel," he mentioned as he glanced to Yuya who gave him a confused look.

"Sawatari, you don't know that I'd actually be able to defeat Crow, we never really got to Duel." Yuzu smiled.

"I think you'll do fine when your turn comes up," she said.

"All of us will, win or lose we can still find a way to get the point across to the Council." Hugo nodded.

"Bet yer ass we will. So, I didn't get everyone's names and all that when me and Yuzu met up with you guys. I know the big guy here is Gongenzaka, the blue-haired kid is Sky, and the ninja dude is Tsukikage, I know who Yuya and Yuzu are, and of course, the guy with glasses is the one in charge, Reiji Akaba. But, what about the rest of ya?" he asked.

"I'm Sylvio Sawatari. Nice to meet ya." Hugo grinned.

"You too…" tawny eyes looked to him.

"Shay Obsidian," he answered as Serena turned her attention to him next.

"My name is Serena Allister." Hugo nodded.

"Nice to meet you finally. Yuzu told me a bit about you," he stated.

"And I'm Dennis MacField. I suppose that Crow and the others don't need an introduction." Hugo shook his head as he looked to the small boy near Reiji.

"So, what's your name little guy?" he inquired.

"U-Um… R-Riley." The Tempastus Witch grinned brightly.

"Nice to meet'cha Riley. So, now that we're all introduced, why did you insist all of us eat together tonight?" Reiji took in a slight breath.

"To congratulate Crow on his victory, and to commend Gongenzaka on his outstanding Dueling. Though you didn't win, you still displayed the prowess our team has, which, did in fact impress the Council to a slight degree. It crosses me that they're quite hard to please though, so please don't think to greatly on their commentaries," he informed them as he looked to Gongenzaka who nodded.

"The remarks of those who are willing to do nothing, do not weigh upon me." Reiji smiled.

"Good to hear. I'm glad everything worked out thus far… true, there may have been a few setbacks, but otherwise, things will work in our favor in the end," he stated as the others smiled.

"Right, everyone's together, we're in the Friendship Cup, so we'll be able to show people that we can do something about Academia." Dennis nodded.

"Yea, the only thing we've gotta do now is find that Pillar, and we're good for the most part," he said jovially as the table slowly became unnaturally quiet and still.

"Speaking of which, Reiji, I think you owe us that explanation."

The silver-haired seven-teen-year-old sighed, adjusting his glasses as he sat down his glass and glanced around the table. Everyone looked to him now, preparing to receive information that they had been attempting to get from him for quite some time now. Personally, Reiji would have preferred to know the identities of all of the current Pillars before divulging anything on them; however, time had not been kind in that aspect, and it was now time to inform his teammates of what was happening, and what he knew about them. Nodding his head slowly, the others stopped whatever it had been that they were doing, most resting their hands on the table or in their laps as his mind conjured the best means to start this conversation.

"Very well, but first I want to ask all of you a question," he stated.

"And what kind of question is that?" dark violet eyes looked them over.

"For quite some time now, all of you have wanted the information I have on the Pillars, but I want to know what it is you believe these kinds of details will do to benefit you all. Do you believe it will aid you? Perhaps give you a better perspective on the situation at hand? Or are you merely curious?" he inquired.

"I think all of us can agree that we want to know because it'll give us a better idea of what's going on." The group collectively nodded at Dennis's statement, and Reiji hummed.

"Then, allow me to ask you another question. What if the answers you seek are things you may not want to hear? What if the things I tell you change the dynamics of how all of us work? Or even completely shift the severity of this war into a new high? Then what will you do?" he probed as Shay huffed.

"Do you just not want to tell us? Or are you serious?" Reiji looked to the Risulian Witch.

"I'm completely serious. At times like these, I don't do jokes," he answered.

"One person can't speak for everyone though Reiji. All of us are more than likely aware that the information could make us uncomfortable, or even cause things to change if that's a possibility, but concealing these facts makes it harder on us to help accomplish our goals… that's my personal opinion though, and I understand that some of us may want to reconsider knowing this kind of information in light of those possibilities." Gongenzaka nodded to Yuya's explanation.

"All the same, this is important, isn't it? That we find out who these Pillars are so that they can potentially help us? The ultimate goal post defeating Academia is getting all of the Pillars together again, right?" he asked.

"Indeed, that's all true. If all of you feel that way, then I have no problem divulging what I know as of current, outside of the small bit you are already aware of."

Everyone took a moment to think about what they were dealing with. Reiji's questions had made them all a touch nervous, and with good reason as the things he pointed out made them wonder what it could all possibly mean now that things had started changing and progressing whilst the chance of something bad coming from knowing to much started to rear its head. None of them had ever thought of that before, at least, not entirely; the sheer notion that each of them knowing the truth about such things could be altering to their team's structure made an odd knot form in their stomachs, or merely agitated them all the more. Finally, the group glanced to one another, nodding as Crow and Shinji considered their relief that Damon and Donny had declined the offer to join them in light of this conversation.

"We want to know," stated Yuzu as Reiji sighed.

"Very well. First of all, I will inform you that I only know the identities of roughly four to five Pillars at current." Sky took in a deep breath.

"So? That's something at least," he said as Shay glanced him over.

"I want to know something before we get started on this little twenty-questions game." All eyes turned to the Risulian Witch.

"And, that would be?" Reiji probed as Shay leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest.

"How many of us already knew the truth? About the Pillars and whatever else you're keeping up your sleeves?" the room went deathly still.

"Shay, what do you mean how many of us knew? None of us outside of Reiji himself are aware of that kind of information," stated Dennis.

"No, that's not true, is it Akaba? There are others in our group who know the identity of at least one Pillar, am I correct?" Reiji folded his hands into his lap.

"That is correct," he answered causing several of them to jump a bit, stunned by the news.

"Why would you tell this kind of information to specific people in our group, but not others?" the silver-haired teenager sighed.

"Because, at the time, it was on a need to know basis, and the information didn't need to be weighing down those who needed additional training to prepare for our departure," he explained to them while the others tried to find a means to accept this revelation.

"So, who did you tell?" Reiji rose an eyebrow.

"I believe they can speak for themselves," he stated as the group looked to one another, and Sky took in a deep breath.

"One of the people was me…"

All eyes went to Sky who sat there, knowing that a long explanation would be in order; however, he intended to leave the reveals of identities to Reiji, as he didn't have many answers himself, and had no desire to get himself between a rock and a hard place. The group looked stunned, and he understood why, because divulging this meant that he'd known the identity of at least one Pillar since he joined the ranks of the Lancers, if not earlier than that, but to a degree, several of them didn't seem to surprised, and those people were Shay, Serena, and Dennis.

"I guess Reiji asked you to keep your trap shut, huh?" Hugo asked.

"No, but he did state that it wasn't the time nor the place to divulge that kind of information. Like he said, a lot of us needed time to train and recover, and having that weigh on them, wouldn't help matters when it came to focusing on the task at hand." Shay frowned.

"But dropping this on us now is fine? I figured you knew the whole time, but I also assumed you were keeping your mouth shut because Akaba _didn't want you talking,_ " he informed Sky who shrugged.

"I was aware that you knew, but I think there are others at the table who are aware of the same thing I am." Serena looked around, huffing at the memory.

"Reiji told me what he knew at the time, which wasn't much mind you, so that I would join the Lancers. I was looking for Shay Obsidian, which you all know, so that I could find out the truth from an Xyz Zone survivor… personally, I didn't give it much stock, but it seems that was my mistake," she clarified.

"That's not a big deal. Reiji probably needed people to know this information in case something bad were to happen, so I understand his choices honestly." Reiji smiled, laughing just a fraction.

"Yuya, you're always remarkably understanding and compassionate, regardless of what's happened to you personally. The behavior always astounds me, right down to your empathy and sensitivity to things…" the group became unnaturally still as Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"What are you getting at?" Reiji looked down slightly before a faint breathless laugh left him.

"I apologize for my subtle answering, it's not very becoming, is it? I'll inform you of the other Pillars identities in a moment, but first, I believe proper actions are in order," he stated as Yuya gave him an unsure look.

"Stop beating around the bush and answer me! What are you getting at?!" Reiji turned to him as Yuya kept his gaze upon him.

"As you wish… my Pillar."

The intakes of breath were the only noise in the room as Yuya felt his heart beginning to pick up speed as he shook his head, standing straight up as Reiji looked to him, keeping his demeanor calm while Yuya took in a few breaths to steady himself as he tried to think of why Reiji would play such a ridiculous joke, but some part of him knew that the other wasn't playing games, and that was the thing that scared him the most. Scarlet eyes looked around the room as he backed up a bit, unsure of what to think at that point as the others seemed to be trying to grasp the information as well.

"Y-Yuya's a Pillar?!" asked Yuzu and Gongenzaka.

"Yes, the Pillar of the Pendulum Zone. He was the easiest to pick out due to the energy he releases when he Duels that mingles with his magical pulse. I've known since before the Arc League Championships, but it was confirmed when you defeated the Obelisk Force and your magic completely released itself. You are the Pillar of our home zone." The boy glanced down, unsure of what to think as the others gaped.

"So, that's why you wanted him with us? not just because of his skills, but because… he's one of the Pillars?" inquired Shay.

"Correct, atop that, I also understood that to fix the Dimensional-Zone rift, we would need a Pillar who had already started to unlock their power, even though they may not have realized it, and that is you, Yuya." The boy took in a deep breath.

"This is insanity. I can't be a Pillar, I'm not some all-powerful person! Look at me, I'm barely held together half the time! I'm weak compared to the things I've heard that a Pillar is supposed to do!" he stated as Reiji shook his head.

"Untrue, you are stronger and far more powerful than you know. That was one of the reasons that the Obelisk Force came after you as well that day, because you are incredibly powerful, and they fear the day you discover it." Yuya shook his head.

"C-Can we… come back to this? I just.. need to think…" he stammered as Reiji nodded.

"Of course, if that's what you want then I have no problem with it." Shay narrowed his gaze.

"That's why you were so subservient to him all this time," he stated.

"Naturally, now… on the matter of the others that I have discovered." Reiji reached into his pocket and pulled out his Duel Disk, tapping a few buttons as he brought up a map of their world, appearing as a golden ring with six jewel-like orbs on it.

"Whoa, so that's what Millennium looks like?" asked Sawatari who had been a bit to stunned to honestly speak until this point.

"Precisely, now, this red bubble here is the Pendulum Zone, the white one is the Synchro Zone, the purple is the Fusion Zone, the sapphire one is the Link Zone, the black one is the Xyz Zone, and finally, the mercury one is the Ritual Zone. This is what our world looks like normally; however, allow me to show you the current condition." Reiji pressed another button, showing the golden loop bending, larger, dark gray orbs appearing attached to the Fusion and Synchro Zones while the Xyz Zone was completely swallowed by it.

"Holy Hera… what happened?" Shinji inquired.

"Due to the actions of Academia, this is the current state of our world. Now, a few of the Pillars were identified recently, beginning we have Yuya, whose the Pillar of the Pendulum Zone, and in the Synchro Zone the only Pillar we've located is its primary, a youth by the name of Yusei Fudo." He pulled up a picture of Yuya and the image appeared over the Pendulum Zone while an image of a young man with black-gold hair, deep blue eyes and tan skin with a yellow facial mark appeared over the Synchro Zone.

"So, that's two," said Sky.

"Correct, from the Fusion Zone, we located another Pillar, a boy by the name of Jaden Yuki, but again, he is only its primary." Reiji pulled up the image of a brunette with a faint orange tone to the top of his hair and hazel-brown eyes, a smile on his features as it appeared above the orb of the Fusion Zone.

"So… three…" muttered Dennis.

"Lastly, we have the now deceased Pillar of the Xyz Zone, Yuma Tsukumo." Much to Shay's surprise, an image of a sixteen-year-old boy with tan skin, garnet eyes, and spikey black and garnet hair appeared, a wide grin on his features as it appeared above the orb of the Xyz Zone.

"Then that would have been four, but he's no longer living, so now what?" Yuya inquired, his arms folded over his chest, form still faintly trembling from the news he'd received.

"Yes, but, I have another one… from the Link Zone." An image of a pale skinned youth with messy blue hair with pink highlights appeared, his sharp basil green eyes piercing through those who looked at the picture as it appeared above the Link Zone's orb.

"What's his name?" asked Sky.

"Yusaku Fujiki. I suspect it goes without saying, but I had several of the black-coat Lancers investigate the Zones, only a small number mind you, and they've been tracking these people via energy pulses and mannerisms. It hasn't been easy, but we've managed thus far as you can see." Serena huffed.

"All that's left is the Ritual Zone, and the secondary Pillars," she stated.

"That's relieving, but if we have this info, how do we know Academia doesn't?" Sky tisked as the question brought back a certain memory.

"I attacked the invading force when they arrived with a hundred and fifty people. They were told to find Yuzu and Yuya, and they called Yuya the Pillar of the Pendulum Zone… therefore, someone knows, or is using similar technology for the time being," he answered.

"Then we've gotta find the others asap!" Reiji nodded.

"Indeed, we do; however, the good news is that Yusei Fudo and Jaden Yuki are in the Synchro Zone together. Now, I haven't had any of my black-coats interact with any of them, but I believe Yusaku Fujiki may be aware that someone is watching him, so I've recalled the team from the Link Zone for now," he clarified.

"Alright, so the next question is, how do we find these Secondary guys?" all eyes turned to Crow.

"You seriously believe this?" asked Shinji.

"Listen, I get that you don't believe in the old stories, but look at the evidence here and consider the possibility that you're wrong, and if we don't do something, we're all fucked." The blue-haired man sighed.

"Fine, fine, I get it. You said that these secondary people are also Pillars, so would they have the same defining traits?" he probed as Reiji nodded.

"Yes, they would. The Primary Pillars have a defining moniker each from what I've been able to research due to Hugo's aid. A voice of reason, loyalty towards comrades, honesty to a fault, a dreamer of great things, light in the darkness, and a hand of justice… these are several key things that define what I would presume a Pillar would be like. The secondary Pillars are no different, but their experiences may change some of their outlooks." Shay frowned.

"Yuma was a dreamer, so that must be him… but that would mean…" the Risulian shook his head.

"Shay? Is something wrong?" asked Yuzu.

"For the last two days I keep thinking about this and as much as I don't want it to make sense, it strangely does…" Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?" Reiji adjusted his glasses.

"He means that he believes he knows the identity of the Secondary Pillar of the Xyz Zone, am I correct?" he probed as Shay nodded.

All the information felt so weighted that several of them weren't certain what to believe at this point. Reiji had the proof to basically back up all the things he'd found, and while knowing the identities of the Pillars that he had found thus far did make them feel as though they had a slight security net, it also made them extremely nervous due to the thought of Academia finding them and causing trouble for them before someone could help them. However, none of them had the time to worry over tiny chances and details, especially when they knew there was more.

"Akaba, do you know the name of the Xyz Zone's secondary?" Reiji sighed.

"Do you want that answer, Shay?" he queried as Shay stood up, slamming his hands upon the table.

"Dammit Akaba! Don't fuck with me! Just tell me the truth!" the other looked to him.

"Yes, I do know his name," he stated.

"Then tell me! I need to know if I'm right or not." Yuya swallowed, feeling a faint spark somewhere from within his body as he blinked, something bringing realization to his senses as he felt Yuto's presence and one other's in the room, though it was incredibly faint.

"Yuto Kisaragi," he answered as Shay ground his teeth together.

" _ **WHAT?!"**_ Yuya flinched.

" _Calm down, you can panic when no one else will see you,"_ he thought towards the spirit, feeling panic lacing into the other's energy.

"Fuck! Are you serious? Wait… then that means the night in the park…" Hugo trailed off as the others looked to him.

"What are you thinking about Hugo?" asked Yuzu.

"Yuto and I had a fight in the park a bit back… almost a month ago, I think… and Yuya was there too." The scarlet eyed boy nodded.

"I was, it was a Variance, and I had to come between him and Yuto to keep them from killing one another," he informed them.

"So, I went up against two Pillars of Millennium… no wonder I got my ass kicked." Riley fidgeted in his seat near his brother, knowing that for the time being, he would just listen, understanding that right now there was no need for him to talk.

Shay felt his entire form tense as he considered the fact that Reiji Akaba had known the truth the whole time, that Yuto was the Secondary Pillar of their home Zone, and the identities of the others, but what got him the most was the fact that the other had decided to keep so much quiet when it related to his best friend, and his sister's boyfriend. He gritted his teeth as he turned his attention to Reiji, growling in his chest as he tried to restrain himself.

"You're a fucking horrible person, you know that, Akaba? Keeping this from all of us, deciding to not even tell me that my best friend is my Secondary Pillar! Why the hell would you do something like that?" he asked.

"Because, it was on a need to know basis at the time and – "Shay slammed his fist on the table.

"The hell it was! You could have told us, and we could have walked out here knowing exactly what was going on instead of dumping this on us when we're out here in the field!" he snarled.

"Shay…" the Raidraptor Duelist took in a deep breath.

"I don't even know where Yuto is! What if Academia killed him? What if they captured him? Then what are we supposed to do?!" Reiji sighed.

"If Academia killed him, there's nothing to be done, but if they captured him, then he is at the very least with your sister. I would consider that to be a blessing in disguise if I were you," he replied as Shay settled a cold glare on him.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Shay jumped at Reiji, and as he did, Yuya reacted, getting between the two as he formed a barrier spell by crossing his arms in front of himself. The others let out yelps of shock as the Risulian Witch skidded back, knocking over a few chairs that the others had vacated as Yuya took in a few deep breaths, Reiji watching the boy with evident concern while Shay staggered to his feet, glaring at the red-green-haired teenager as the others remained tense, unsure of what was going to happen at this point. Yuya's gaze was down, bangs hanging in his eyes as he took in a few more breaths, getting his bearings after blocking such a strong wave of magic.

"Get out of my way Sakaki, I'm going to kick his ass," he snapped.

"You're going to stop what you're doing and stand down!" Shay looked him over.

"So, you think because you found out you're one of the Pillars that gives you authority over me? Like hell it does! I'm only going to ask one more time! Move!" he roared as Yuya ground his teeth together.

"Enough! I won't play games with you Shay, now dammit, we're a team so you better stop getting sore over things like this! You weren't the only one left out of the loop! None of us knew about half of this, Serena and Sky only knew about me! So, sit your ass down before I make you sit down!" tawny eyes were greeted with the sight of shining crimson eyes, Yuya bearing his teeth just a fraction to show the sharpened canines he possessed as Shay narrowed his gaze.

"Do you want to fight me?" he asked.

"No, but I won't let you attack others either. You're one of the oldest people in our group, think about what you're doing, and what Yuto would say if he saw you acting like you are considering what's going on, and the fact that all of us have to work together! Think about your actions and what the results might be!" Shay stared at the boy who had his arms stretched out to block him from attacking Reiji, and his tense frame began to relax as he looked down.

" _Gods! Shay, I know you're a Risulian Witch but dammit I wish you would think about your actions and what the results might be when we're faced with these situations. This is a war, look at what's happening around us! we can't afford to lose anymore people at this point!"_

Yuto's voice rang in his head, and he could only think of the time he'd done something reckless because his temper had gotten the best of him, and ultimately, he had gotten himself hurt, causing Ruri a lot of panic as Rio healed him, and his best friend since childhood ripped him a new one for his actions. It was that conversation that bubbled to the surface in the face of Yuya's bravery and unwillingness to waver. It had nothing to do with the boy being a Pillar, but it had everything to do with his choice to stand up for his teammates, even if they made mistakes, and that was something far more admirable than how he was currently behaving, which as Shay thought about it deeply wounded the pride he has as a Risulian Witch.

"Are you going to stand down, or am I going to have to fight you? Because I will even though I don't want too," Yuya stated as Shay sighed, moving to pick up his chair as the others slowly did the same.

"No, I'm sorry, I just lost my temper." He sat down and Yuya lowered his arms, taking in a breath to ease his own tension as his magic eased.

"Thank you, for not fighting… I don't have any desire to fight my friends," he informed him as Shay shook his head.

"Don't mention it." Reiji looked to Yuya.

It had been a surprise to him for Shay to attack him, but what had stunned him to a degree more was Yuya coming to his defense. The boy had claimed earlier that he wasn't stable, and that he couldn't possibly be a Pillar; however, in that instance, he had seen the boy do what the Pillars were known to do: defend others and uphold a sense of peace and order. Reiji smiled, admitting to himself that Yuya was quite the interesting person, and most certainly was worthy of his standing in their world. The boy relaxed, stepping away a bit as he turned to Reiji, narrowing his sharp scarlet eyes as the silver-haired teenager prepared for his own reprimanding.

"Personally, I understand your actions, but I don't fully agree with them either. We had a right to know this kind of information… Shay had a right to know… and so did I. Regardless, it's already been done, so there's nothing more to argue about at this point. As I see it, we're wasting our time if we bicker about things that have already transpired when we have bigger problems we need to focus on," Yuya stated as the seventeen-year-old took in a deep breath.

What he did next dumbfounded all of them as they watched Reiji get down on one knee before the boy, taking his hand and kissing the tops of his fingers which caused Yuya to remain anxiously still, unused to this behavior being directed towards himself when he had personally done such things to Elder Witches when in their presence. Nonetheless, he stood there as Reiji raised his head up just a fraction, barely meeting his eyes as he seemed to be preparing himself to speak.

"I hope you'll forgive me for being so secretive when I swore I'd be honest with you. There are things I did out of hopes of making it easier on others, as well as yourself." The boy sighed.

"No, its alright. You don't have to act like this to get my forgiveness, I mean… considering what you did was in hopes of helping everyone else, its fine…" Reiji nodded.

"Then I request one thing, should you need it, I'll be your sword and shield. You're my Pillar, so I want to make sure that you're protected as well as aided," he stated as Yuya swallowed nervously.

"But I… I'm… hmm… if you want to do that, its your own decision. I'm not going to tell you what you can and can't do… that's your choice." Reiji stood slowly.

"Very well, I'll do as I stated. Just understand something, Yuya…" the boy rose an eyebrow.

"What is it?" the other released his hand as the boy took in a deep breath.

"The power you have is immense, and leaves you to do remarkable things. That is why Academia fears the Pillars, because they have the ability to help guide our world to safety, or destruction."

 **{Yuya's Room: 9:50pm}**

Yuto paced back and forth the best he could as Yuya laid on his bed, eyes closed as he took in a few deep breaths, considering what he had learned. Not only was he a Pillar, but so was Yuto, which dumbfounded them both to the point that neither was truly sure how to even breach such a subject as they tried to piece together how such a thing was even possible, and what was more: what this meant for the Xyz Zone's state. The spirit threw his arms up in the air with a frustrated shout as Yuya blinked open his eyes, glancing towards the black-and-lilac-haired spirit as he grumbled to himself.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"No! I don't know what to do! Yuya, I was my Zone's last hope, and _I'm fucking dead!_ What does that mean? What if the Dimension is gone? Does that mean that the Xyz Zone… Heartland, our homes and friends, and families are gone for good? Or is everything still okay? I-I don't know anymore…" Yuya sighed.

"Me neither, honestly. I mean… I'm not able to even begin comprehending what I should do, or even could do. This is a big thing to learn so suddenly, and in both our cases, things are just… confusing… we don't know what the Xyz Zone could have happen to it since you're no longer alive… but because you're bound to me, maybe it survived somehow," he answered.

"How?!" Yuto looked almost to the point of tears, and it didn't help Yuya feel much better.

"Because… your sharing my body… so technically… you're still alive," he surmised as the spirit flopped down on the bench at the end of the bed.

"I-I guess that's the only answer we've got… huh?" Yuya shook his head.

"We'll go to your home next Yuto, and try and save it before things get worse. Just hold onto the hope that everything's okay," he told him as the spirit nodded.

The room remained silent for a moment before a knock at the door came, and Yuya slipped off the bed and Yuto disappeared, needing time to calm himself down and think while the other opened the door to see Yuzu standing there in a pair of black shorts and a pink tank top, looking uncomfortable as she looked down, her hair falling around her face and past her shoulders. The boy blinked, confused before he ushered her into the room, shutting the door behind him as the girl came to sit down on the bed, her hands rested in her lap while he watched her, sensing her anxiety as Yuzu swallowed around an apparent knot in her throat.

"Yuzu… what's wrong?" the girl shook her head.

"I'm sorry for bothering you, but I just… this is…" Yuya sighed, coming towards her as he grabbed her hands in his own, smiling as she met his eyes.

"Don't worry, I get it. Believe me, I'm just as confused about all this as you are… but for some reason, it makes sense. I didn't want to believe it, but here it is… and that's a reality I've got to accept," he stated as Yuzu felt her eyes burn.

"Yuya, don't think you have to just take whatever's thrown at you…" the boy looked down.

"This isn't going to be something I get a choice about though. I'm the only Pillar of the Pendulum Zone, so I have to do everything in my power to protect our home, and help save our world alongside the others," he told her as she felt tears well in her eyes.

"If… you're going to fight, then so am I." scarlet eyes widened.

"Yuzu, I want you home where it's safe once this is over. Don't just –" the girl pulled her hands free from his.

"Don't push me away! Yuya, we've always been together, no matter what's happened… we've propped each other up when bad things have happened…" Yuya shook his head.

"But this isn't like that, Yuzu… think about this, I mean…" the girl looked to him, tears falling down her face.

"We promised each other that we'd always be there for one another, or did you forget?" she asked as he stared at her.

That was right, the promise they'd made on a afternoon in the wash area of the You Show Duel School. Yuzu had asked him to promise her that they'd be there for each other no matter what happened, and he had agreed to that. The promise had been sincere, and he had no desire to take it back or pass it off as though he was lying; however, it scared him, to think of how brutally dangerous this battle and all the ones ahead were going to be, which made him want to keep Yuzu at arms-length, but even as he stood there thinking about it, some part of him knew sending her back home would be a mistake, and as much as he wanted her as far away from Academia, the safest place wasn't with her father.

"No, how could I forget something like that?" Yuzu wiped her eyes and Yuya stepped closer to her, getting himself up on the bed, and moving to pull her into his arms as she flinched, moving closer as he held her close.

"Then don't ask me to go," she told him as Yuya rested his head atop hers.

"What if your safer at home?" the girl shook her head.

"Yuya, I'm safest when I'm with you. So, I'm staying by your side, and I'm not leaving," she stated as he sighed.

"Alright, Yuzu, I know you aren't." periwinkle eyes glanced up to him.

"We're in this together, that's the end of it," she said firmly as Yuya smiled, pulling her into a tighter hug.

"Okay… I won't leave you… no matter what, I'll always be there with you, alright? So, no more crying." Yuzu smiled, as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Yuya? Can I stay with you? I don't want to be alone…" he laughed a bit.

"That's fine, come on, let's get some sleep," he told her as he let go of her and she moved to get under the covers before he turned off the lights and got in on the other side of the bed.

Yuzu glanced to him as he laid down, facing her as she smiled before he returned it, reaching out to take her hand in his own as the pink-haired girl slowly closed her eyes and Yuya soon followed, the two drifting off not long after they'd laid down while they remained unaware that the gem on Yuzu's bracelet, which had been set on the bedside table behind her shined slightly in the dark room much like Yuya's own pendulum crystal did as they slept, safely together while they remained unaware for what the days ahead could hold for them. For now, though they didn't care, because it gave them just the tiniest peace of mind to be together, and that was enough.

 **{…..}**

 _Heavy as a hurricane, louder than a freight train…._

 **{…}**

 **Author's Note:** Okay, so… how many people knew who the Pillars were early on? I got a few PMs of people guessing, and some of you got it spot on, and others missed it by quite a bit. Anyways, I just wanted this to be a dialogue chapter in the face of the copious amounts of Duels coming up, and some other things that will need to be explained as time goes on. I also got a PM asked who Etoile is, and I can say that you'll find out about him soon enough. Tell me what you think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Yuya uses the word insane or insanity twice in this chapter. I'm sure it feels like it for him.

Yuto is the secondary of the Xyz Zone, it was guessed at by Reiji several chapters back.

There is only One Primary Pillar left to be found, can you guess who it is?

In this chapter, is stated that Sky knew, but it wasn't discussed or brought to attention that Sky had dropped several hints along the way by saying he was supposed to protect Yuya, and that was a choice, but it was briefly slipped that he was supposed to also help defend one of the Pillars.

There's a hint in here as to whom the Secondary of the Synchro Zone is.

The Pillars can actually sense one another due to them being hyper sensitive to energy changes, and because the Pillars themselves put off an different energy frequency than others.

Yuya and Yuzu kind of renewed their promise to one another.

There is a bunch of major foreshadowing in Yuya and Yuzu's conversation.

The Pillars are not all-powerful, but they do have quite the bit of power singularly and together. That is why Reiji said that the things they do can help save or destroy their world, because so long as a Pillar strives to defend Millennium, it decreases the chances of the world dying, but if the Pillars were to fail, well, Millennium would blink out of existence, like Thanos style.


	84. Chapter 84: Sweet Configure

Chapter 84: Sweet Configure

 **{Council Tower: August 19** **th** **, 2014: 7:20am}**

The bright rays of sunlight began to filter in through the window and onto the bed where Yuzu had started to open her eyes slowly, blinking herself awake as she rubbed her face a bit, looking around as she noticed the room wasn't hers before she glanced towards Yuya who was still sound asleep, hands curled close to his face as he took in steady breaths, the pink-haired girl smiling as she reached out and brushed his messy bangs from his face, caressing his cheek a bit while she watched him sleep for just a moment. Yuzu's mind went back to yesterday afternoons events, causing her to bite her bottom lip as she thought of what had been dropped on them. To think, that through all of these events, Yuya had been one of these Pillars that all of them had been searching for; however, in knowing what they did now, Yuzu wondered how Yuya's demeanor would be towards Reiji, and what this event that had happened when everyone had been split up was exactly.

"What happened to you, Yuya?" she asked him as she cupped his cheek.

It was in his eyes, a cold darkness, that showed her something horrible had happened to him, and the only reason she knew it was anything near this, was because of the look Yuya's eyes had held for weeks after his attempted suicide. Dull and lacking their normal luster that she had always seen. There was no sparkle to his eyes, no warmth and vibrancy that Yuya's gaze had always held, but after a while, it had faded to where it was hardly noticeable, until she had seen him again after they had been apart, and it was back, but different. There was trauma there, fear and an underlying detail that she knew Yuya was terrified to tell her about. As these thoughts crossed her mind, a knock at the door came and she sighed as she slid out of bed and walked over to it, seeing Shay present.

"Oh, good morning Shay," she stated as he looked her over.

"Did you stay with him last night?" the pink-haired girl nodded.

"Yes… I couldn't make myself feel up to sleeping in my own room," she explained.

"Its fine, Yuto and Ruri were like that sometimes. I wanted to tell you that Reiji wanted to see everyone before the Duels got started this morning." She sighed.

"Can't he just leave us alone? I'm not sure how Yuya's really going to respond now that the information has had time to settle," she answered as Shay nodded.

"I can agree with you there. He was mostly calm last night, but there was a part of me that could feel his fear and confusion… so I doubt he'll be as calm as he was yesterday afternoon." Yuzu glanced back to Yuya's sleeping form.

"Shay, can you tell me what happened while everyone was split up?" the Risulian Witch sighed.

"Not while Yuya's around. We'll have to talk with you separately when he's not going to overhear what we're talking about," he clarified as Yuzu rose an eyebrow.

"Why?" tawny eyes glanced to the boy.

"There's a chance it'll trigger something, and we don't need him having a setback like that," he told her as Yuzu swallowed nervously.

"Okay, I understand. Now, I better get him up and we'll meet you guys in the dining room before we all head out."

Shay nodded, and Yuzu closed the door, taking in a few deep breaths as she walked over to Yuya and shook him awake, telling him what was going on before she hugged him and left the room, going two doors down to enter her room and get dressed for the day. Yuzu was quick to start brushing her hair, frowning as she noticed her hair was starting to fall past her shoulders a bit, indicating that it had grown since her time in the Synchro Dimension had begun. She brushed it out some more, thinking back to how she recalled her mother Sakura having long hip length pink hair much like she did, and how Yuzu had admittedly always hoped to grow her hair out like her mother's used to be.

Sighing, she tied it up in its usual twin tails, and pulled out a pair of black thigh-high stockings, white shorts, her white boots, and a pink t-shirt with a slightly raised collar. She dressed quickly, making sure that she had put her bracelet back on before taking in a deep breath as she exited her room, and looked to see Yuya walked towards her, giving her a small smile as the two of them started down the hall together, the boy dressed in his attire from yesterday as they entered the dining room, and were greeted with the sight of Sky sitting there with the others, dressed in a pale blue and black riding suit, his jacket off and his gloves on the table as he sat there.

"So, Sky its your turn?" asked Yuya as he sat down beside Yuzu.

"Yup, and there's another Duel right after me so it's time to suit up. maybe you'll get to go next, Yuya." The scarlet eyed boy glanced down.

"Um… yea… maybe," he mumbled in reply as Hugo sat there, in his own riding suit, finding the boy's behavior odd.

"Yuya, are you okay?" the boy turned to the Speedroid Duelist.

"Hmm? Oh! I'm fine, just a bit anxious. These Duels are going to be really tough, admittedly," he answered as Shay and Dennis gave him a long look, both knowing the behavior he was displaying to be a false means of getting people not to ask to many questions.

"Well, how was everyone's rest last night?" all eyes turned to Reiji.

"As fine as it could be with that kind of information dropped on us," Crow admitted.

"I assumed some of the sleep would be quite restless… how are you feeling today, Yuya?" scarlet eyes glanced his way.

"I'm fine…" he turned his gaze back to his plate, Tokumatsu sighing.

He knew Yuya didn't want to admit it, but he was terrified now. After learning all the information they had about how vital the Pillars were, hearing that he was one, and the sole one of his Zone, put him on edge, because he now understood how precious his life was, despite clearly doubting his newfound placement. In many ways, Tokumatsu understood the boy's fears, and had not agreed with Reiji's choice of withholding the information, only to toss it all on the group in one go however, throughout every meeting, he had remained silent, knowing that while he had agreed to help the Lancers, his views on things weren't one hundred percent in favor with their leader's decisions. Glancing Yuya over, Tokumatsu understood that talking to him was important, but doing so carefully would be just as vital.

"Yuya, I understand that the situation is a bit… precarious as of now, and what you learned wasn't what you expected… but it's okay not to be okay," he stated as Yuya looked down, bangs falling into his eyes as they all noticed that he was missing his goggles at the moment.

" _Not this time it isn't. There's so much riding on my actions… the whole weight of the world is on me now… if I fuck up, we're all going to pay for it."_ Yuya closed his eyes.

" _ **Yuya…"**_

"I know that…" Shinji sighed.

"Don't go gettin' all depressed because you're overwhelmed. You've gotta focus just like – "the boy shot him a withered glare.

"I fucking know I have to focus dammit! Don't try and give me a lecture on what I have to do, I get it! I'm one of the people whose going to either help or hurt our world, you don't have to remind me." The others flinched at the cold glare on the boy's face Dennis looking down.

"It's okay Yuya, Shinji wasn't trying to do that. no need to get hostile," he stated with a small smile as the boy looked to the side, not willing to talk about it any further as he kept his gaze down, Reiji raising an eyebrow.

Without question, Yuya was feeling a mixture of fear, confusion, and the pressure of what he was now tasked with. A lot was riding on Yuya's capabilities, and it would be up to him to help them all work through the Synchro Dimension and fix the rift; however, if Yuya lost the tournament, things wouldn't be going to well for them. Reiji had banked on the success of his Pillar from the start of their preparations to enter this Dimension, and he and the others had to do everything they could to push the power of their Pillar to the maximum potential in the face of the Council. Sighing, Reiji rested his hands in his lap, watching the boy keep his gaze down while he thought of what to say to the boy.

"Are you afraid? Yuya?" Reiji inquired as the boy glanced to him.

"Afraid?" the silver-haired teenager nodded.

"Yes, its perfectly understandable if you are. Yuya, everything is banking on the successes of yourself and your teammates, thus, feeling overwhelmed and even a tad fearful is understandable," he explained.

"Fearful? I've been afraid of a lot of shit in my life… but this? I don't even know how to explain it…" Sawatari frowned.

"In other words, none of us, especially Yuya were prepared for the shit you dumped on us," he stated.

"That may be, but I believe Yuya is more than capable of overcoming this. He's stronger than many will assume he is." Yuya shook his head.

"I'm not strong… that's what I'm trying to tell you Reiji… I'm already broken to the point that I can barely hold myself together… so how can I be strong enough to support the weight of a world?" Reiji hummed.

"Because of what you are…" Crow narrowed his eyes.

"So, you fucking think that because Yuya's a Waking Witch that he can just be fine enough to handle all this shit you threw at him in one go?! No one can handle this kind of news that quickly, its life changing to learn you're the one main thing keeping your half of the world you live in from just blinking out of existence!" he asked.

"Not entirely, but his psyche is much more durable than an average person, and his abilities are unquestionably more commanding than the rest of you." Tokumatsu narrowed his eyes.

"What the hell are you thinking?! Yuya's fourteen years old, he can't be expected to shoulder everything alone!" he snapped as Reiji sighed.

"I don't expect him too. That is why the rest of you are here, as his aids… guards who will help and defend our Pillar and the others. Simple as that." Yuya swallowed.

"Don't force them to fight for me…" the others looked to the boy.

"Yuya…" Reiji glanced his way.

"I told you long ago, the obligations of the Lancers are to stop Academia, and to find the Pillars, thus also supporting them," he stated.

"Everyone here… they crossed from the Pendulum Zone… to the Synchro Dimension, of their own free will… for the sake of their loved ones… for the sake of saving our world from destruction… we're more than ready and aware of the dangers of fighting Academia…: Reiji frowned.

"They're your teammates, Yuya… that isn't something I can help," he told him. Yuya took in a deep breath.

"Then that's all we are. They aren't going to waste time constantly trying to protect me… if your serious about your oath from yesterday evening, then do it yourself." Riley flinched as he slipped out of his seat and moved towards Yuya, reaching out to place a hand to his own as scarlet eyes glanced to the lavender-haired boy.

"You… protected me… when my brother… wasn't there… thank you." the Odd-Eyes Duelist sighed, placing a hand atop the boy's head.

"I'm just glad Tsukikage got you to him when those people got us, you wouldn't have liked the Detention Center, they were really rude," he said with a small smile.

"If… you protected me… then I believe you can protect the others… you're my Pillar too… so I believe in you… Yuya…" Riley quivered as he spoke, and Yuya gave him a small smile.

"Thanks, that makes me feel a bit better…" Reiji smirked.

"Pillars are seen as a safe haven to children, they are trustworthy and protect the innocent, and children are the most innocent of creatures. That is why they always come to you, Yuya… because they sense your strength, and your ability to protect them," he stated as Yuya glanced his way.

"But… you're wrong about my capabilities Reiji… I don't have a good handle on my magic… and I'm not skilled enough in it to do the things you believe I can." Reiji shook his head.

"Personally, I have full belief in you and the rest of the Lancers. All of us working together, with your help as well, can and will change the fate of our world…" scarlet eyes widened as Yuya blinked, recalling something from what felt like a lifetime ago.

" _Such failure and bleakness… I'll change it!"_

Yuya looked down, mind reeling at the words. That had been him, before he'd known about his magic, before he'd learned so many of the secrets his aunt had kept from him, and he had somehow started to doubt himself. Was that why he felt this now? Why his magic gave him so much grief? Because he was doubting who he really was? Sighing, Yuya considered it, knowing that he needed to think about what he was doing, now that he knew the truth about who he was, there were things he needed to evaluate, and he couldn't do that without trying to at least work with his own problems alone. Taking in a deep breath, he glanced to Reiji as he shook his head.

"I guess the least we can do is try…"

"Right, like I'm planning on kicking Hunter Pace's ass!" Shay glanced to Sky.

"That retarded flame brain managed to get in?" Sky shrugged.

"Something about needing a seventeenth contender due to an influx of us coming into it. So, there you go," he stated.

"This will be a short duel…"

 **{Duel Palace: 9:00am}**

" **Hello guys and gals! Welcome to the second day of the Friendship Cup!"**

the crowds once again cheered, Yuya putting his hands over his ears to block out the noise as he ground his teeth together. It was strange, but since he had started down this rabbit hole into this battle, he had started to notice things about him that were changing just a fraction. His eyesight was better, so he knew when he returned home he more than likely would no longer need his glasses, his hearing had gotten a bit better it seemed – though it could just be the larger crowd creating a greater resonance of volume – and he had started to feel the strange aches and pains in his body, but honestly, at his age, Yuya was shrugging it off as him growing, even though the aches didn't feel quite right.

" **Today, we have the match between Hunter Pace and Sky Shuinin! Let's give our Duelists a round of applause as they get into place!"**

A chopper like D-Wheel roared onto the track, electing cheers as Reiji glanced to Yuya who was looking a bit anxious as he dropped his hands from his ears, seeming to wince a bit as Sky came out on a pale blue and green D-Wheel as he waved to the others as he pulled up beside Hunter, the two of them preparing to go as the Lancers remained tense, knowing that in the Council Tower, Gongenzaka was watching, just as anxious as they were. The field spell was activated, and within a flash, the two of them were off, Hunter Pace taking the lead as Sky smirked, Yuya and the others catching it as the blue-haired boy kept driving.

"Guess I go first candy kid!" Hunter called as Sky laughed.

"Yea, guess so!" Hunter smirked.

"Alright, to start things off, I activate the spell card Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two more cards! And hot damn do I have some good ones! To start things off I'll play Spirit Reaper in defense mode!" he stated as the purple cloaked, scythe wielding corpse appeared on the field.

" _Shit… not that thing…"_

"And then, I'll set myself two face downs and end my turn! you're put candy kid!" he said as Sky started forward, drawing his sixth card as he looked to his hand.

"I'm up! I use my Scale three Fluffal Dove and my Scale eight Fluffal Angel to set the Pendulum Scales! Now I can summon Monsters level four through seven at once! _Swing in harmony Pendulum of Trials! Form a woven thread that pierces through all! Pendulum Summon!_ Come on out! Fluffal Leo! Edge Imp Nails! And Fluffal Horse!" the plushy creatures came onto the field, earning a few cheers from the younger audience, others finding it cute, but not to threatening.

"CUTE LITTLE PLUSHIES YOU GOT THERE OUTSIDER!" Sky stuck his tongue out flipping the guy off as he did so.

"Watch and learn folks! From my hand, I activate the spell card Polymerization! I fuse together Edge Imp Nails and Fluffal Leo! _Twisted creature of the lower realms, bring forth a burning chaos upon those who dare to cross me! Fusion Summon!_ Appear upon the stage! Frightfur Daredevil!" a small, red devil in white lower garments appeared holding a pitch fork, looking like a Halloween costume.

"What the fuck is that little thing?" Sky drove up to Hunter.

"Look at my little devil again," he said as the Burning Skull Duelist eyed the Monster and then looked at the register on the console of his D-Wheel.

"Holy bells! That thing comes in at three thousand attack points?!" Sky smiled.

"Yup! Now, I activate the pendulum effect of my Fluffal Dove! Once per turn, when monsters are used for the special summoning of an extra deck monster, those materials can be returned to the field at the cost of five hundred life points!" he stated as his life points dropped to thirty-five hundred and Edge Imp Nails and Fluffal Leo reappeared on the field.

"Now yer just being flashy!" Sky shook his head.

"I'm never just flashy! I'm a fucking big bang too! Now, I'm going to use one of Edge Imp Nails effects. When this card is on the field, I can negate the effects of one of my opponent's monsters, and thus, I chose to negate Spirit Reaper's effect!" Hunter hissed.

"Dammit!" Sky smirked.

"Alright, Frightfur Daredevil's effect, I attack Spirit Reaper, and it's destroyed, dealing you one-thousand points of damage!"

The audience winced as Hunter was dealt the one-thousand points of damage, dropping him down to three thousand as the Lancers sat there with small smiles on their faces, recalling Sky's penchant for dealing vast amounts of damage to his opponent in quick sweeps, leaving the other little to no room to maneuver. Yuya and Yuto eyed Sky's field, seeing two opportunities for another effect in play. However, seeing as this had been one of the first legitimate Duels Sky had been in within the Synchro Dimension, they were debating whether or not they would be seeing him go easy on his opponent.

"However, because I used the effect of Fluffal Dove, Fusion Monsters cannot attack the turn it's effect is activated," Sky stated.

"Hmm… guess he's going easy on the guy…" Dennis shook his head.

"Something tells me that he's definitely not doing that. He's just going to cream him for calling him candy kid…" Yuya tilted his head.

"Yea… I kinda feel bad for the guy," he muttered as down on the track Hunter laughed.

"Put yourself in a bind, didn't ya?" Sky sighed.

"You're so stupid… did you even seen what Edge Imp Nails is?" Hunter and the audience looked to the information on the screens and saw that Edge Imp Nails was a Level Four Tuner Monster, leaving several of the Lancers no need to question what Sky's intentions were.

"A Tuner, m'kay, you gonna do a half-rate Synchro Summon on me candy kid?" Sky frowned.

"I was going to relinquish my turn by playing one face down and ending my turn," he answered.

"Heh, fine by me! I draw, and first off activate my spell card Call of the Haunted, bringing back my Spirit Reaper, then, I summon Pyramid Turtle to the field and then I can use the spell card from my hand known as Tuner Jumper, and chose a Tuner Monster in my deck with a level lower than five. I chose Plaguespreader Zombie! Now, I tune my Level Four Pyramid Turtle, and my Level Two Plaguespreader Zombie for a Level six Synchro Summon!" Sky tensed, glancing to the one face down on the field on Hunter's side.

" _I have one facedown that can help me pummel him; however, I only have one card on the field that can stop his face down, which I'm betting is a Mirror Force, Draining Shield, or Chaos Burst… it could even be Threatening Roar. Either way, I have to be careful and not lose this chance.."_ he kept driving as Hunter prepared his Synchro Summoning.

" _Great archfiend of the zombie world, bearing the skull of the lightning of darkness, rise from your crypt and slaughter the foolish! Synchro Summon!_ Level Six! Archfiend Zombie-Skull!" Hunter called as a crackle of lightening, and thunder rumbled as the ground seemed to break, and a large white boned, and purple skinned creature with red claws that bore the visage of Summoned Skull appeared upon the field with a terrible growling roar as Daredevil scampered around Sky, letting him know that things were going to be difficult.

"Well, at least its attack points are lower than Daredevil's," Sawatari stated.

"Don't count on that lasting…"

Crow's statement proved true as Hunter revealed the secondary effect of Tuner Jumper, that once the card had been played, it could be banished from the graveyard, and the monster would receive an attack power boost of nine hundred, raising Archfiend Zombie-Skull's attack from twenty-five hundred, to thirty-four hundred, Sky ground his teeth together, taking the damage that dropped his life points down from thirty-five hundred to thirty-one hundred. Sighing, he straightened out his D-Wheel, preparing for what might come next.

"Alright Candy Kid, I'll stop for now, you're move!" Sky glared at him.

"You're going to regret that!" Hunter laughed.

"I doubt that…" Sky looked to the facedown.

"Now, I draw!" chartreuse eyes looked to the card he had in his hand, reading it quickly before smirking.

" _ **He's got something good!"**_ Yuya nodded.

"First, I activate one of my facedown cards, Mystical Space Typhoon on your facedown card!" Sky called as Hunter swore while Mirror Force was destroyed.

"Shit!" the blue-haired boy smiled.

"Next, I use my level four Fluffal Leo and my Level Four Edge Imp Nails for a level eight Synchro Summon! _Great beast of imagination and dreams, come forth and defense those who are shackled by nightmares of foolish ambitions! Synchro Summon!_ Come to me! _Frightfur Dragon!"_ a loud pop of colorful smoke revealed a long, fluffy blue and white dragon with green feathered wings that bore pink tips, white horns, and a long puffy, feline-like tail white it bore white talons on all four of its feet, long whiskers at its mouth that was a long snout similar to an oriental dragon as it let out a cat-like roar, startling some people as they looked at the monster.

"HAHAHA! WHAT KINDA JOKE IS THAT FLUFFLY THING?!" Sky narrowed his eyes.

"My Fluffy Dragon is about to kick your ass! When this card is Synchro Summoned, I deal one-thousand points of direct damage to my opponent!" Hunter screamed in shock as Frightfur Dragon shot a small ball of blue fire at it like it was spitting out a wad of gum, an annoyed look on its face as Hunter's life points hit two-thousand.

"That is one pissed off dragon," muttered Hugo.

"Oh yea…" replied several of the Lancers as Hunter glared at Frightfur Dragon.

"The fuck?! Did it just spit on me?" Sky shrugged.

"Maybe, anyways, I activate my second facedown Rampart's of the Sky! This card when played alongside a Synchro Monster doubles its original attack by dropping my life points down to two hundred," he explained as his life points dropped to two hundred, and Frightfur Dragon's attack points went up to six-thousand.

"S-Six thousand attack points?" the fluffy dragon seemed to grin.

"Sick'em boy!" The audience winced once more as Frightfur Dragon destroyed Archfiend Zombie-Skull, dealing twenty-six hundred points of damage to Hunter Pace directly, ending the duel immediately as Sky skidded to a stop, his opponent being left behind as Frightfur Dragon let out a victorious roar, the audience cheering as Melissa joined in.

" **Did everyone see that?! In two turns, Sky Shuinin effectively eradicated his opponent using a perfect blend of Pendulums, Fusions, and Synchros! What a delightful Duel! Give a round of applause for Sky Shuinin everyone!"**

The audience cheered as Sky pulled his D-Wheel into the garage, the others meeting him as he removed his riding suit, hanging it up before he locked the garage and the group left, knowing that now two of their teammates had advanced to the next round, Reiji at this point certain that the Councils were starting to see that just perhaps, these children could do a bit more than they thought. However, the day wasn't over, the Lancers had another Duel about to go down, and none of them were particularly looking forward to it. They waited, everyone standing by the areas that their D-Wheels were at, the names labeled on the small holding areas as anxiety filled them while on the screen Melissa did her job as the announcer, getting everyone ready for the next Duel.

As they waited though, Yuya felt a sharp pain in his head and clutched at the side of it, knotting his fingers in his hair as he felt the abrupt pinch-like burning that accompanied a few headaches he'd received in the past while his mind took a moment to try and figure out what could have possibly brought it on. Immediately, he went to it being his anxiety about the entire Friendship Cup, his unsureness and doubt of learning that he was a Pillar, and atop that the stress of everything and the abnormally high noise in the stadium. He played it off, telling himself that the pain in his head was just from stress and anxiety, but some part of him _doubted it was just that._

Yuto took note of how Yuya was startling to feel, almost sensing a rise in his body temperature as the boy bit into the inside of his cheek, resisting the urge to voice the pain he was feeling in his head as he took in a steady breath, ignoring the fact that his entire body was starting to protest him standing upright. The spirit began to consider the possibility that something was causing Yuya to become sick, but this didn't feel like something that was external forcing the reaction, and that was what scared him, because it wasn't from outside, it was coming from deep within Yuya's own body.

" _ **Yuya? Hey… are you alright?"**_ the boy tightened his jaw against the pain that was starting to cause his body to break out in a cold sweat.

" _I'm… fine… don't worry…"_ Yuto narrowed his gaze as Melissa Claire came back onto the screen.

" **Alrighty everyone! After that splendid Duel, we get to see our next Duel! We have Tokumatsu Chojirou! And… miss Yuzu Hiiragi!"**

The two's pictures came up, and the group nodded, preparing to exit the garage as Tokumatsu went into his holding area, grabbing his suit as he closed the door, starting to change his attire while Yuzu glanced to Yuya, who had stayed behind. Periwinkle eyes softened as she dragged him into the room with her, taking off her shoes as she prepared to change into her riding attire, consisting of a pair of pink leggings, the white and pink boots, a white tunic dress with pink accents as a belt, at the chest, collar, and shoulders along with elbow length glove-like pieces that had a pair of elbow guards and a few pink plastic covers on her knuckles.

"Don't look, or I'll hit you with my fan," she warned as Yuya felt a dark flush come to his features.

"W-Why am I in here then?!" she smiled.

"Because, you look worried," Yuzu told him as Yuya swallowed nervously as he turned to face the wall, keeping his gaze down while the pain in his head continued to throb, a faint strange ache developing in the rest of his body.

"I didn't want you involved in this mess…" the girl sighed as she slipped out of her prior attire, laying it to the side on the chair provided as she pulled on the pink leggings, slipping on the tunic which she zipped up at the front to the collar, looking over her shoulder to see pink and silver thread forming a pair of fairy wings with a rose and a musical note connecting them at the joint while she smiled, pulling on her boots.

"We already talked about this… and I'm capable of handling myself, just as you are," she told him.

"Yea… I know…." Yuzu put her gloves on and turned to face him as she walked over and reached forward, cupping his cheek as she looked to him.

"Yuya, we're going to get through all of this together, okay? Whether or not you believe you can do your job as a Pillar, we'll all pull through it," she told him as he sighed, looking down.

"How do you know that? I mean… you've seen me at the lowest I've ever been… how can someone like me be one of the people who are supposed to help keep our world safe? What kind of power do I have to even hope to help?" Yuzu smiled.

"Sometimes you can be so dumb," she said, laughing as he frowned.

"Not helping…" Yuzu shook her head.

"Yuya, I wish you could see how much you shine despite your flaws. Those are some of the things I love about you the most… every flaw and imperfection… because we all have them… and you've always been my Pillar," she told him as he blinked, a bit of light returning to his rather dull eyes.

"Yuzu…" the pink-haired girl moved towards him, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"Whenever I've needed you, you've come. Stood up for me, protected me when you didn't absolutely have to… if I was hurt you comforted me, and I've always known you were with me even when I couldn't see you… so, you see, Yuya, you've always been my Pillar and you always will be… worldly and supernatural titles be damned," she said as she heard him laugh a bit.

"If that's how you really feel, then I can count on you to have my back, right? As my closest person, and my teammate? No matter what?"

Scarlet eyes looked towards her, and Yuzu smiled, staring into those warm eyes that she'd always known before carefully, she leaned up a bit, moving her hand to behind his head, knotting her fingers in his messy hair as anxiety started to cause her heart to pump faster, only increasing when she felt his hands rest on her waist, supporting her and not shying away from the action as she moved to stand slightly on the balls of her feet, her right hand knotting in the front of his shirt as Yuzu closed her eyes, feeling his breath on her lips when a loud knock came from the door, alerting the two of their actions as they moved away from one another, faces blood red as they looked away from one another.

"Um… I…" Yuzu internally began panicking.

" _Oh my God! I almost kissed him! what the hell am I thinking?! I don't know if he feels that way about me! He's to confused with what's going on too… even I am… that's just taking advantage of one another… I'm not doing that! No! No! No! No!"_ a faint laugh left Yuya and she turned her attention on him, seeing a small smile on his features.

"Tokumatsu won't go easy on you, just do your best, okay?" the pink-haired girl nodded.

"I will, don't worry," she told him.

"See you when the match is over?" Yuzu smiled.

"Okay…" Yuya pulled up the garage door, Yuzu grabbing her helmet as she watched him start to walk away.

"Tokumatsu?" the man looked to Yuya.

"Yes, little elf?" the boy frowned.

"Come on seriously?" Tokumatsu laughed.

"I stand by what I said earlier," he told him as Yuya sighed, feeling the burning to his cheeks still present.

"Yea well, don't think Yuzu's gonna let you beat her just because she's a pretty girl. I've known her my whole life, and she's one tough Duelist, so you can bet she'll squash you." Periwinkle eyes looked him over as Tokumatsu laughed again.

"Indeed, I bet she is one hell of a fine Duelist, and I look forward to our Duel. Now, go on to the others, we'll see all of you once our Duel is done!" he said as Yuya nodded, walking away as Yuzu put on her helmet.

"Good luck!" Yuya called as he turned a corner and Tokumatsu glanced to the pink-haired girl.

"You're lucky to have someone so genuine love you, Miss Hiiragi," he told her as Yuzu turned to him.

"We're close… but I don't know if he feels the way I do for him." Tokumatsu smiled.

"Ask him when you get the chance and he's calmed down. I think you'll be delighted to hear the truth," he said as he put his helmet on, mounting his D-Wheel as Yuzu followed, taking in a deep breath.

Melissa called them onto the arena, and they came out, the audiences cheering, the Lancers watching, excited, yet nervous about how the Duel would go, and being thankful Reiji had prepared the right kinds of failsafes for them in case one of their teammates were to lose a Duel. However, they could all admit being cooped up in the Council Tower in their assigned room, unable to leave the tower, did have a few downsides, but with Tsukikage keeping tabs on the tower, they felt things were covered, even though Gongenzaka could definitely handle himself.

However, as things were beginning in the arena, Yuya was making his way up into the stands still, feeling the pain in his head increasing as his heartrate began to go up, a cold sweat having broken out on his skin as he leaned up against a wall, feeling his vision grow a bit blurry as he took a moment to catch his breath. This was something he most certainly wasn't accustomed to having problems with, having been in Action Duels most of his life, Yuya was used to being able to run at near top speeds and move about with little to no trouble with his breathing, but suddenly, he felt as though he couldn't get enough air into his lungs, and his body felt both blistering hot and horribly cold as he leaned against the wall, Yuto hovering near him in anxiety.

It wasn't normal, they both knew it, but neither could explain what was going on. Yuya shook his head, placing a hand to the front of his face, resting over his right eye as pain continued to ebb in his skull, making him want to nearly scream with the amount of sharp stabs that were occurring. Taking in another deep breath, Yuya kept walking, but with every step his started to stumble more until he hit the ground, catching himself as his arms shook with the effort of keeping himself propped up, Yuto appearing beside him, crouched in worry at his side.

"Yuya, you better just stay put for a second," he told him.

"And cause a… big panic? No thanks…" Yuya struggled to his feet, stumbling as he used the wall to help support himself while the other continued to float by him.

"I really think you need to stop for a second. Your cheeks are flushed and your breathing harder, something isn't right," he said as Yuya closed his eyes tightly, feeling a dryness in his throat, indicating that he was possibly dehydrated.

"Yuto, I'm… probably just dehydrated… take it easy…" the spirit shook his head.

"These symptoms aren't from dehydration! Something else is going on!" Yuya sighed.

"Let's just… get to the others…"

However, before Yuya could, he found himself sliding down the wall, taking in a few deep breaths as he seemed to struggle with keeping himself upright while Yuto stayed with him. The sudden onslaught of what seemed to be a flu-like illness both worried and confused the spirit, as he knew for a fact that Yuya had been completely fine before twenty minutes ago, and now he was barely able to keep his head up. fearful of what could be happening, Yuto remained by the other boy, until they heard footsteps and scarlet eyes turned to see Shay and Crow in the doorway.

"Yuya! Hey! What's going on?" Crow and Shay came to him and he shook his head.

"Nothing, just a bit dizzy…" the Risulian Witch scoft, pushing the boy's bangs out of the way with his hand as he felt the sticky cold sweat on his skin, and the obvious heat there as well.

"Just dizzy my ass! Your burning up," he stated.

"I'm… fine…" Crow narrowed his eyes.

"No, you aren't… come on, we better let Reiji know. The two of us can take him back to the tower and keep tabs on him, the rest of the group needs to stay here for Yuzu and Tokumatsu," Crow explained as Shay nodded once.

"I'll let him know right away, just stay with him, alright?" Crow watched the Risulian rush away, leaving him to crouch next to Yuya who glanced to him weakly.

"What caused this?" he asked.

"Don't… know… had a headache… earlier…" Crow eyed him.

"You know sickness can be caused by anxiety and stress, and we both know you've had plenty of that. inside, you're all jumbled up, aren't you? About who you're supposed to be," he stated as Yuya looked down.

"I'm… not who… they want me to be…" Crow sighed as he reached out, feeling of Yuya's forehead.

"Shay is right, you're burning up. Must be a lack of sleeping on top of everything else… I feel like part of that's my fault… I mean… none of us really have helped though, huh?" he inquired as the boy made a small noise.

"Not your fault… I'm just… not who everyone… wants me to be… even now… I'm supposed to be… stronger than this." Crow laughed a bit.

"Yuya, the Pillars aren't all powerful Gods. They're just as human as the rest of us, but they were given a special gift and task, that's what defines them, not perfection and power. We don't expect you to shoulder everything on your own, no one can do that and handle it well… that's why we're here, we're your teammates, and friends… all of us want to change things… so don't worry, besides… your still a kid, it's okay to not know the answers, and be afraid… because we're always going to have your back," he told him as Yuya closed his eyes, leaning against Crow's shoulder as he took in a steady breath.

"I'm tired…" the orange-haired Sage smiled.

"Then get some rest, we'll make sure you're okay," he said as he mused the boy's hair while Shay returned and the two were on their way back to the Council Tower, Gongenzaka having been informed to meet them on the floor the Lancers were staying on while out in the arena, Yuzu and Tokumatsu's Duel was just getting underway.

 **{…}**

 _This is how we rise up…_

 **{…..}**

 **Author's Note:** Hate me if you want, but the events here are going to make more sense as time goes on. There have been clues that Yuya has one more thing that is lying in wait, I just hope you guys are okay with it because it was a part of the original idea of the story, and ended up woven into this final concept as being a lot more of an explanation for things about Yuya and his family than I thought it would be. Anyways, in the next chapter we have a lot of ground to cover, so be prepared. Tell me what you guys think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.

Trivia:

Yuzu still doesn't know what happened to Yuya, but she will soon.

This chapter was partially inspired by episode 67-68 of Arc-V, Season II.

Rampart's Sky is a card I created, and it has two sister spell cards.

Sky's Synchro Monster was inspired by the Luck Dragon, Toothless, and a parrot I knew that liked to throw things at people when it was cranky.

Yuya and Yuzu's almost kiss is me just being mean. (please refrain from throwing fruit at me)

In this chapter, I wanted to focus on Yuya's struggles with accepting who he is, because let's face it, anyone would probably be a bit unsure of how to accept that kind of thing being thrown at them.

A major theme of this chapter is belief and faith in those around you, as they are your support, _your pillar_.


	85. Chapter 85: Musical Curtain

Chapter 85: Musical Curtain

 **{Council Tower: August 19** **th** **, 2014: 12:02pm}**

Crow sighed as he and Shay finally made it to their floor, Gongenzaka standing near the elevator as they went quickly to Yuya's room, being careful to sit the boy down on the side of the bed once they were in the room. Yuya was still very much awake, and had been settled down in hopes that he could get his bearings as he took in a few deep breaths, choosing to kick off his shoes, shaking his head as he removed his goggles to sit them on the bedside table as he felt a strange soreness to his throat, being quick to reach towards his throat, Gongenzaka watching him as Yuya's dampened bangs hung in his eyes, the flush to his cheeks displaying an apparent fever to the giant of a teenager while Crow tried to check him over.

"Yuya, I need you to take your jacket off," he stated as the boy shrugged out of the red jacket, laying it beside him as a shiver wracked his body, causing his shoulders to draw up slightly as the other three gave him a concerned look.

"I'm probably feeling this way… because I'm tired. Don't get so worried…" Shay sighed.

"That may be the case, but you're blistering hot and look like you're about to pass out; so, forgive us for being a bit concerned," he told him as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Not to mention your short of breath for no good reason. I'm concerned about why you're sick all of the sudden…" Gongenzaka nodded.

"Agreed, my question is whether or not this has to do with the events that happened in the prison," he pointed out.

"Its not… stop worrying… I'll be fine, just…" before Yuya could say much more, his vision became blurry and his entire body felt a sense of vertigo as he swayed to the side, causing Shay to catch him as the boy lost consciousness, causing the three of them to be concerned even more than they had been before.

Without wasting much time, Shay had Crow help him maneuver the covers back, and he laid the boy down, removing the choker and crystal he wore as he took the Duel Disk from Yuya's pocket and laid it to the side, looking at the boy as he pulled the blanket over the boy, seeing his breathing remain irregular as Crow observed the situation, trying to figure out what was wrong with the boy. Earlier that morning, Yuya had been fine, not looking as though he was sick at all, and when they were in the stands, he had noticed that the boy seemed to be a bit discomforted by the noise of the crowd, and appeared to have a headache, but nothing else struck a chord in his memory as particularly odd.

However, when he and Shay had found him, Yuya couldn't even stand on his own, he was feverish, and had a strange series of symptoms that made Crow almost want to lean towards the flu or something akin to it, but the sudden bout of sickness had snuck up on Yuya so quickly, that it seemed unlikely. Sighing, the orange-haired Sage felt of the boy's forehead, noting that the fever seemed to be about the same as Shay turned on the TV in the room, and the Duel between Yuzu and Tokumatsu appeared, it having just begun.

"I've got no clue as to why he's gotten so sick like this," Crow stated.

"None of us do… but… I have a theory." The other two looked to Shay as he stood near the wall, arms crossed over his chest.

"And, what's your theory?" Gongenzaka inquired.

"There's a lot going on, and maybe all of it is getting to him. stress is known to make people sick, so it honestly doesn't make me feel that we have to look far for the answer as to why Yuya's ill all of the sudden." The others looked down.

"Do you think its possible that he's just in poor health?" the Superheavy Samurai Duelist shook his head at Crow's suggestion.

"Yuya's always had fairly good health. When most of us got sick at school from a flu spreading, he was fine… so I doubt its something like that," he stated as Shay looked at the tv screen.

"Right now, we can't do much, so I suggest we just watch the Duel and try to keep tabs on him." the other two nodded and turned their attention to the duel taking place, seeing that it was Yuzu's turn.

 **{Duel Palace: 12:20pm}**

The Duel had gone fairly well, Yuzu could admit that as she focused on her turn coming up. Tokumatsu was an incredibly talented Duelist, and she had no doubt that he could be a great help to the Lancers and the goal they were all working towards; however, she had no intention of losing a Duel to him. On her first turn, she had summoned Solo, the Melodious Songstress to the field, and due to her effect, Yuzu had brought Opera the Melodious Diva to join her sister on the field from her hand, which had been followed quickly by her activating the continuous spell, Fortissimo, allowing her to once per turn increase the attack power of a Melodious Monster on her field by six-hundred points.

Yuzu had then increased Solo's attack points by that amount, giving her a boost up to twenty-two hundred. From there, she had been able to draw first blood, dropping Tokumatsu's life points down to thirty-eight hundred, and destroying Mastu and Crane-Crane. Yuzu had watched Tokumatsu skillfully use his deck from there to revive Mastu and Crane-Crane, using the spell card hand restocking to change the level of his monster to two, then he drew another card, activating a card known as Chou Koikoi, allowing him to draw three cards, sending only non Cardian monsters to the graveyard.

At that point, Cardian Susuki and Full Moon with Wicked Sky came onto the field, followed by Cardian Kiri and Fenghuang, and finally, Cardian Yanagi and Rainman with Umbrella and Poison Frog. In Yuzu's eyes, the maneuvers were impressive, having only seen a handful of Duelists flood their field like that without using Pendulums. The cards had decreased their attack to zero, and changed their levels to two, only for Chojirou to bring out a Synchro Monster that Yuzu knew was going to be a problem. Just when she had been certain that Solo would be destroyed though, she had been able to snag an Action Card that had thankfully stopped Solo's destruction by raising her attack points to be higher than Ameshikou's.

However, she hadn't been finished there, and had grabbed another Action Card Flight again, raising her Solo's attack points to thirty-four-hundred, and giving her the chance to fight Ameshikou; however, Tokumatsu had grabbed the Action Card Miracle, which did save his Monster, but he did lose life points, bringing him down to thirty-six hundred. However, Yuzu had gotten slammed with fifteen-hundred points worth of damage when she'd drawn, him having explained Ameshikou's effect, leaving her life points at twenty-five hundred.

"You're a fine Duelist Yuzu, but it seems there's a story behind that tough mental strength you got," Tokumatsu said as she glanced his way.

"There's someone I'm hoping to convey my thoughts and feelings to. I don't doubt that they're feeling depressed right now, confused even, and aren't saying it, but they're blaming themselves for everything. So, I want to tell him that he isn't alone… and that I'll be right by his side through all of this, no matter how great the challenge is, because he cares for me, and wants me to be safe… so…" Yuzu glanced down to her bracelet, thinking about Yuya's smile as she saw him before this Duel had begun.

"I'm going to give this my all! With everything we've learned together!" Tokumatsu smiled as he watched the girl.

" _I hope you're watching, Yuya your girl is fired up…"_

"Then show me everything you have! Tell that person exactly what you want them to hear!" he stated as Yuzu nodded.

"I release Solo the Melodious Songstress and Opera the Melodious Diva! I advance summon for Prodigy Mozarta, the Melodious Maestra!" the red and gold dressed fairy with silver hair and solid blue eyes appeared on the field as Yuzu remained focused.

"Next, I activate the effect of Prodigy Mozarta! She lets me special summon one level four or lower _Melodious_ Monster from my hand! Time to get this thing going… I special summon Aria the Melodious Diva!" the brown and purple fairy appeared on the field, the group watching in curiosity as Crow, Shay, and Gongenzaka hoped that before this Duel ended, Yuya would wake up.

" _Come on, you need to wake up, Yuya…"_ Shay thought as on the screen Yuzu went back to her Duel.

"Thanks to the effect of the Continuous Spell, Fortissimo, the attack power of Mozarta goes up by six hundred!" Yuzu stated as the fairy's attack went up from twenty-six hundred, to thirty-two hundred.

"Impressive, but what do your fairies do?" the pink-haired girl smiled.

"Glad you asked! Now that Mozarta is on the field, I thought I'd be a good time to show off her gorgeous dress! Battle! Prodigy Mozarta attacks Ameshikou!" she ordered the attack, Tokumatsu acted quickly though, jumping up off his D-Wheel and into the air to get an Action Card, which just happened to be Evade.

"Your Mozarta's attack seems to have misfired, and ended up doing nothing! So, how are you gonna liven this up?!" Yuzu took in a deep breath.

"I activate the effect of Aria! Once per turn, if battle damage was not dealt during the battle phase, she inflicts eight-hundred points of damage to the opponent! _Resonating Wave!"_ Tokumatsu was slammed with the eight-hundred points of damage, dropping his life points down to twenty-eight hundred as Yuzu winked.

As another turn came around, Yuzu glanced to the camera area, her mind hoping that Yuya was watching her do the best she could. This was her chance to prove to him, that she could stand beside him through all of these events, and that no matter how confused or afraid he was, Yuya wouldn't be alone. Taking in a deep breath, Yuzu focused on the next part of her Duel while in the Council tower, the previously unconscious boy had finally started to come out of his state of sleep, sitting up and startling the other three as he heard Yuzu calling out her next move and looked towards the tv, seeming to be a bit confused at first until he looked around and then to the screen a deep breath leaving him as he started to calm himself a bit.

" _ **Good, you're up, Yuzu's taking her second turn, and she's doing pretty good, let's hope it stays that way. So, keep yourself awake, m'kay?"**_ Yuto's statement got his attention as Yuya shook his head and returned his gaze to the tv, the others keeping their thoughts to themselves.

"Is that all?" Tokumatsu asked as Yuzu shook her head.

"No way! I activate the Equip Spell, Saint Instrument from my hand, and equip it to Mozarta! Using this, I negate all effect damage inflicted on me, and the equipped Monster gains the same amount of attack points! I end my turn with that!" the man hummed as he focused on what he was going to do next.

"Very well! My turn! draw! I activate the spell card, Super Contest! I use its effect to return Ameshikou to the extra deck! My enjoyment of this Duel is just getting started! So, after being sent to the extra deck, Ameshikou's Synchro material monsters are special summoned from the graveyard as level two monsters!" Ameshikou vanished and the four Cardians returned as Tokumatsu used the last of the effects of his spell card and drew another card.

" _I better be careful. Tokumatsu's deck can flood his field in no time with effects… if only I could draw that other card… then I could do something with what I have in my hand…"_ Yuzu thought as Tokumatsu drew and she braced herself, the man having explained that if it was a Cardian it would be added to the field, but if it wasn't all his monsters would be destroyed, and his life points cut in half.

"So sorry, Miss Yuzu! I drew Sakura and Dark Camp Curtain! Now, I'm Tuning my Level two Sakura and Dark Camp Curtain, with Matsu and Crane-Crane, Susuki and Full Moon with Wicked Sky, and Kiri and Fenghuang with my level two Yanagi and Rainman with Umbrella and Poison Frog! _The solemn majesty is a holy light! Shining like the heavens, the earth, the water, the lands, and even gold! Synchro Summon!_ Appear upon this battlefield, the level ten! Cardian Gokou!" the warrior like monster with elaborate armor appeared upon the field, its attack points coming in at five-thousand as Yuzu winced.

"Yikes!" Yuzu stated as Tokumatsu looked to the two monsters.

" _If I attack Aria with Gokou, Yuzu's life points will drop to zero… however…"_

"Due to the effect of Saint Instrument, my opponent cannot attack a Monster other than the equipped Monster!" Yuzu told him as Tokumatsu gaped.

"What?! Fine! Either way, you're still taking a ton of damage! Battle! Gokou attacks Prodigy Mozarta!" Yuzu looked around frantically, seeing an Action Card ahead of her as she pushed the gas on her D-Wheel, the pink vehicle speeding along the track as she turned it sideways and leaned, grabbing the card before straightening herself out.

"Action Spell, Overpass! When both our Monsters battle, their attack points are switched until the end of the battle phase!" Tokumatsu shook his head.

"No! I activate the effect of Gokou, he negates the activation of my opponent's spell cards and destroys them!" Yuzu braced herself as Mozarta was destroyed, and her life points dropped down to seven hundred.

"Crap!" she took in a deep breath as Tokumatsu observed the girl.

"I can't negate the Fortissimo card you already activated, but from here on out, all spell cards you activate, missy, are completely sealed!" Yuzu kept driving, keeping her gaze forward. She knew a way out of this, it was sitting right before her, she knew it, but the way of getting it out would be the tricky part. Yuzu did wonder if she could defeat him in this situation as she looked to her hand, knowing what she needed to do, but she wasn't so sure that she and her deck could handle this situation. Yuzu closed her eyes for just a moment, thinking about the situation she had gotten herself into, but as doubt started to creep in, she recalled something from what seemed to be ages ago.

" _You'll do fine. Just put your heart into your deck, and trust it to come through for you. None of your fairies will let you down if you believe in them…"_

" _That's easy for you to say… your Performapals, Dragons, and Magicians are really hard to beat…"_

" _Maybe so… but you did beat my deck after all. Or did you forget the trouncing you gave me after I beat Strong Ishijima?_

" _I guess your right…"_

" _Yuzu?"_

" _Hmm?"_

" _Just smile… and trust me when I tell you that there's nothing for you to be scared of. You're brave and strong, so take a chance and believe you can do it, alright?"_

Periwinkle eyes blinked open, the conversation before her match against Julia Crystal ringing within her mind as she thought of all the obstacles she had already overcome, and every single time she had seen Yuya stand up to help her, and how she had done the same. Now, it was time to show everyone and especially herself that what she was hoping to convey to Yuya could be heard loud and clear. Yuzu nodded her head, taking in a deep breath.

"I refuse to give up! I'm putting my heart into this draw! My turn!" Yuzu glanced to her card.

" _Yuya, watch me! Watch how much I can shine, and see how I'm not going to leave your side, no matter what!"_

"I summon Soprano, the Melodious Songstress! When this card is used as a Fusion Material, I can fusion summon without using a fusion spell!" she stated as Tokumatsu looked the girl over.

"I see, she bet everything on that draw of hers… looks like her beautiful draw paid off darn fine." Yuzu took in a deep breath.

"Now! Let's go! _The voice of angels, the notes of life that form an endless spring of radiant blooms! Come together as one, calling forth the birth of wildflowers inside the soul! Fusion Summon!_ Step onto the stage to perform the song of victory! _Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir!"_ the beautiful pink and blue floral fairy appeared on the field, her opaque blue eyes staring wide as Tokumatsu rose an eyebrow at the summoning.

"Only a thousand attack points?!" Yuzu took in a deep breath.

"Battle! Bloom Diva, attack Gokou!" she called as the fairy did as told.

"You'll lose!" the pink-haired girl shook her head.

"No, I won't! This card cannot be destroyed by battle! And my opponent receives the battle damage her controller would take instead! Then the monster she battles is destroyed!"

"Sorry, nope! Gokou negates effects!" Yuzu looked around.

"I'm not done yet!" she rode up the side of the wall, turning the D-Wheel upside down to flip it mid-air as she snatched an Action Card, coming back down with a heavy bounce.

"An Action Card?" Yuzu activated it.

"The Action Card, Overpass!" she stated as Tokumatsu sighed.

"Missy, it doesn't matter what you do, cuz it'll end the same way! I activate the effect of Gokou!" the spell card was destroyed as Yuzu took in a deep breath.

" _Keep going!"_

"Looks like it's over," Tokumatsu said.

"No, we're just getting started!"

"What?!" he asked as Yuzu took in a deep breath.

"I send my Score the Melodious Diva from my hand to the graveyard, to activate her effect! She lets me banish two copies of the same spell card, from the graveyard to activate their effect! And what I activate is the effect of the Action Spell, Overpass!" she announced as the blue, purple, and white adorned tan-skinned fairy appeared, creating a yellow bridge that Yuzu drove up on, following her fairy faithfully.

"Your Gokou might be able to negate the effects of spell cards, and the effects of monsters on the field, but he can't negate the effects of a Monster in the hand! Overpass's effect swaps the attack power of our battling Monsters until the end of the battle phase! Now, Bloom Diva! _Reflecting Shout!"_

Tokumatsu's life points hit zero, and the two steered their D-Wheels to the nearest exit of the arena that would lead into the holding areas for the D-Wheels. Yuzu taking in a deep breath as she relaxed, thankful that her persistence had paid off as she removed her helmet, Tokumatsu doing the same as he pulled up and Melissa Claire roared in excitement with the audience.

" **And its over! That was a Duel of breath-taking turns and twists! But now its over! The winner is Yuzu Hiiragi!"**

"I won…"

"YES! WAY TO GO YUZU!" periwinkle eyes glanced towards Hugo and Sky who were cheering for her excitedly, causing her to smile as she looked into the faces of her teammates. However, it was then that she noticed three people missing from the place the group was sitting at.

"That was a spectacular Duel. Yuzu, you did phenomenally," Tokumatsu applauded as he looked to the girl, seeing sudden worry on her features.

"Tokumatsu? Do you know where Yuya is?" the man looked to the group and his eyes grew wide.

"By the Gods… come on, we better get everything put away. Hopefully Reiji Akaba will have an answer," he stated.

Yuzu nodded, steering her D-Wheel into place before she shut the garage door, changing out of her attire quickly, hanging it up as swiftly as she could with shaking fingers as she slipped her white short boots back on before exiting the holding area of her D-Wheel, Tokumatsu standing with her as they waited for the group to arrive. Something had happened, she knew it, and as soon as Reiji arrived, Yuzu was prepared to launch into questioning; however, her thoughts were taken from where Yuya was alongside Crow and Shay when as two of the tournament officials arrived, grabbing Tokumatsu by the arms, causing her to stare at them in confusion as the man tried to pry himself loose from the grasp of the two men.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Stand back miss. He lost the duel, per the rules, he has to come with us." the pink-haired girl's eyes widened.

"No! You're not taking Tokumatsu anywhere!" one of the men eyed her.

"You best keep your nose out of it princess. Otherwise, someone might decide to teach you a lesson," he stated as Yuzu tensed up.

"Yuzu, go and find the others. I'll be fine." The pink-haired girl shook her head.

"But, Tokumatsu! You're one of us!" he smiled.

"It warms my heart to hear you say such a kind thing. But Yuya needs you more than the Lancers need me. Go and find the others, it'll be alright," he told her as he was pulled away and she felt her heart begin to hammer in her chest as the man smiled to her once more as he was lead down a stairwell.

Without a second of hesitation, Yuzu ran in the direction of the stands, her heart wildly pounding as she tried to get to the others as swiftly as possible. Why would they take Tokumatsu? Didn't he count under the protection that Reiji had received for their group? Or was it because he wasn't technically considered one of the Lancers in the eyes of the Council. Anger boiled in her veins as she rushed up a set of stairs, and finally she saw the others up ahead and shouted out to them, eliciting severe worry from Serena who jumped ahead of the others, rushing to the pink-haired girl's side as she tried to explain what was happening.

It hadn't taken long for the others to calm her down, and Yuzu informed them of what had just happened, and the reaction was almost instant to say the least. Reiji adjusted his glasses, and the group were escorted to the car that took them back to the Council Tower, where Reiji Akaba intended on having a conversation with the Council about a few things.

 **{Council Tower: 1:09pm}**

"Yuya!" Yuzu burst open the door to Yuya's room, having been told by Crow, Shay, and Gongenzaka that he had started to feel sick before the start of the duel and had been carried back to his room by Crow. Her sudden entrance had startled the boy though, and as she thought about it, there was a chance entering a bit more quietly could have been a wiser choice.

"Yuzu, I saw your duel, you – "the girl came over to him, reaching out to place the back of her hand to his forehead, showing her that his skin was a bit warm, but not abnormally so.

"Crow and the others said you were running a high fever. But… you seem fine now," she stated.

"The fever broke a bit ago, so I'm feeling a lot better now." The girl took in a deep breath.

"I'm glad to hear it. You had me worried for a moment," she told him.

"Na, you know I bounce back from these sorts of things quickly." She nodded, smiling to him as she noted that he was currently lacking his goggles and belt.

"Right…" Yuya glanced a bit behind her from his position sitting cross-legged on the bed.

"Anyways, I wanted to congratulate you on your win! It was awesome!" Yuzu smiled, but it faltered almost instantly.

"Thanks, I was really anxious being on that D-Wheel. I've never driven one before," she admitted.

"It's not that hard though, huh? Kind of fun actually… but um… where's Tokumatsu? I wanted to tell congratulate him on how good he dueled. You could tell he really loved being out there in the spotlight again after ten years in that prison." Periwinkle eyes widened.

"You… met Tokumatsu in the prison?" she asked.

"Well, yea. All of us went there except Reiji, Riley, Sky, and Tsukikage. Tokumatsu was the prison boss, and I had a duel with him and he stopped being so callous after that and came back to his former behavior. It was good to see that I was right about him being a kind person under that cold demeanor he put on for the masses there." the pink-haired girl looked down.

"Yuya… the officials took Tokumatsu underground." Scarlet eyes looked her over.

"Yuzu… that's not a funny joke," he told her.

"It's not a joke… they took him away right in front of me. I told them to leave him alone, and they even threatened me to stay out of it… I tried to stop them, but I couldn't. I'm sorry…" Yuya's bangs shadowed his eyes as he stood up off the bed, going around Yuzu as the girl quickly followed him.

"Hey, Yuya! You saw Yuzu's duel right! She kicked ass out there and – Yuya?" Hugo stilled as the boy stopped in front of him.

"Let me by…" the Tempastus Witch eyed him.

"What's up with that look on your face?" he asked.

"I need to go and talk with the Council…" Hugo tensed.

"Reiji's already handling it. Just stay up here with – "he reached out, and tried to grab the boy, but instead was given quite the shock when the boy snatched his arm, twisting it in an angle that caused Hugo to crouch.

"Get out of my way…" the other took in a deep breath.

"O-Okay… just let go!"

Yuya did so and walked past Hugo who quickly stood, looking to Yuzu and Serena who had seen what had happened, the others having been out in the hallway, but hadn't interceded, hoping that more than one of them wouldn't have to intervene. However, Yuya had stopped Hugo from calming him down and had taken the elevator down while the others were quick to use the other one nearest to them, some taking the stairs as they tried to get down to where Reiji was currently conversing with the Council. Hugo as they went down started to think about what Yuya's expression and energy had told him as he prepared himself for what the boy might do.

While he was used to people getting angry from time to time, the look on Yuya's face and in his eyes told him that the boy would do something violent if he was so enticed to. Personally, the scarlet eyed boy did not cross Hugo as a vicious nor vehement person, but he knew even the kindest of people had a point that they would take no more shit from people, and when he'd looked at the boy's eyes he saw a glimpse of a darker side to the boy. The elevator rang, and the group exited it, meeting up with the others who had rushed down the stairs, as they quickly headed down the long hallways, seeing Yuya walking calmly in the direction of the meeting hall.

Yuzu hadn't known what to think when she'd seen his demeanor change like it had, even now as Gongenzaka stopped the boy she wasn't sure what to think. Yuya had kept his expression down, his bangs hiding his eyes as he tensed with Gongenzaka's hand on his shoulder. His hand was clenched into a tight fist, making the scar on his wrist even more prominent as he took in a deep breath and shrugged off the hand, stepping forward as the others glanced to one another, a silent suggestion of merely doing damage control going through the air as they nodded, following Yuya as he finally arrived at the door of the council room.

Within the meeting room, Reiji was having no progress, his request for Tokumatsu to be brought back from the underground facility being denied due to him not being a Lancer. It was utter stupidity in his eyes, as he had suspected the request had covered them and their allies – in fact, he could have sworn that had been his specific wording – but it appeared that the Council had decided to not include Tokumatsu, Crow, Shinji, Damon, or Donny in the matter, and they warned him not to request a repeal of the fate of Tokumatsu any further or the Lancers would be stripped of their sole safety net.

"We will not warn you again. Chojirou Tokumatsu is not a part of your company, thus he does not fall under the protection we've offered your Lancers," Azul stated.

"I am aware of that; however, I requested for the banning of the underground facility for my teammates and our comrades." Bordeaux huffed.

"Unfortunately, I do not recall those being your words. Therefore, we cannot release a criminal to your custody. The same fate will befall those Black Feather members once they lose as well, and I believe at this point it would be more prudent to severe the protection of your Lancers as well, meaning that Noburou Gongenzaka will be taken to the underground facility as well," he informed him.

"Are you sure you want to make that move?" All eyes turned to see Yuya standing there, a cold glare on his face as he and the others entered the room, the Council members looking to them all in shock.

"Excuse me, but what are you doing here? None of you are welcome here, do I make myself clear?!" Yuya huffed.

"Would you fucking shut up you arrogant pin cushion?!" he snapped as Azul recoiled.

"How vulgar! Don't you dare attempt to take such a tone with one of us boy, do you know who we are?" Yuya rolled his eyes.

"Yea, the dumbass Council who thinks they rule the world. From where I'm standing, you're just a bunch of self-absorbed asses who think you can play with others' lives, and its fine," he stated.

"Watch your mouth boy! People like you need to learn your place. You aren't significant enough to speak in such a manner to us." Yuya laughed, the tone strangely cold.

"Significant enough? Yea, that feels about right… I mean… who the fuck am I to tell people who think they hold all the power to puppeteer people into positions that are so self-serving it makes me want to vomit that they're pathetic little bitches who need to reconsider their place." Yuzu looked him over.

"Yuya…" the boy took in a deep breath as White Taki eyed him.

"Young man, here in Neo City, we thrive on a competitive society. Those who fail completely to succeed in life aren't worthy of exiting in our society. It's truly quite simple," he stated.

"Ha! That's the biggest bunch of bullshit I've ever heard! Forcing people into slave labor isn't simple! It's immoral and sickening!" Reiji looked to Yuya.

" _He's losing control of himself… but this could be what we need."_

"Hold your tongue! We've done plenty for your comrades and yourself. Or have you forgotten we were the ones that allowed that doctor to examine you after the assault you endured in the prison?"

Yuzu's eyes grew almost impossibly wide as Yuya stood there, unnaturally still as the others watched the Council with a vicious glower on their features, Reiji shooting them the same glare as the Council seemed to find the boy's silence as a confirmation that he wouldn't be talking about the subject any longer; however, they couldn't have been more incorrect. Yuya's blank expression remained so as the people upon their chairs sighed.

"No more on this matter. Chojirou Tokumatsu will remain in the underground facility… the same will go for those members of the Black Feathers, and the Lancers will no longer have their immunity to the facility. Perhaps this will make you understand your blessings in our city."

That was the last straw it seemed because as the statement left the lips of one of the Council members, a faint laugh started bubbling from Yuya's form, his body shaking slightly with the effort it seemed to take to keep it in as he took in a deep breath, shaking his head, a cold smile appearing on his features as the group watched him, scarlet eyes glancing up to them, glowing as he locked his gaze upon them. Yuya took a step forward, and as he did, the appearance of a red mist-like aura flickered around him as he took in a steady breath, the Council watching him as the boy took in a deep breath.

"Let's see how you like being played with…"

At first, confusion reigned on the group until without a single bit of warning, Bordeaux was forced from his seat, body rigid as Yuya rose a single hand right in front of himself, carefully, and tightly curling his fingers as the man was seemingly strung up, and pulled around the edge of the table and towards the ledge of the high risen area to where he was teetering on the edge. Bordeaux screamed in shock as Yuya laughed, a terrifyingly psychotic smirk on his features. The group stared in disbelief as the Council stood to their feet, making a move as Reiji shook his head to his Lancers who stilled as Yuya held his arm outwards the man in the grasp of a spell swaying on the high ledge.

"Stop this!" Yuya laughed.

"Whittle, whittle, little white bones, become the end of a sowers thimble… you know what happens to people in these spells? Don't you?" he asked.

"You're a… black witch! That's black magic!" Yuya tilted his head.

"Is it now? Interesting, because I don't recall this spell being forbidden… and it's in my family's grimoire. This is the thimble spell, teetering on the edge of a spool like a needle being put to good use. Now, if I loosen the position of my hand, he may just accidentally fall, _wouldn't that be a shame?"_ Yuya's voice took on a colder, more calculative tone.

"Don't you dare?!" stated Azul.

"Hmm? Dare? Oh, very well…" Bordeaux teetered back, letting out a horrific scream.

"You're completely psychotic! Insane!" Yuya laughed, a small smile coming to his features.

"All the best people are crazy sir. Now, listen to me carefully, am I clear?!" Yuya stretched out his hand curving his fingers as Bordeaux felt himself turning to face away from the floor, his expression remaining calm.

"Why would we do such a thing?! You're threatening one of our members!" Yuya's lips stretched over his teeth in a sadistic smile.

"Threatening him, am I? Does something sound a tad familiar? Perhaps you'd like it best if I showed you how far I'm willing to go!" Yuya relaxed his fingers, and Bordeaux went flying to the floor, the others prepared for a sickening splatter, but received terrified whimpers as scarlet eyes glanced towards the man who was stopped a mere few inches from his death.

"Akaba! Stop this! This boy is insane!" Reiji merely adjusted his glasses as the others stood nervously still.

"Actions do speak louder than words, is that not true?" Bordeaux looked to the silver-haired teenager.

"H-How dare you!" Yuya rose his other hand.

"Shush… no talking," he said as the man's mouth clamped shut as Yuya rose a finger to his lips, smiling slightly.

"Akaba! Call off your attack dog…" Yuya rose an eyebrow.

"I'm not his attack dog. This was of my own volition. Now, I have to ask a question… how do we intend to cease this potential slaughter?" he asked.

"S-Slaughter? I beg your –" Yuya narrowed his gaze, dark marks appearing under his eyes, canines sharpening.

"No, I beg your pardon sir! Trickery is best left to those most skilled in it, and your complete underhandedness is nothing compared to my sleight of hand. You are a cluster of Wizards and Magicians, I'd so adore to see you match the skills of a Witch, it would _be so entertaining,"_ he stated his expression calm, a small coy smirk on his lips as he kept his bright eyes locked onto the Council.

"We…" Yuya's smirk widened to show his teeth.

"Choose your words carefully… it would be such a shame to see someone die because of your foolish mistakes yet again," he said as he curled his fingers back up, Bordeaux being recoiled to the edge of the area he had been on prior.

The air in the room was charged with tension so thick it felt almost suffocating as the group looked to the boy holding what seemed to be all the cards right then. None of them had ever seen this side to Yuya before, and it was honestly terrifying, to the point that they questioned what they were dealing with exactly as Yuya kept his attention on what he was doing, his aura pulsing wildly, alerting those who could sense it to the fact that his Waking magic was fully active and he was somehow controlling it. The Council was silent, seeming to think about what was happening, and how to best handle it; however, whatever debating they had been doing was short lived as Yuya sighed and White Taki smiled.

"It would seem that an error was made on our parts. Tokumatsu will be returned to his chambers by dinner time, that much I assure you, Yuya Sakaki," he stated as Yuya's form relaxed slightly.

"Indeed, seems that you have the right amount of logic. Very well." With a snap of his fingers the spells on Bordeaux were released and he fell to his knees, gasping in shock.

"Y-Your insane, completely over the bend! I knew something was wrong with you the moment I saw you… in your eyes… there's madness!" Yuya shrugged, seeming nonchalant about the subject.

"Madness is fine by me. The fact is that when you know you're insane, you're the sanest one in the building… compared to the lot of you who think toying with lives is fun. Maybe this will curb your wanton behaviors, its really repulsive," he stated.

"Hmm, perhaps. All the same, we will return Tokumatsu to you; however, none of the losers are allowed to leave their rooms save for meal times with the rest of you until the tournament is over." Yuya glanced to Reiji.

"What do you say?" he inquired as the silver-haired teenager nodded.

"Suitable, so long as another error isn't made like this again." White Taki smiled.

"Very well, then I suspect lunch and rest is in order. Tomorrow there are more duels to take place, and all of you will need your rest," he said as Reiji looked to Yuya.

"Yes, your right. Yuya? Shall we all go?" the scarlet eyed boy smiled.

"Sounds fine to me." The group exited the room with Yuya and Reiji in the lead, all of them thinking one thing in particular on the fact that Yuya was able to switch from calm to near psychotic in the blink of an eye, and that it quite honestly spooked them.

 **{Common Room: 4:20pm}**

The group had gathered in the common area on their floor, taking a moment to get their bearings again as the group considered what had just transpired as Yuya had gone to rest in his room, saying that he had a headache, leaving the group mostly to themselves while Sawatari and several others were fine-tuning their decks, preparing for the potential of them being up next to duel the following day. They all knew that after the first two days there were several duels a day, as the tournament was only a week and two days long, and that each and every one of them would have to be prepared for what was to come.

"Damn… that was scary," Sawatari muttered as the others looked to him.

"What? Seeing Yuya go from his normal self to a freaking nutcase? Yea, that was pretty fucking scary!" Sky shrugged.

"He was just putting on a front, so I don't see why you guys are so freaked out," he mentioned as Crow rose an eyebrow.

"Are you telling me that was all an act?" he nodded.

"Duh, Yuya might be a bit over the bend, but he's not that crazy. I mean, Yuzu, Gongenzaka, and I have seen him snap a bit before and what he did in there was one-hundred percent a poker face," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"That was one hell of a poker face then." Yuzu sighed, causing Dennis to look her over.

"Is something wrong, Yuzu?" the pink-haired girl glanced his way.

"One of the Council members said Yuya was assaulted in that prison… what… happened to him?" she asked as the group went strangely silent.

They had been avoiding this question for a long time, and while they had hoped it wouldn't have to be discussed, all of them knew that was a false hope. Yuzu had a right to know what had happened to Yuya, and while none of them doubted that she would be heartbroken to hear it, possibly even angry, avoiding it and it coming out in a bad way would only make matters worse. Sighing, the group looked to Hugo who was also out of the loop on the matter as Shay thought of the best way to tell the two of them about what had happened.

"Just understand that the things you're going to hear aren't going to be easy. Are you sure you two want to know?" Hugo sighed.

"Listen, I get its probably bad, and I'm sure Yuzu does as well; however, you gotta realize that if we're going to be able to help Yuya through it like the rest of you guys, we gotta know what's going on," he explained.

"Alright… we'll try and make it straight and to the point then. So… where to begin…" Crow huffed.

"From day one of our arrival in the prison, a few people were making some… comments and passes towards Yuya. His appearance drew a lot of attention, and needless to say, some people liked what they saw," he stated as Yuzu and Hugo blanched.

"Urgh… I've got a bad feeling…" Crow nodded.

"You'd be right. All of us took note of it and decided something needed to be done about it, so we started doing our best to stay in teams of two or so, watching each other's backs while we did our chores and what not. Things were okay for a few days, but eventually… Yuya got pulled away from us by one of the guards, and he convinced us he'd be alright… but he wasn't," he said as periwinkle eyes softened, fear starting to flood Yuzu's frame at the statement.

"W-What happened to him?" Crow looked down, unable to meet the girl's eyes.

"A bit of time passed, and we all were concerned, so I went up to where Yuya was supposed to be and I… found him standing in the middle of one of the smaller cells… he looked almost like he wasn't breathing, and he just glanced my way… and his eyes were just… hollow, like there was no life in them. He lost consciousness then and I caught him barely in time… and then I saw the guy lying up against the wall at the back of the cell bleeding to death… it didn't take much for me to realize what had happened," he informed them as Hugo swallowed thickly.

"They… son of a bitch…" Yuzu looked to him.

"Hugo, what… what did they do? I…" Crow looked to the girl.

"I'm the one who found him, and myself, Shinji, Shay, and Dennis patched him up… Yuzu… Yuya was raped by five of these guys, and we just didn't reach him in time to stop it or – "the girl couldn't hear anymore.

Yuzu stood up, and ran from the room, her heart heavy in her chest as she felt tears fall down her face while she ran to Yuya's room. It was two weeks before his birthday all over again, almost losing him to something life changing and traumatic, and left her wishing she had found him sooner, that she had paid better attention to him, worked harder not to let something happen that could have been potentially prevented. The pink-haired girl felt tears continue to fall down her cheeks as she took in a few shaky breaths and opened the boy's door, seeing him waking up from the strange and sudden sound as she flung it open, it ricocheting off the wall and slamming behind her as Yuzu ran towards the boy, jumping onto the bed as she wrapped her arms around him.

The impact of their bodies causing them both to fall on the mattress as she buried her face in his chest, sobbing as she kept her arms around the boy, feeling his warmth, smelling the scent she'd always know as he looked towards her, confused as he sat up and the girl clung to him, crying as he carefully wrapped his arms around her, wondering what had brought on this sudden outburst of crying. A part of Yuya wondered if he had scared her earlier with the Council, as she wasn't accustomed to seeing him be more aggressive, but he knew what had needed to be done to get Tokumatsu out of the underground facility, and while it had worked, Yuya could admit that his use of a dark spell could have scared the girl.

"Yuzu, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to scare you earlier," he said as she shook her head.

"N-No… Yuya! I… I…" she choked a bit, coughing as she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest as Yuya held onto her.

"What's wrong? Huh?" he asked, confused as the girl tried to calm herself down.

"I-I know! Yuya… I know what happened to you… I… I'm so sorry… I should have tried harder to be with you when the invasion happened in the Pendulum Zone, I should have done more! If I had stayed with you then maybe…" slender, yet strong arms wrapped around her, causing Yuzu to still as the boy rested his head atop hers.

"None of it is your fault. So, don't you dare blame yourself… okay? I'm not willing to let you take the blame for the messed-up shit that others do. In the end, the thing that helped me overcome that… was the hope that I'd see you again… and that you were safe," he told her as Yuzu closed her eyes tightly.

"That shouldn't have happened… not to someone like you…" he smiled in a small manner.

"Yuzu, things happen for a reason. It didn't break me, I let it help me realize that I didn't want to become a victim anymore… and that I had things that have to be accomplished, and people who I want to protect…" periwinkle eyes stared up at him.

"But it…" he shook his head.

"Its already happened, there's no need to think about it right now, okay? Besides…" the girl felt tears roll down her cheeks.

"Yuya… don't push this off, it's not something you just forget about… it…" the boy kissed her forehead, stilling her voice as she felt her eyes widen.

"It's okay…. Because you're here with me now. My most precious person… and you're safe… some of these wounds may not heal completely… but you being here, it helps… Yuzu," he muttered in her ear as she felt herself relaxing, pulling him closer as she rested her head against his chest while he laid back and the two of them curled up together, tired and stressed as they just soaked in one another's presence, Yuzu closing her eyes as she rested against him, feeling his heart beating under her ear which quickly lulled her to sleep as Yuya smiled.

" _Yuzu… its okay because the person I love is here with me… and that's enough…"_

 **{….}**

 _Heart is beating faster, feels like thunder…._

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** A Duel, insanity, and some fluff. You're welcome! In the next chapter we have more dueling, and a few special surprises in store! Now, I think that we're actually just getting into the thick of the Friendship Cup, and a lot has been changed, but things are mostly the same. I hope you guys enjoy the chapters and let me know what you think!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94

Trivia:

This chapter was based around episode 69 of Arc-V Season II.

Yuzu's encouragement and memory conversation comes from _Chapter 29: Crystal Song_

Yuya's spell is known as Bone Spindle, and is a dark arts magic, but not forbidden because it's not exactly lethal, just very dangerous if used in a certain way.

Yuzu and Hugo now know the truth.

Yuya pushing it off like that is actually how many victims of rape will act. Putting it aside and acting like it never happened.

Would be nice if Yuya and Yuzu could admit their feelings for one another, huh?


	86. Chapter 86: Heartbeat

Chapter 86: Heartbeat

 **{Ritual Zone: August 20** **th** **, 2014, 2:34pm}**

The ticking of a clock on the wall of the Kame Gameshop was often a peaceful reminder of the hours passing by during the preparations for the final months of school and graduation; however, for one person in particular, that was not the case. Amethyst eyes turned towards the old-fashioned cat clock in annoyance as Yugi blew a strand of his blonde bangs out of his eyes while his mind thought of the prior months events. After Atem had passed on to the afterlife, a brief stent of monotony had set into their lives, forcing the teenagers who had spent so much of their time the last four years saving the world and combating the forces of darkness to attempt normalcy, and while Tea, Tristan, Duke, Mokuba, Kaiba, and Joey had settled into their mundane existences almost flawlessly, Yugi and Bakura had found themselves struggling to a degree.

Admittedly, the white-haired English teenager faired better at hiding his inability to quite simply push all the magic and insanity they'd dealt with for the last few years than Yugi could admit he was. However, he couldn't precisely say that things had been entirely peaceful either when he thought about it. Post Atem's departure, there had been a two-week stint of normal, mundane life and things taking place – for the most part at least - and then Yugi had gotten an email from one Marik Ishtar. It had been a simple check-up email at first, and then Yugi had been begged by the blonde Egyptian to become his partner for the Middle-Eastern Tag-Team Regionals, which Marik had been invited to.

With summer on the rise, and a sense of restlessness brewing in his mind, Yugi left for Egypt once more just after his seventeenth birthday had passed. His time spent there had been different from the first time, and he had been given a chance to see more of the country as well as learn that he had inherited his other half's magic. The notion that he had magic of his own had existed for quite some time when it came to Yugi's acceptance of its place in the universe; however, compared to the Pharaoh's, his own had been rather minute until he had been left alone after his dark half's departure.

Knowing it was an opportunity to learn what he could before the tournament began, Yugi listened intently to everything Ishizu had to teach him and once the regionals started, he and Marik dominated the duels, winning with little trouble, and being exposed to other summoning mechanics that had further encouraged Yugi to learn them in addition to his experiences with Jaden and Yusei just before their final leg of the journey with Atem.

After the Middle Eastern Tag-Team Regionals had passed, Yugi, Joey, Bakura, Marik, Tristan, Tea, and Duke had all been invited to participate in the Duelist Island tournament during the last month of summer. The tournament – which felt like a hybrid between Battle City and Duelist Kingdom – had been what Yugi and the others now described as one of the most grueling competitions they'd ever endured, with each playing a vital role in their team, and all having to Duel it was mayhem, but besides a few run ins with old enemies such as Panic and Bandit Keith - who were part of the seven-person Black Team – nothing to abnormal had happened, which they were all admittedly grateful for.

"You seem to be in deep thought," stated a voice as amethyst eyes looked up to see a familiar white-haired English teenager in front of him.

"Oh, hey Bakura… sorry I didn't hear you come in." the other shrugged.

"Its fine, you seem to be focused on something… is it important?" Yugi shook his head.

"No… I was thinking back to the tournaments we went to during the summer is all," he explained with a sheepish smile while Bakura nodded.

"They were a lot of fun, it's the first time that a lot of us got to duel like that as a team." Yugi leaned back on the bar-chair behind the counter with a sigh.

"Yea, I just wonder why its been so quiet lately," he admitted as soft brown eyes glanced down.

"I've done several divinations lately… but they've not given any exact answers as to what's happening in the universe… which hasn't happened before with me." deep purple eyes looked to the white-haired teenager.

"I remember you mentioned during the Battle Island tournament that you're a practicing magic user. What were you again?" Bakura smiled.

"Well, typically I would be considered a Witch; however, my abilities lay more broadly, so I'm actually what most would call a Sorcerer. I don't have a generic skill type like Witches do; however, I must admit that if I were to fall within that category, I would have been a Fortuna Witch," he explained as Yugi nodded.

"That's interesting… but what did you mean by the cards aren't telling you much?" Bakura pulled his deck from the holster on his belt.

"Normally, when I use my deck for divinations… I have an undoubted assurance that the answers I receive are genuine. However, in the most recent weeks, the cards are showing me very little information, and I keep being given the same answer; which is to seek the ones with the heart of the world." Yugi tilted his head, looking decidedly curious.

"The heart of the world? That doesn't really make any sense," he admitted as Bakura nodded.

"I know, which is why I don't understand it. I also keep getting a card that once I used a tarot deck showed me the tower card reversed, and the world just beneath it. Everyone interprets the cards differently; however... the sense I keep getting is that something is wrong… and we're in the middle of it." Yugi glanced down, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

"Guess the question is, what are we going to be up against?" Bakura hung his head in defeat as he took in a heavy breath.

"Can't we finish high school in peace?" he asked in frustration, musing his white hair as Yugi chuckled.

"Our group? Go through anything in life in peace? Please, you've gotta be kidding me." the other sighed in defeat.

"Good point. Guess we'll have to wait and see what's happening," Bakura admitted as his friend nodded.

Personally, Yugi wondered what was happening that seemed to have Bakura on edge. His friend was skilled in the occult and magic; however, it didn't seem to matter to the powers that be, and that most certainly concerned him. After everything that had happened, having a sense of peace with it rested in hollow hands that slowly let it slip through, and left a sense of trepidation in its wake. Taking in a deep breath, Yugi started shifting through the catalog nearby while Bakura thumbed through his cards, but as the silence momentarily consumed them, the phone of the game shop rang, and Yugi picked it up.

"Hello, Kame Game Shop. How can -"

" _ **JUST WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU UP TOO?!"**_ Yugi held the phone away from his ear.

"Kaiba?!" he asked carefully.

" _ **Who do you think it is?"**_ Bakura looked to the phone, smiling a bit.

"Is he challenging you to another duel?" he questioned as Yugi shook his head as he put the phone back up to his ear.

"Is there something wrong?" the Blue-Eyes Duelist growled on the other side of the line.

" _ **Wrong? Of course something's wrong! More of your weird freak friends have been skulking around the city and I had to bring them in for what they're doing! They even were cornered by Mokuba, and tried to fight him. So what in the hell are you trying to get us caught up in now?!"**_ Yugi blinked, the words sinking in as he took in a deep breath.

"Kaiba, I don't have any clue what you're talking about," he stated as Kaiba scoft.

" _ **Oh, I'm sure you don't! You and these black and red coated goons don't have anything associated with one another whatsoever?"**_ Yugi rolled his eyes.

"No, I'm not sure who they are," he replied as Bakura put his deck away, getting a sense that something was off.

" _ **You get over here now! I need to get to the bottom of this."**_ the phone was slammed onto the receiver as Yugi winced, getting the feeling that something was greatly wrong.

"So… what did he want now?" Yugi scratched the side of his head.

"He wants me to come to the Kaiba Corp. tower… so, I guess I should go before he sends people after me again," he stated as Bakura frowned at the statement.

"How about I come with you? That way if something goes wrong I can back you up." Yugi nodded, and the two headed off, unsure of what Kaiba wanted, but supposing that it was for the best to learn from the man's own mouth.

 **{Kaiba Corp. Tower: 3:20pm}**

Yugi and Bakura were greeted by an irately glaring Seto Kaiba who stood in the main lobby area of the glistening silver tower with his arms crossed, and an irritated snarl on his lips. Normally, this look would unnerve most people; however, Yugi and Bakura had faced far more terrifying things than an angry Set Kaiba, and had long since dealt gotten used to his sour moods. Sighing, the former owner of the Millennium Puzzle came towards the Blue-Eyes Duelist alongside Bakura, unsure of what to expect once they began dealing with the man. However, there were no words granted to either of them as Kaiba headed towards the elevator, and they quickly followed behind him, not doubting that something was going to happen once they reached wherever Kaiba was taking them.

The ride was quiet, and short before they were shoved off the elevator, and onto what appeared to be the tenth floor. Growling under his breath, Kaiba lead Yugi and Bakura towards a room just down the hall, and pushed the double doors open, pointing them into the room as they did as requested, being greeted by the sight of two young individuals in black and red jackets, tied and handcuffed to two office chairs, both looking rather frustrated at the situation as Kaiba slammed the door behind Yugi and Bakura, who turned their attention to the irate CEO.

"Who are they?" Kaiba asked as the two other Duelists shook their heads.

"Sorry, Kaiba, but we don't know them." cold blue eyes flickered over the two of them, seeming to judge them before a huff left him as he looked to the two black-jacket wearing teenagers.

"You two, tell me what business you have here," he snapped, causing the two to look up at the three of them.

They were both girls, one dark skinned, black haired, and magenta eyed with a stern glare that narrowly matched Kaiba's. under the black jacket she wore, they could see a holster that attached at her waist, and went down to her upper leg, which seemed to be missing something, but neither Yugi nor Kaiba knew what. The other girl, was very small in stature, was pale skinned, had bright, and wide peridot eyes, and wild, long, red curly hair with a black bow in it. As they stared at one another, Bakura noted on the table that there were two strange looking devices, one blue, and the other a purplish-gray, decks laid out next to them while on the girl's jackets there were diamond shaped patches that bore a knight riding a horse and wielding a lance.

"We don't have to answer to you!" snapped the magenta eyed girl.

"When you attempt to attack my brother you do. So, I'll ask again, who are you two? And what are you doing skulking around Domino City?" Yugi and Bakura glanced to one another.

"Listen, the two of you are going to be better off answering our questions," Yugi stated as the two girls frowned.

"No way! For all we know the three of you could be tricking us into divulging important information!" Bakura rose an eyebrow.

"Important information? Is there something going on?" he probed as the red-haired girl glared.

"Sorry, I don't care if your with Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba, there's no way in the great halls of Valhalla that I'm going to say anything!" the trio of duelists shared a look between themselves.

They knew that both the girls knew who they were, but for some reason didn't trust them to even try and explain the situation calmly to sort out whatever misunderstanding this could have been. However, that being the case, both Yugi, and Bakura were beginning to get the sneaking suspicion that Kaiba's hunch that something wasn't right could have been spot on, and that they were indeed attempting to cause some sort of havoc, or possibly were looking for something.

"Well, honestly, we're just trying to figure out what is going on right now. Kaiba thinks you guys are here to cause trouble like a few people have in the past for us," Yugi stated as the two girls frowned.

"How can we be sure that you aren't trying to fool us with magic? You could be the enemy for all we know!" Bakura sighed, thinking on the situation.

"Magic? Again? Please! I don't have time for this!" Kaiba stated sharply.

"Would you just get off your damn high horse for once?! You wanted answers right?" ice blue and violet eyes met for a moment before the Blue-Eyes Duelist sighed.

"Fine, do whatever your planning on doing," he snapped as Bakura looked the two girls over.

"Only one of them is a Witch, the other is a Mortal girl. I don't want to get her to involved, but I could use a truth spell." the red-haired girl eyed him.

"So, you're a Witch? No wait… your pulse is different… you're a Sorcerer, and the other two with you aren't much different…" Bakura nodded.

"Right, I am a Sorcerer in a sense. But, more importantly, we're genuinely just trying to figure out what the two of you are doing because we can't afford to have another battle breaking out," he stated as the magenta eyed girl scoft.

"To late, Academia already saw to that." the trio gave her a questioning look.

"Academia?" asked Kaiba as the two girls stiffened.

"What did this Academia do, exactly?" the red-haired girl sighed.

"Fine, we're here to find information on some people so that we can keep them out of the hands of Academia, who are trying to kill these specific people off before fusing our world back together… if they do that though, it'll just destroy itself… everyone will die, and so we've sent out a group to try and counter it." Kaiba rolled his eyes.

"Not this again…." Bakura rose an eyebrow.

"Is that what's going on?" the magenta-eyed girl nodded.

"That's the abreviated version. Academia is hunting down magical folk and slaughtering them, turning some people into cards, and have already killed one of the people we're looking for who just about destroyed a place in our world known as the Xyz Zone, it got turned into a dimension because of that…" Yugi eyed the items on the table.

"So, you use Dueling as a weapon?" he asked.

"Not by choice, but Academia does the exact same thing… its one of the only ways to fight them. If they kill off these people known as Pillars, its curtains for all of us." Kaiba folded his arms over his chest.

"And why is that?" he growled.

"Because they're connected to our world. They go, the protection our world has from the darkness will shatter, and our world will fall to it." Bakura frowned as his mind went over his tarot spread from earlier that day:

 _seek the ones with the heart of the world._

"Bakura? Something wrong?" Yugi asked.

"My tarot spread today read the same thing it kept doing for a while. The inverted pillar with the world below it, meaning the two are connected. My center card changes on multiple occasions… first it was the Wheel of Fortune, then the Moon, the Fool, the Magician, Strength, the Hermit, the Star, and Judgement. Today, it was the Magician again." the red-haired girl frowned.

"Change, dreams, optimism, willfulness, courage, understanding, hope, and rebirth. That can be a very dangerous reading," she told them.

"How did you figure that?" the girl frowned.

"I'm a Fortuna Witch, its my forte. Let me tell you this, our group is called the Lancers, and we were founded by the Leo Corp. The job of us black coats is to seek out strong duelists within our world and garner their support in a potential inner-world war, and to mark the Pillars so to keep them out of the grasps of Academia," she stated.

"You… _black coats?_ That means there's another faction, right?" Kaiba's cold glare settled upon the two girls.

"Yes, our job is to be scouts, the red coats jobs are to be on the front lines fighting," explained the magenta-eyed girl.

"What are your names?" the two glanced to one another with a sigh.

"I'm Aura Houchun, and this is Julia Crystal. We're deligators of the Lancers, and our job was to come here to the Ritual Zone and find its Primary and Secondary Pillars… but the secondary isn't showing up anywhere, and the pulse signatures are non existent for them… but we came here to Domino because we picked up the signature of the Primary Pillar." the trio of duelists eyed the girls, mild anxiety and trepidation rising in their bodies as Bakura looked to the two in questioning.

"If you did, have you found them?" he inquired as Aura nodded, twisting herself loose from the ropes a bit so to move her arms a bit better as she rose her cuffed together hands.

"Yes, he's right there." she said as she pointed in front of her.

 **{Neo City Track: Lancer Area: 6:37pm}**

Despite a few rocky moments, the Lancers were finding some joy and relief in their circumstances as Serena had won her duel, and thankfully, there would be a slight buffer before the next round of duels would begin. For the time being, Yuya felt as though he could breathe a sigh of relief, his anxiety levels had been on a high today, mostly because he had noted as the extra people were dwindled down in the tournament, that they would soon be fighting amongst themselves. Tired scarlet eyes glanced around the room where some of the other Lancers were seated, they had just returned to the floor that had been reserved for them in the tower, and were waiting for the rest of them to show up before they would be eating; however, despite the calming period before tomorrow, Yuya couldn't find it in himself to stop the faint trembling that rested in his hands.

" _ **Your magic is going to go crazy if you keep letting it get to you,"**_ Yuto mentioned as Yuya sighed.

" _I know… but even you've noticed the goal here, right? They're planning on pitting us against one another to see if we're willing to hurt one another to succeed in our plan…"_ gray eyes softened a bit at the notion.

" _ **And, you just can't see yourself fighting those you think of as comrades and friends, can you?"**_ Yuya leaned back on the sofa, drawing some attention to himself from the others as he draped his arm over his eyes.

" _Of course, I can't! look at the hell we've already been through, and this is just the first Dimension! Yuto… I'm… really starting to think this is more than we can handle…"_

" _ **Unfortunately, it's a bit late to back out of the situation now,"**_ Yuto muttered to Yuya who gave a defeated grumble, rubbing his hands over his face, gaining a questioning eye from some of them, particularly Shay.

"Something bothering you?" he asked as Yuya went stiff.

"N-No, I'm just tired." Sky glanced him over.

"Are you sure that's the case?" he probed as scarlet eyes looked to him.

"What are you talking about?" Sky shrugged.

"You just look pretty frustrated, is it at all possible that your worried about whose up next to duel?" he inquired as the Pillar of the Pendulum Zone flopped back in his seat, the large, cushy chair practically swallowing him.

"I'm more concerned about what kind of game these psychopaths are playing at." Dennis hummed in thought.

"I can see why you'd be worried about that. They don't exactly cross me as agreeable people… let alone trustworthy. Whose to say that if we win they won't still attempt siding with Academia?" he pointed out as Hugo thought on the topic.

"Personally, I think you need to be more scared of what they might do should it come to the point that we do win, but they decide to dispose of all the Lancers regardless." Yuya glanced to Hugo and noted that he looked particularly discomforted by the situation at hand, but decided to it was best not to bring up that or the strange feeling he had in the pit of his stomach.

"Well, what does our Pillar think?" asked Sky as Yuya gave him a startled look.

"Whoa, wait a second! I can't give you an honest answer if I tried! I don't know anything about the Synchro Zone or Dimension, and just because I'm a Pillar doesn't mean I somehow magically have the know-how on strategies or how people think." Yuya's protest had Shay sighing.

"Besides, Yuya isn't the Pillar of this Zone, nor of the Fusion or Xyz ones. That falls to those other people," he pointed out as Dennis hummed in thought.

"Come to think of it, why is it that you and Hugo favor so much, Yuya?" the two boys glanced to one another.

If they were to be honest, neither one of them could fathom an answer to it. Why were they so alike in appearance? Hugo frowned, thinking about the question as he considered that if he did his hair differently, he would be nigh identical to Yuya in every way save for the coloring of his hair and eyes. Yes, he was a touch taller than the other boy, and was a year older, but their faces were so close in features, one could have honestly mistook them as twins.

"Don't know why I look like him. The same goes for why I don't know why we look like Yuto Kisaragi or that guy who took Rin and Ruri," Hugo answered simply, annoyance radiating off his form.

"Not to mention, Yuzu, Ruri, Rin, and Serena all look alike too." Sky frowned at the statement.

"The man who runs Academia, the Professor… he has a thing for collecting people with similar faces. I don't know the reason behind it, but that's why he kidnapped Ruri and Rin, because they favored Serena, and that's most likely the reason behind the capture orders on both Yuzu and Yuya from the battle royale…" Shay clenched his teeth at the notion.

"We know he wants them, but why? Why go after the girls, and then go after Yuya and the others? There's got to be a clear reason behind it." Yuya hummed in thought, and then Yuto chimed in.

" _ **You know, there's this black arts spell I read about once. It had to do with splitting mind, body, soul, and heart into separate parts that could be birthed into living form with their own heart and soul. From there, you could gather them up and use them as sacrifices to revive the person who was originally separated."**_ clearly hearing such a statement showed on his face, because Yuya was approached by Sky quickly.

"Yuya? Is something wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost," he stated as Yuto gave him a glum expression.

" _ **That term is getting really old."**_

" _Shut up! This isn't really the time for jokes,"_ Yuya thought as Shay eyed him.

"Sakaki? Is everything fine?" the scarlet-eyed teenager nodded slowly, taking in a deep breath as he thought on the information Yuto had just shared. He debated it greatly, telling them or keeping it to himself. Such a dark spell being used was farfetched, as magic of that form was all but extinct now a days. Black arts were only briefly studied by most Magi as the rituals were mostly destroyed, or lost to time; however, there were a few exceptions of people knowing how to use arcane black magic and in those circumstances, things often didn't end well. Taking in a deep breath, he looked to the others as the door started to open.

"There's this… spell I read about once…" Yuya stilled, seeing Reiji, Yuzu, and the others present.

"And, what spell is that, Yuya?" asked Reiji as he adjusted his glasses.

"Tenebris Intrinsecus Latet, or…" Serena's eyes grew wide.

"Dark Veil… that spell though… how would you know about it?" she questioned, seeming a bit tense at the information.

"I read it somewhere in the books we have at home. Though, I don't recall much about it." Shay found a cold glare resting on the ground as he took a deep breath.

"It's an ancient curse-craft spell. The spell is supposed to divide the mind, body, soul, and heart of a person and allow them to be born as physical beings to later be used as ritual sacrifices to revive the person. However, in order to do that you need retainers for the fragments, _and_ willing hosts to carry and give birth to the children that carry these shards. But, that kind of spell isn't guaranteed to work," he explained as Yuya thought on the situation for a moment.

It was a long shot, but he did wonder if there was even the tiniest chance that this was how things were like this. There were eight people with similar features, all eight of them carried similar trinkets on them, and if he were to guess, himself, Hugo, Yuto, Joeri, Yuzu, Rin, Ruri, and Serena weren't born very far apart either - which he knew to be the case with him and Yuzu as she was born in March and he was born in May - which made the idea all the more plausible to him, and his silence that came with his thoughts didn't go unnoticed by the others, unfortunately.

"Yuya, I know what your probably thinking but -" he shook his head.

"There are eight people with similar features, I'll bet we're all around the same age, no more than a year or so apart, right? And as for the retainers…" Yuya held up his pendulum crystal.

"You actually think that -" Yuzu put a hand to her mouth at the idea, shock overtaking her momentarily.

"Four pendulum crystals… and four bracelets… he might be onto something here," Dennis admitted in a sour expression.

"Wait! You seriously think we're some kind of results of a freaking spell?! I'm sorry, but I find it hard to believe that the eight of us are fragments of some kind of black magic! Hell, how can we be? We have genuine feelings, and memories! We have people we love and that love us back! We're not fakes!" Hugo snapped as Serena glanced down.

"What if… we are though?" Yuya sighed.

"Look, its just a theory… but to a degree, it makes sense, I mean… we're… none of us are exactly normal, are we? I mean, look at just me and Yuto… or even Hugo and Joeri. I can't vouch for the girls, but Yuzu… your mom died not long after you were born, right? Like my mom did?" the pink-haired girl nodded slowly.

"Yea, she did. But, Yuya, if that's the case then what does that mean for… me? I'm Mortal… aren't I?" Hugo scoft.

"You might be _half-mortal_ , but you aren't a pure mortal. Most aren't in this day and age, same for Magi, there's a decent percentage of us that are hybrids, myself, Rin, and Serena are just an example… and then there's Yuya," he stated as the red-green-haired teenager gave him a confused look.

"What are you talking about? I'm a pureblood Witch, no one in my family are creatures." Hugo eyed him.

"To be honest, I think your being lied to. Look at you, I know we favor, but we're different on multiple spectrums. Your aura radiates like a pulse of fire, and light blended with darkness… you _don't feel like a pureblood Witch._ If you told me you were a hybrid or something, I would believe that more readily than I do with you telling me you're a pureblood," he stated bluntly as Yuya shook his head.

"Sorry, but that's just… absurd. Why would my aunt… " Hugo glanced him over.

"Let me guess, until recently you didn't even know you were a Waking Witch, right?" Yuya nodded slowly.

"I was possessed by my magic on several occassions during a tournament back home. When that happened, everything about me was different… my personality, my aura, and even my appearance…" Hugo frowned, noting that those who knew Yuya best were quiet.

"How did it change?" the scarlet-eyed boy glanced away as Gongenzaka sighed.

"I was up close and personal with one of these instances. His eyes had a cold glow to them, he was very agressive and stronger than what he should have been, the energy he gave off was dark, and cold… nothing like the person I know. Lastly, he had fangs and actually bit someone," Gongenzaka stated this as Yuzu stared between him and Yuya.

"Seriously? I hate to say it, but I've studied lore on Waking Witches, and none of them _grew fangs_ when they became possessed." Yuya gave Hugo a cold look.

"Can we just not? There's enough shit going on without even more questions being piled onto the already massive list of things we don't understand and can't fix without putting our heads on the chopping block," he said cooly.

"You know, I get you're a Waking Witch, but most of us haven't seen your possessed state… so until we see it, I doubt I could even begin to tell you what we're looking at…" Crow's statement calmed Yuya down a bit as he sighed.

"Regardless, at this point, statuses don't matter one bit… whether we're Mortal, Magi, Hybrids, or whatever else there is, if we don't win this war, we all loose." Reiji smiled, nodding ever so slightly.

"I couldn't agree more."

 **{.….}**

 _Magic, static, call me a fanatic…_

 **{.….}**

 **Author's Note:** OH MY GOD! I am so sorry guys! Getting these chapters out was a nightmare, and I am so terribly sorry for not getting to these sooner. I had a hell of a lot happening all of the sudden, and it made sitting down to write impossible. Now, I'm trying to update as much as I can before September because I'll be doing a lot during that time and it'll make updating time difficult. Anyways, I am trying to get chapters 87 - 100 done, but I'm having some minor problems arise, and am in the middle of personal problems, so I'm writing whenever I have free time. Here's this chapter, and I'll try to get more chapters up as soon as possible. Go to my Profile to see the updating schedule change, and I'll see you guys soon!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.


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